Swimwear/wetsuit rules change for 2011 (starts 9/1/10)...

Not a surprise. One manufacturer realized last year that USAT did not actually have a limit on wetsuit thickness, so he came out with something like an 8-mm or 10-mm suit.

I don't do very many races requiring an ultra thick wetsuit (do people actually race in the Arctic?), but I'm a little bummed about the swimskin thing.  I'm not looking for additional speed, I'm just looking for something to compress my tri top tight to my chest so that my bosoms don't create a 'pocket' for water and a lot hence, drag (it's kind of like swimming with an open Ziploc bag attached to your chest).  If I were a dude and could go shirtless, using a swimskin probably wouldn't even be on my mind.

  

Just to be clear here....this rule only applies to WTC events (Ironman and Ironman 70.3 branded events). You can still use your speedsuits and wetsuits over 5MM thick in all other races.

You are not looking for additional speed by wearing a speedsuit, but you are looking for less drag by wearing a speedsuit? :-)

Wearing a thicker suit has nothing to do with the trying to be warmer in the water. The suits are a lot more bouyant the thicker they are.

Great change IMO; brings WTC races into line with ITU rules so that all events that are conducted under the IM brand will use the same rules.

However, I think it is going to be very interesting to see what happens when a traditionally wetsuit legal swim is deemed non-wetsuit legal at 24.5C (assuming this gets enforced).

Shane

LOL!  Good catch!  But really it's that 'ziploc bag' feeling that I'm trying to get rid of.  It feels awful.  I'm not fast enough to care about a few seconds off of my swim time.

My wetsuit is under the threshold, so this really doesn't impact me.  But I'm really curious as to how WTC will enforce the wetsuit thickness piece.  Knowing that these days they allow close to 2500 folks to register and normally 2000 people show up for an IM brand race, how are they going to inspect the suits to find the cheaters?  We all know how effective a job they do at enforcing bike rules in certain races (think IMFL).  I really think that it's going to be extremely difficult for them to put teeth into this rule.

As for the rule on swimskins - it figures that this one came down, just as I was about to go out and make a purchase!  :-)

Is the water temp rule for allowing wetsuits (76.1 F) a change from 78 F?
If so, I wonder what the reasoning is behind that.
 

You can still wear a tight swimskin made of a textile material (lycra or nylon, for example) over your tri suit, but you can't wear one made out of the buoyant materials that were creating all those world records in swiming over the last year or two.  The new WTC rules essentially follow FINA's worldwide rules for open water swim competitions.  

Brian

speed suits

wetsuits

 the wetsuit thread had Emilo?? (can't remember his name) but the main guy at desoto giving out info.

I"m glad they are lowering  the temp limits.. there have been races where it was right on the edge of being legal where I wore the suit and was way to hot,  after that there was always that thought, should I wear the suit or not when the temps are  close.  the whole speed vs overheating thought process

then again, while I"m not a fast swimmer, I'm confident and quick enough that not wearing a wetsuit doesn't effect my confidence level.   My only IM was a non wetsuit swim, and it was my sight seeing while swimming that slowed me more than anything.   I think a better decent percentage of peeps would be close to panic on IM race day if they said no wetsuits, mostly since people are nervous and one little thing will push them over the edge anyway.

Edited by Gaarryy 2010-04-14 10:49 AM

I don't know that there were any scientific studies done to suggest that 78ºf it too warm (unsafe) for wetsuit swimming, but personally I think it is.  78ºf is a good temperature for a swimming pool.  I overheat when I swim hard in 78º water in a wetsuit. 

Brian

 

 i believe it's the water rover that is the only one that is too thick...&  they can just see what suit you have on,  as you head to the water.  

I'm sure it will be posted, talked about in the pre race meeting, and anyone that gets pulled to the side on race day will be yelling they didnt' know anyway

My guess is that it is to bring the rules in line with ITU rules for iron distance events (as is the 5mm rule).

Shane

That's right.

Well, I guess I'm glad I'm reading this now. I'm doing IMWI in September and was pretty positive it would be wetsuit legal, but cutting it down to 76 degrees makes it iffy. I would have to hack about 1 hour 45 min off my previous race to KQ so I guess I could just not worry about it and officially disqualify myself for any award and wear one up to 84 degrees. It's just that I've never done a tri that wasn't wetsuit legal.

I'm sure tri companies will come out with something similar, but you could wear something like this Nike Hydra over your race clothes if you really wanted. 

Any other or better products?  I was going to buy a speedsuit for IMKY, and still could and wear it legally for the November race, but I don't think I will since that would probably be the first and last race it saw. 

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Edited by PennState 2010-04-14 12:55 PM

x2

Shane

This is GREAT to know!  Thank you for clearing that up for me.  I feel better now.  Carry on!

I guess it is my own ignorance but it does surprise me how people so heavily rely on wetsuits! eventhough I am not a fast swimmer I hate swimming with a wesuit as a matter of fact it makes me slower and I have difficulty getting into a rhythm.

I chose IM Cozumel so I did not have to swim with a wetsuit ;-)...does it really make that much difference????

It made a difference in Arizona for the in water start, so you could just stand in the water and bob up and down instead of having to tread water while you wait for everyone to get into the water, the pros to start, the announcer to go his deal, the national anthem, and then finally the cannon.  It also helps if you have to float on your back to readjust your goggles after they got elbowed off of your face, and when you have to float your legs for a bit because the 60º water has caused cramping. 

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