USAT Wetsuit Temp Rules to Change?

Triathlon Forum
1

I heard a rumor that USAT were going to change their wetsuit temperature rules to bring them into line with the ITU - is this true? If so, when will this happen?

USAT rules are currently that wetsuits are legal up to 84 degrees (or 78 if you’re chasing a podium place).

ITU rule is 71.6 degrees F (a bit higher for HIMs and IMs I think)

This is quite a difference from the USAT rules and where I live (Northern California), this is going to affect a lot of races where inland water temps in the summer are frequently in the low 70s.

Anyone know what’s going on?

Thanks,

2

I think this might be a rule for pro’s only.

3

Possibly, but I know from personal experience that the ITU rule applies to all participants, not just pros.

(I raced in the UK this summer and wetsuits were banned when the water temp hit 72 degrees)

4

You may want to ask your region’s representative. They will get you a straight answer and inform us.

jaretj

5

I thought it was 76F for WTC races. While USAT is 78F. I figured they maybe move to 76F. 72F is getting a little harsh. Sure its’ not nessesary, but darn that’s chilly. It sure as hell better be a beach start at 72F otherwise you’d be shivering your ass off after jsut a minute or two.

6

It varies depending on whether you’re pro or age group and/or what the distance is and/or whether you’re talking ITU, USAT, or WTC. Lots of variations.

Best source of any discussions on this, and if anything is imminent, would be to talk to your regional USAT Board representative, as another has mentioned.

7

Thanks all.

I have emailed my local USAT rep, will advise what response I get.

8

WTC is 76.1 and below for everybody.

USAT is 68 for swims less than 3k and 71.6 for swims over 3k for Pros
USA is 78 and below for Amateurs

ITU has some very specific rules:

http://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/itusport_competition-rules-2013_final.pdf

Page 17 and beyond

If there were to be changes, I could see the WTC and USAT rules aligning. I’m not saying that they wouldn’t align with the ITU rules, but this question is just about water temp, there are a lot more rules that go along with the ITU rules. Alas, I have been wrong before, I just think it’s putting a lot of strain on smaller races to have all of these extra rules to enforce.

jake

9

In Canada we use ITU rules, they aren’t at all hard to understand. The only alteration is if the air temp is very cold. But the rules have a nice easy to read chart for that. If WTC is currently 76F it would only mean a drop to 75F (well 75.2F). So it isn’t a huge deal. I would hate to see USAT side with WTC over ITU. That would make it so confusing for AGers trying to go Worlds etc…

10

My point is not that the ITU temp rules are hard to understand for people who race a good bit.

For amateurs that are just getting started, their are a lot of rules to be aware of. I think that having a single temp cutoff for races in the US, would simplify things to a good extent.

The ITU rules don’t offer a single temperature. There are at least 3 temperatures to be aware of based on distances. That also doesn’t account for the swim shortening or canceling rules regarding in water temps and OAT.

Further, for those that do understand the ITU rules, you don’t have to account for wearing a speedsuit. Under USAT and WTC currently there are two different sets of speedsuit rules (different speedsuits allowed), as well as wetsuit temperature cutoffs. If there are two questions I hear a lot, they are:

Is this speedsuit legal for this race?

Am I allowed to wear a wetsuit/ speedsuit for this race?

I’m not hearing this at your local beginner sprint race. This is at big races, even world championships. The rules are not as widely understood as one would hope, or think. USAT and WTC have very clear and easy rules to read and understand, that can be found easily with a google search “USAT swim rules”, “WTC swim rules”. I’d venture to say that these rules are even easier to understand that the ITU “easy to read chart”.

What Worlds are you talking about? WTC world champs have a single water temp cutoff. USAT National champs have 2 water temp cutoffs (elite/ amateur). ITU has several temps depending on the distance. I’m not sure how it could get any harder than that.

Just my $.02. The smaller races with USAT sanctioning will have a tougher time enforcing. Or maybe I just don’t want to change. Who knows…

jake

11

In Canada we use ITU rules, they aren’t at all hard to understand. The only alteration is if the air temp is very cold. But the rules have a nice easy to read chart for that. If WTC is currently 76F it would only mean a drop to 75F (well 75.2F). So it isn’t a huge deal. I would hate to see USAT side with WTC over ITU. That would make it so confusing for AGers trying to go Worlds etc…

The World’s qualifiers are already strange as they’re supposed to be under ITU rules, not Triathlon Canada or USAT. At the Canadian Long Course champs last year we were told that we couldn’t unzip a front zip trisuit if we wanted to qualify for Worlds but I bet it wasn’t enforced.

