Wetsuit Legal or Not

[Shebeen]

Garfield, as mentioned before putting pressure on the event organisers won't nesesarily work. As event organisers by law have to have their events sanctioned by TSA. Triathlon SA needs to be approached by the athletes on this matter. As event organisers, we don't even get consulted by TSA on the ridiculous TSA sanctioing fees and "high" hosting and day licence fees they have now implemented, to try bleed the sport dry!!

offtopic but hey

really, what happens if you don't? it's not like every cycling race is sanctioned by CSA(thank the pope).

[SwissVan]

offtopic but hey

really, what happens if you don't? it's not like every cycling race is sanctioned by CSA(thank the pope).

 

Its called Anarchy

 

Edited January 11, 2012 by SwissVan

[Garfield2010]

I asked this question on a Tri forum and i liked this answer

 

If someone isnt a reasonably confident swimmer then I really think they should think twice about entering anyway. A mass participation sport isn't the time to realise you sink like a brick or can't make the distance in the time given.

 

Don't get me wrong, a challenge is good but there are some basic questions to be asked before doing anything.

 

I think before getting too technical we should see a wetsuit as a piece of equipment - nothing more... it is not a boat and it does not mean I you do not have to swim at all. Again I ask all the critics is what will this piece of equipment detract or take away from their race experience?

 

I think we need to be more understanding of each other. If you are a good swimmer then why concern yourself? Or does it give you a hard-on to race knowing those poor 10 other guys is standing on the side cause they dissallowed suits? hope it makes a better man out of you....

 

It is very easy to comment and make statements if you are a good swimmer. Some people are not as lucky no matter how much they train.

 

Again I am a relatively good swimmer (20min per km) and have done numerous IM's + half's etc so it is not that the suit is life or death for me, I just dont see the big issue in allowing it if it brings more people to OUR sport.

 

Rules are rules but if they differ so much around the world then surely there are merits to discuss them?

[gummibear]

I think before getting too technical we should see a wetsuit as a piece of equipment - nothing more... it is not a boat and it does not mean I you do not have to swim at all. Again I ask all the critics is what will this piece of equipment detract or take away from their race experience?

 

I think we need to be more understanding of each other. If you are a good swimmer then why concern yourself? Or does it give you a hard-on to race knowing those poor 10 other guys is standing on the side cause they dissallowed suits? hope it makes a better man out of you....

 

It is very easy to comment and make statements if you are a good swimmer. Some people are not as lucky no matter how much they train.

 

Again I am a relatively good swimmer (20min per km) and have done numerous IM's + half's etc so it is not that the suit is life or death for me, I just dont see the big issue in allowing it if it brings more people to OUR sport.

 

Rules are rules but if they differ so much around the world then surely there are merits to discuss them?

 

It actually seems like the price of the entry fee is more of a concern to beginners than swimming in a wetsuit.

[Garfield2010]

It actually seems like the price of the entry fee is more of a concern to beginners than swimming in a wetsuit.

 

Yep especially these days. Some Olympic Distance events cost more than R800 to enter. These days it is a business, not a non-profit org like in the old days!!

[SwissVan]

And the cost of a wetsuit that might only be used a few times a year?

 

(Is that wetsuit or wet suit or wet suite...damn those spelling nazis,....)

[SwissVan]

 

Again I ask all the critics is what will this piece of equipment detract or take away from their race experience?

 

 

IMHO if wetsuits are allowed anytime even if its warm, then its the same bitter pill as allowing drafting on the bike.

 

Wetsuits were allowed to stop people from suffering from hypothermia issues, not for any other reason and thats how it should stay.

[Garfield2010]

IMHO if wetsuits are allowed anytime even if its warm, then its the same bitter pill as allowing drafting on the bike.

 

Wetsuits were allowed to stop people from suffering from hypothermia issues, not for any other reason and thats how it should stay.

 

Then I find the USA IM rules incredible especially the part where they allow people to wear suits between 24 & 28 degrees with the only sanction being that these people don't qualify for prizes.

 

Or do you thing they are hard at work in "growing" the sport?

[Garfield2010]

IMHO if wetsuits are allowed anytime even if its warm, then its the same bitter pill as allowing drafting on the bike.

 

Wetsuits were allowed to stop people from suffering from hypothermia issues, not for any other reason and thats how it should stay.

 

And the word "warm" is another issue (or maybe THE issue). For me 26 degrees is warm and lekker. Anything below that is cold in my opinion.

