I know that one is unable to receive any outside support during an Ironman event. I understand this to include any pacing, nutrition, gear, etc. What are the rules as they pertain to a racer accepting an item from another rider. It seems to me that this should constitute outside support as well… Otherwise, one could have teammate to “work” for them. It gets a bit trickier once I start to think about tech support. I had a flat (two, in fact) during an Ironman event (yes, I only had one tube) and refused to take a tube from another rider. What are the rules? Could I have taken a tube? Would that have been cheating (as I saw it)? What about tech support? I see the pro’s have motorcycles following them with wheels? Who can use these wheels? Can tech support give me a tube?
No participant shall accept from any person (other than a race official) physical assistance in any form, including food, drink, equipment, support, pacing, a replacement bicycle or bicycle parts, unless an express exception has been granted and approved, in writing, by USA Triathlon.
The rules say racers can’t help each other. What happened with Chrissie looks like a violation. It’s clear the cartridge was left specifically for Chrissie and that she didn’t just “find” it. It’s possible that the official picked it up and gave it to her, that seems like it would be ok. I’m pretty sure I heard a USAT official say it’s ok at an IM prerace meeting, but I don’t remember where. It’s strange that they would codify poor sportsmanship. Strange thing is, pacing off a non-racer is considered “outside assistance”. According to the rule, pacing off another racer is a violation too. Pacing is listed as assistance, and assistance can only be taken from a race official. Like many of the rules, there is plenty of room for interpretation.
The rules only allow you to accept help from “neutral support” - that is, tech vehicles that are out there on behalf of the race director, volunteers at aid stations, etc. They are neutral in that they are there to help on a first-come, first-serve, as available basis (of course, if prior to the race you pack light with a plan to use them if needed, Murphy’s Law says they either won’t be anywhere close, or won’t have what you need).
Anything else is a judgement call by an official that sees it. “Accidentally” dropping a CO2 can still lead to an abandoned equipment call on the giver, and picking it up and using it could be accepting outside assistance on the receiver. If you’re called on either of these in an Ironman race, you’ll get a yellow card. It all depends on the official and the circumstances.
Pacing off another person, when both of you are in the race is not considered outside assistance and is not a violation. It’s called racing and is legal.
If they had previously finished or the person was not in the race, but paced someone in the race, it is a violation.
Pacing off another person, when both of you are in the race is not considered outside assistance and is not a violation. It’s called racing and is legal.
I realize that, but that’s not how the rule reads. The rule specifically says pacing is assistance and assistance can only be accepted from race officials. I’m just questioning why the rule doesn’t reflect reality.
That rule is specifically directed to receiving outside support from people no longer racing or not in the race. While the rule may read like it is prohibited, it is in fact legal and running together in a race is not prohibited, just as drafting off the feet of someone on the swim is legal and permitted.
I’d rather wait and see if anyone can answer my original question. Why is the rule written differently than it is applied. Seems like a reasonable question.
Two athletes, both still in the race, decide to run along at the same pace. How can you decide if one is setting the pace, and one is following it? I think that’s what makes it impractical to penalize one or the other. Having the rule written as strictly as it is does allow the officials to penalize if an athlete has someone along with them who is a spectator, friend, relative, or coach, either having raced and finished or not having been in the race at all. Getting that kind of help seems unfair. In addition, the rule could be used if, let’s say, there’s money involved, and a husband and wife are both in the race. If an official recognizes that they are married, and is of the opinion that the husband has slowed up later in the race to pace her on the run, then she could still be penalized, even though they are both “still racing”. Having the rule written as support from neutral parties only allows an official the flexibility to make the right call.
I’ve heard a similar thing mentioned by officials at prerace meetings about the overtaken rule. It’s written to say you must immediately drop back when you’re passed, but on the road we’re given up to 15 seconds to get out of the zone. That way, when I’m passed, I don’t have to slam on the brakes, as long as I ease my pace and drop off in time. Now, if I hang right on the passer’s wheel for 10 seconds before dropping, the official can tag me because the rule says immediately.