12

So the US needs to dumb things down?

13

Triathlon Canada uses ITU rules already. Now if your local Tri isn’t under TriCan then it can do what it sees fit to do, but yeah, you can’t have a bare torso in a race. If your local race is under TriCan but doesn’t call that stuff, well that is the officials call I guess. You could be called on it though, as per page 9 of the ITU rule book.

It is fine if the WTC has its own rules in my mind, they aren’t ITU. But a National Org should, IMO, if they want their athletes to have equal footing on the world stage. My friends are ITU officials and often have to call out USA athletes for seemingly simple rules which they aren’t aware of.

14

So the US needs to dumb things down?..

It is fine if the WTC has its own rules in my mind, they aren’t ITU. But a National Org should, IMO, if they want their athletes to have equal footing on the world stage. My friends are ITU officials and often have to call out USA athletes for seemingly simple rules which they aren’t aware of.

If making the rules easier to understand for everybody, including foreign athletes racing in the US, is considered “dumbing things down”, then yes, that would be the better option in my opinion. I’m not sure how aligning with the ITU is “dumbing things down” any less. I think the point is to encourage more people to try the sport. Making it easy to understand the rules and user friendly should be a big goal to retain that customer.

Equal footing? I don’t think that having a difference in wetsuit temp cutoffs gives anybody less of an advantage, as long as the rest of that races participants are subjected to the same rules.

If your buddies are calling out US athletes who don’t know the rules, how does this identify the ITU rules as being easy to understand?

WTC is governed by USAT in almost every facet, with a few exceptions. The swim temp rules are one of those exceptions.

The ITU rules call for uniform rules that USAT does not. WTC does not either.

My point is that USAT and WTC are in bed together already, if there is to be alignment, I would think that this would be the better of the 2 choices.

You are correct though, USAT is a national governing body, and it would make sense that they align with the major governing body. Let’s just look at how many ITU races are in the US vs how many WTC races are in the US…

We have differing opinions here, which are headed in two different directions. I have reached out to Charlie Crawford and hope to hear back soon, if not from the OP first.

jake

15

???

They call out US athletes because they painstakingly believe that USAT rules are the same as ITU rules. Not that ITU rules are hard to follow. Why should USAT align with a private company? WTC can keep any rules they want and should do what makes them popular.

But hey, whatever.

16

I’ll agree to disagree here.

jake

17

I raced in the UK this summer and wetsuits were banned when the water temp hit 72 degrees

Is this true for most age group races in the UK? i.e. 72 degree cut off for wetsuit use?

I can’t imagine USAT significantly lowering the wetsuit temp rule from 78 degrees for age groupers, for two reasons:

1 - Wetsuits are considered to be safer, given their floatation qualities, and in light of the number of deaths in the sport in recent years in the swim, it would seem (to me) that USAT would be reluctant to change a rule that would put more swimmers in the water without wetsuits.

2 - A significant drop in the temperature cut-off would hurt the sport, as it would deter racers who don’t like racing in colder water, and could significantly affect participation rates in such races, possibly forcign their cancellation.

18

Is this true for most age group races in the UK? i.e. 72 degree cut off for wetsuit use?

Kay Serrar, well I’ve only raced in the UK once but I just looked up the British Triathlon rulebook and yes, it’s right there (no wetsuits above 22 deg C for olympic and below, 23 deg for HIM and 24 deg for IM).

BTW, here’s something you may find interesting. DC Rainmaker (he of gadget review fame) was in the same UK race as me (Stowe). He wrote an excellent review of the chaos we had that day around interpretation of the wetsuit temp rule. The thing that made it especially awkward was that the water temp that day was EXACTLY 22 degs C!

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/07/stowe-triathlon-report.html

19

On there flip side there are numerous times when a high water temp and over zealous RD allows wet suits. For everyone. It’s not uncommon for races like Eagleman to be well above the 78 rule and into the 80’s yet the RD somehow allows wet suits bc they find the 1 3 inch radius that is 77.99.

I was at a race recently where the question was put to the RD are wet suits allowed. He answered we’ve not measured yet but don’t worry we’ll find a cold spot.

Moving the temp down to 76.1 would help with the over heating issue at warm weather warm water races.

Most of the deaths are not contact related, they are heart attacks If RD’s allowed warm up time people could acclimate to the temps and be as safe if not safer.

20

Agreed 100% - but if you lower the wetsuit temp, the RD who is skirting the rules now will still find a way around the rules.