Inane question in a technicality.
If you run into a sandbar or shallow water in a IM swim and walk forward. Is that disqualification or is that allowed?
Shallow water at the exit isn’t a problem. But what about mid course?
100% legal. I’ve heard people joke about running the whole swim at eagleman/IM maryland.
Inane question in a technicality.
If you run into a sandbar or shallow water in a IM swim and walk forward. Is that disqualification or is that allowed?
Shallow water at the exit isn’t a problem. But what about mid course?
It’s legal. The rule is you have to stay outside the turn buoys. I’ve done that before on a two loop course. I swung wide ran 100-200 and jumped back in.
I have watched a sprint race where a number of athletes ran along the shore for some distance, not even entering the water until opposite the first turn bouy then swam out and around it, they were told keep it on their right which technically they did. No penalties or dq there, and this one is really pushing the rules, I don’t care what the rules state, turning left and running around 100m while others ran forward, (the direction the start line was facing) and entered the water and swam is cheating in my books.
It’s actually smart racing. If you cover the course - meaning hit all turn buoys with the correct shoulder- you’ve covered the course. Happens a lot here in so cal with surf entries, especially if there is a longshore current.
Exactly. Smart racing stupid course design. That’s an RD issue not a racer issue.
Not exactly apropos to your question but a few years ago a friend of mine spent the better part of a year learning to swim so he could finish a sprint triathlon. The swim was 300 yards in the downtown YMCA lap pool in Fort Worth, Texas. The pool’s depth was not deeper than maybe 3.5 feet. He walked it.
Default answer: it is legal.
Non-default answer: Check athlete guide.
If the athlete guide is silent as to this issue, go with default answer.
Wise advice.
Thanks everyone.
Sad but true. In the first Ironman Greece 70.3 this past April the water conditions were pretty crazy (7-10 foot swells). A sizeable portion of the racers hit the last turn bouy, swam straight for the beach (instead of following the buoy line), jumped out of the water and ran the remaining 600 meters through the swim exit balloon. I couldn’t believe that happened and wished I knew it was legal because I spent a ton of time fighting that last 600m back before being sucked under a few times.
Default answer: it is legal.
Non-default answer: Check athlete guide.
If the athlete guide is silent as to this issue, go with default answer.
For races where there is a string likelihood of areas being shallow, they may add a specific rule in to cover this. The degree to which it is applied would of course vary. So for example I’ve seen ‘you can stand, but not make forward progress’ as a specific rule. Depending on the tide then people tend to try to get shallow, but not so shallow as to be unable to swim with normal technique. However, for newbies then it’s confidence giving that they can stand if they need to, or at least see the bottom. Someone at the back ends up a little shallow and takes a couple of steps until they can bob down again, no issue. The front packers start dolphin diving along the whole length, nah.
We did it at ITU Long Distance Worlds in OKC a few years back. You’d punch the ground/rocks mid way in some parts if you didn’t. Refs all around (which you could barely see due to the high waves). When you were at the trough of the wave, yeah–it was best mid course to run. But treaded lightly it was rocky! Cut my foot in fact. But at least half the field were walking some parts.
Should be ok in all races except itu. And yes it will be a DQ in itu if you do anything non swim stroke once you start swimming until the swim exit.
There was a case described on this board some years ago where (if I remember correctly) a number of athletes were DQ’ed for going too wide and running along the shore. The rule cited by the referee in that instance was leaving the course and it reentering where they had left. Given two vague rules the ref chOose what she or he felt was in line with the spirit of the rules, ie a deliberate and premeditated attempt to gain an advantage during the swim, by not swimming, should be prohibited. This is just another example of a long line of instances where the rules of triathlon, being a young sport, show their immaturity. Outside assistance, when is a fairing not a fairing, smartphones, sleeves and zippers all being other examples.
Just I think in 2017 an US athlete was in Xtappa Mexico I believe and he did 2 dolphin dives mid swim and was DQ’d.
It was the famous 2012 ITU San Diego (last Olympic qualifier and the final US “trials”), had the beach start and I believe it was Bevan Docherty on the telecast is running like 80m more along the outside part of the beach while everyone else started swimming. It was very noticeable and kinda funny. Back then I dont think they had that specific swim rule, and/or it was “gray” area as to when that rule started for the swim start…technically I dont think he did anything “wrong”-and they’ve cleaned up that rule now. In instances like that they’ll simply put buoys that you have to stay between, etc.
Should be ok in all races except itu. And yes it will be a DQ in itu if you do anything non swim stroke once you start swimming until the swim exit.
Does ITU have a specific rule or is it a case of the generic rule to follow FINA, UCI, IAAF when there is no such such rule. I had to advise a Technical Official on the wording of a specific swim rule when they found an athlete using a tempo trainer.
Fortunately it was a pro-active sorry you can’t use that device in a race and not a penalty/DQ.
ITU :
c.) The ITU Competition Rules specify the conduct and behaviour of athletes during ITU competitions. Where the ITU Competition Rules do not specify, the rules of International Swimming Federation (FINA), International Cycling Union (UCI), International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), International Ski Federation (FIS), IPC Swimming, IPC Athletics and IPC Nordic Skiing will apply in their specific segments, unless ITU Technical Committee decides otherwise;
- SWIMMING: 4.1.
General Rules:
a.) Athletes may use any stroke to propel themselves through the water. They may also tread water or float. Athletes are allowed to push off the ground at the beginning and the end of every swim lap;
b.) Athletes must follow the prescribed swim course;
c.) Athletes may stand on the bottom or rest by holding an inanimate object, such as a buoy or stationary boat;
d.) In an emergency, an athlete should raise an arm overhead and call for assistance. Once official assistance is rendered, the athlete must retire from the competition;
e.) Athletes may sportingly maintain their own space in the water: (i) Where athletes make accidental contact in the swim and then immediately afterwards move apart no penalty will be incurred; (ii) (iii)
f.) Where athletes make contact in the swim, and an athlete continues to impede the progress of the other athlete without moving apart, this action will result in a time penalty; Where athletes deliberately target another athlete to impede their progress, gain unfair advantage and potentially cause harm will result in disqualification and may be reported to World Triathlon Tribunal for potential suspension or expulsion.
Rules about water quality are outlined in section 10.
FINA : SW 10.5 Standing on the bottom during freestyle events or during the freestyle portion of medley events shall not disqualify a swimmer, but he shall not walk.
so the related question then is at what depth of water is it quicker to swim in vs walk/run (obviously it varies for different height and swim capabilities, as well as underwater ground surface)
.
- SWIMMING: 4.1. General Rules: a.) Athletes may use any stroke to propel themselves through the water. They may also tread water or float. Athletes are allowed to push off the ground at the beginning and the end of every swim lap;
Beach starts are few and far between at the top level these days. Edmonton is a step and a belly flop but Rio is the last I remover that had a proper beach start. Pretty much all the rest are pontoons. The World Cup has a few though. I also have vague memory of Vancouver 2008 had an asymmetric beach like San Diego and there was one side that got a nice head start.
That’s apt to change depending on the course and conditions. Rules can be adjusted per situation. In some cases, it is impossible to swim in 1 foot of water if water is low due to unusually lower water levels and the depth of the trough. This is of course, referring specifically to age group races (and yes, ITU age group at that). I could not speak on the ITU World Cup pro levels at this time.