I am a staff mechanic for Ironman and ride around on the scooter at most race. Hopefully I clarify what can and cannot be done…
Tech Support at an Ironman(typically there are 4 of us on Scooters these days) can legally provide any assistance other than nutrition or aiding in forward progress. Yes, you can take a tube, a wheel, a bike, get mechanical help, whatever…from someone officially working Tech Support for the race. I am not sure how that applies to people working at aid stations…I will look into that and try to get an answer for you. Wheels are open to anyone needing assistance, it is first come first serve. The wheels will go to the first person that needs them. The exception this year was Kona, when the scooter stayed with the Pro lead packs, but generally nothing is earmarked Pro…or Age-Groupers, we are there for everyone. And we almost never deal with the Pro athletes…it is 99% Age-Groupers.
The issue of one rider aiding another…such as, getting a tube from another athlete…is unclear to me as well. My initial take on that, is that it is legal. It seems like in a high profile case like Chrissie Wellington at Kona, it would have difficult to look the other way. Again, I will see if I can get an official answer on that as well. What I can do personally, I am very clear about…what other I can do, not so much…
Hopefully this simplifies things a little, and I will follow up on the areas where I didn’t have a clear answer.
Bill
Two athletes, both still in the race, decide to run along at the same pace. How can you decide if one is setting the pace, and one is following it?
You can’t.
Part of the issue here is that triathlon presents this confusing front to both observers and participants. Many talk about the “individual” effort and how that is key, and it is. But it is a mass start type of event and you are racing shoulder to shoulder with your fellow competitors on the course, so they are bound to affect you and you them, some how. The bike is what causes the most confusion, because many equate it with an Individual Time Trial. I can see the confusion, as the triathlon no-drafting rules borrow from cycling’s ITT event. However the reality is that even during the bike, you are, within those no-drafting hybrid ITT rules still racing head-to-head on the race course. The difference is that your start of the bike has been handi-capped to some degree by your swim fitness and ability.
Pacing is normally thought of as one runner trying to aid another. When you run behind someone who is competing against you they aren’t pacing you, they are racing you. They have the option of slowing, surging, dropping back etc.
Other than that interpretation, practicallity comes into it. Their is no way you can regulate it one the run. You can pace off someone who is 100 meters in front of you.
No participant shall accept from any person (other than a race official) physical assistance in any form, including food, drink, equipment, support, pacing, a replacement bicycle or bicycle parts, unless an express exception has been granted and approved, in writing, by USA Triathlon.
The rules say racers can’t help each other. What happened with Chrissie looks like a violation. It’s clear the cartridge was left specifically for Chrissie and that she didn’t just “find” it. It’s possible that the official picked it up and gave it to her, that seems like it would be ok. I’m pretty sure I heard a USAT official say it’s ok at an IM prerace meeting, but I don’t remember where. It’s strange that they would codify poor sportsmanship. Strange thing is, pacing off a non-racer is considered “outside assistance”. According to the rule, pacing off another racer is a violation too. Pacing is listed as assistance, and assistance can only be taken from a race official. Like many of the rules, there is plenty of room for interpretation.
So what it wasn’t a dq offense not until you do 3 so didn’t matter in the outcome that day.
of course you quoted usat rules ironman has their own rules mostly usat though.
Pacing off another person, when both of you are in the race is not considered outside assistance and is not a violation. It’s called racing and is legal.
I realize that, but that’s not how the rule reads. The rule specifically says pacing is assistance and assistance can only be accepted from race officials. I’m just questioning why the rule doesn’t reflect reality.
To follow up on the 2 issue I was unclear about…not sure how useful this is at the end of the year.
Rider to Rider assistance - Technically riders passing items to one another is illegal. The exception to this is what USTA refers to as “the Samaritan rule” If you aiding a rider in need of help, do one will be penalized. It is a discretionary issue for the officials
Mechanical assistance at an aid station - This is illegal. The likelihood getting a penalty for getting assistance at an Aid Station is low…but it is against the rules