Can anyone point me to the rules that say the Pearl Izumi Octane Tri suit is legal for non wetsuit swims? I’ve searched everywhere and can’t find it. A friend of mine and I would like to wear ours this weekend for a race but need confirmation. I’ve heard everyone say it’s legal for USAT but not WTC but would prefer the official USAT response.
My understanding is there is not a specific rule against it in the USAT rules… thus making it legal.
WTC has specific wording regarding shoulders being covered in non-wetsuit swims.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/...lebook.aspx#Article4
This should cover it.
The only thing you can’t wear in a non-wetsuit swim is a wetsuit.
Here are the USAT rules.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/rulebook/approved-skinsuits.aspx
From my recollection, there isn’t a USAT rule governing sleeves in non wetsuit swims. WTC surely has a rule, USAT doesn’t. (that I am aware of)
and luckily, I was able to find this for you:
PSA: This isn’t official, but hey, if it’s on ST it has to be true, right…?
jake
Yeah I found that thread earlier while searching. I appreciate the responses. So basically since there is no rule, it’s legal.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/...lebook.aspx#Article4
WTC essentially made their own rule about the sleeved suits.
WTC followed the FINA rules when they updated their speedsuit rules.
jake
and USAT is supposed to update theirs to follow WTC is what I’ve heard. So that means the Octane will be illegal in 2015 with sleeves. I guess that means I need to buy a swimskin
If they call you on it, just roll the sleeves up for the swim.
Or buy a speedsuit. An oly distance race is a long enough swim for a speedsuit, plus the added benefit that you can still use the suits with compressed rubber (buoyancy), 100% hydrodynamic suits, even long johns, in USAT races.
jake
OK - edit that part out then. Bam.
I guess I had misunderstood the sleeve rule. I have worn the octane rolled down in two non-WTC races this year, but I guess I didn’t need to. I didn’t realize the shoulder/knee limitation was only a WTC rule. I know USAT and WTC have different rules on the rubberized skinsuits, which WTC banned a few years ago. Based on the current discussion it sounds like the full body swimsuits that FINA banned a few years ago would technically be allowed in USAT (non-WTC) races - not that you would actually want to wear one for a tri.
The only other thing that concerns me about the Octane is that USAT does have a list of approved skinsuits in their rules section. All of Pearl Izumi’s other tri suits are on the list, but the Octane is not. I do not see any sleeved suits on the list, although that is a fairly new design approach for tri suits. I wouldn’t think that list is all-encompassing since manufacturers can put out new products anytime and it would be hard to keep up to date, but it still seems kind of vague. Does anyone know if that list is meant to be all-encompassing and suits not on the list are not allowed?
I really like the Octane and would love to be able to wear it without rolling it down for the swim, but I don’t want to risk being DQ’d over a rule misunderstanding.
That list is not all-encompassing, and it’s a bit old. Charlie explained at HyVee last year that the list is just the companies/suits that sent them into him to test to make sure they were neutrally buoyant.
The problem you run into is confused officials. I had the head official at Rev3 Williamsburg tell me that my long john rubberized Blueseventy swimskin was illegal (which was not true) because she couldn’t see through it. The see-through or blow-through test only works if you have to have textile. You’re never gonna see or blow through a rubberized suit, though. Be prepared to know your rules if you’re in an area where it’s a little different from race to race, that sort of thing.
Derek,
You think we will be okay wearing it? I haven’t found a single reason why we wouldn’t
Yeah, it sounds like it. I just wasn’t clear on the rule. I’ll probably bring along a backup suit, but at this point I think I’ll go with the octane.
I will wear my Octane as well then and bring my backup. See you tomorrow!
Any updates on the rules changing on the sleeves? Can not find any updated info.
After my wife put my B70 PZTX in the nuke dryer cycle after I asked she not dry it…it was DONE. At least it is clean, just not usable. That said, I have the older non-textile 3/4 leg B70 speedsuit & wondered about it–just to be sure in case ITU LC Tri Nats was not wetsuit legal. I called Charlie Crawford & he said it was still legal, it is only WTC that is following that–and there is a large tri community misunderstanding that in non-WTC, USAT races, you are not allowed…this is currently FALSE, you CAN use the so called “rubberized” old speedsuits still, as of today that is.
the purpose of a PI speed suit is to make you faster aerodynamically on the bike, which is 100% dependent on how tightly it fits over the neck and shoulders, which is highly contra-indicated to swimming and swimming comfort.
why would you want to swim in it, which would stretch it out and defeat it’s intended purpose?
unless you’re changing into another new PI suit in T1 that is…
Can anyone point me to the rules that say the Pearl Izumi Octane Tri suit is legal for non wetsuit swims? I’ve searched everywhere and can’t find it. A friend of mine and I would like to wear ours this weekend for a race but need confirmation. I’ve heard everyone say it’s legal for USAT but not WTC but would prefer the official USAT response.
I sold the suit a long time ago. I only swam in it for 1 race and hated it. I’ll be getting a new sleeved suit in March and a swimskin
As others have said, in my experience and in the experiences of quite a few other pro athletes, you do NOT want to swim in this suit anyway. If it fits well enough to be aerodynamic on the bike - the purpose of the suit - it is too tight to allow for proper ROM when swimming.
So whether or not it is legal is of secondary importance.
No sleeves in ITU either.