Paul Lukas writes a column for ESPN.com called uniwatch about various goofy things teams do to uniforms. In his latest update, he notes that triathlon puts numbers on the bodies. I copied the part about tri, here’s the link to the entire article.
Skin Game
Uni Watch readily admits to knowing little – like, very little – about the world of competitive triathlon. Still, it was somewhat arresting to come across photos from last weekend’s International Triathlon Union World Cup event and find that the competitors wear their entry numbers directly on their bodies (yes, the men, too).
Some quick research reveals that this body-art system of numbering is fairly standard triathlon procedure, from the Olympics to slightly less elite competitions. It does not appear to be used, however, in the pentathlon, heptathlon or decathlon (all of which Uni Watch likewise knows very little about). If anyone knows the story behind all of this, please feel free to fill us in.
Actually, that does raise a good question: Why are we bodymarked? I’ve never been body marked in a road race nor in a bike race. Do any RDs out there have an answer?
. . . I imagine because it’s hard to swim with a number on your jersey? I wasn’t racing in 70whatever when this started, but that’s what I would think…
Most open water swims (at least here in HI) bodymark. Its the best way to identify swimmers not in a lane. Then you bike generally has a #, your helmet as well. Then we put on our race belt for the run. So its a 3 pronged numbering system, one for each split.
Good question. The only numbers painted on my body that have actually remained readable for more than 10 minutes are those stamped on during Xterra events.
My friends always said it was my own way of vicarious living, since I always wished I’d be born a racecar… All I know is that I LOVE bodymarking… Makes me feel like me!
Note: it IS supposed to say “born a racecar” rather than “racecar driver”…
I’ve never done a duathlon, so are you body marked in those events? I guess that’d go a long way in figuring why the body marking.
My guess is before the age of everyone wearing wetsuits, it was a way to number. but could just as easily have been done on a light colored swim cap with a sharpie.
On another note, my SO did her first tri earlier this year. She said she didn’t feel like an athlete until they marked her up, and thought back to all the times she’s seen me get marked up… and her nerves went racing!
The open water swims I’ve done in FL still operated on the numbered popsicle stick system of identifying finish order.
It is used as a way of policing the transition area- match the number on the body to the number on the bike before they release a bike from the secured area.
Numbers can come off a bike during the course of the race. I’ve lost a bike number in heavy crosswinds. (it ended up somewhere in the sand dunes beyond the big ‘do not walk on the sand dunes’ sign so I figured it was best left there)