[Garfield2010]

I have had enough of this argument so screw it.

 

All you half-ass-wanna-be-tri-swimmers out there go find another sport to do as we good swimmers don't want you here and we are more than enough in the Tri Fraternity in anycase. I mean really, swimming is easy, just train harder, talent or ability has got nothing to do with it. Anyways, who said age groupers belong in triathlon in the first place. The less entries we have, the cheaper our events will be as well. Economies of scale you see. You don't belong here as we "own" the sport we invented.

 

Or move to the USA and race there as they allow it.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Garfield2010

[SwissVan]

Then I find the USA IM rules incredible especially the part where they allow people to wear suits between 24 & 28 degrees with the only sanction being that these people don't qualify for prizes.

 

Or do you thing they are hard at work in "growing" the sport?

 

Dont understand their decison, maybe its about generating more income.

I dont believe that making it easier for newbies or weaker swimmers is the way to go, its not like they are struggling to get entries.

[SwissVan]

 

I have had enough of this argument so screw it.

 

 

 

If people just follow the rules that apply in the country you race then there's no reason to argue.

 

Unless you cant swim....

 

Tchuss

[B-Active Sports]

If events aren't sanctioned, then no police permission is given by SAPS and it could be shut down by them on the day... nothing more embarrasing then that! Whether it will actually happen.. who knows, but I am not the keen to find out.

 

re the water temp differences, remember IM and ITU are different and have differnt rules.. completely!

 

Yes the cost of entry fees are rising and with the new TSA fees increasing, they are set to rise somemore.

 

TSA day licences have gone from R30.00 in 2011 to R70.00

 

There is now a R5000.00 hosting fee for a provincial event or R50 000 for an international event, which TSA charges... just so that you can stage your race.. you get nothing for it.

 

Your race Levies are now: R15 per athlete for a Sprint race. R25 per Olympic and R50 per athlete for 1/2 Ironman dist or more. Now these are just provincial events, if national or international... it goes up to R100 per athlete. What do event organiser get for this? Nothing.

 

If you want your race on Tv, you need to pay the R60 000 production fee to the production company, but now you also need to pay R7500.00 to TSA to flight it on TV... for what?? I don't know.

 

So yes, entry fees are rising and it doesn't mean the organisers are making more money, but rather that TSA is!!

Edited January 11, 2012 by B-Active Sports

[Garfield2010]

Dont understand their decison, maybe its about generating more income.

I dont believe that making it easier for newbies or weaker swimmers is the way to go, its not like they are struggling to get entries.

 

Rules change all the time. Someone decided to make certain events draft legal as well (The bloody Olympics). Now that has gotten a much bigger impact on the sport than any floatation device will ever have. They basically said that strong swimmers/runners will rule the sport and screw you cyclists........

 

So why then bother about a small thing like wetsuits?

 

And if we grow the sport, maybe we can have more and more events as we already do each year....

 

Isn't it great to race 15 tri-events (from BSG, Xterra to Full IM) every year instead of the 1 of a few years back?

[gummibear]

If events aren't sanctioned, then no police permission is given by SAPS and it could be shut down by them on the day... nothing more embarrasing then that! Whether it will actually happen.. who knows, but I am not the keen to find out.

 

re the water temp differences, remember IM and ITU are different and have differnt rules.. completely!

 

Yes the cost of entry fees are rising and with the new TSA fees increasing, they are set to rise somemore.

 

TSA day licences have gone from R30.00 in 2011 to R70.00

 

There is now a R5000.00 hosting fee for a provincial event or R50 000 for an internation event, which TSA charges... just so that you can stage your race.. you get nothing for it.

 

Your race Levies are now: R15 per athlete for a Sprint race. R25 per Olympic and R50 per athlete for 1/2 Ironman dist or more. Now these are just provincial events, if national or international... it goes up to R100 per athlete. What do event organiser get for this? Nothing.

 

If you want your race on Tv, you need to pay the R60 000 production fee to the production company, but now you also need to pay R7500.00 to TSA to flight it on TV... for what?? I don't know.

 

So yes, entry fees are rising and it doesn't mean the organisers are making mroe money, but rather that TSA is!!

 

WTF is TSA doing with all that money then?

[Shebeen]

I have had enough of this argument so screw it.

 

All you half-ass-wanna-be-tri-swimmers out there go find another sport to do as we good swimmers don't want you here and we are more than enough in the Tri Fraternity in anycase. I mean really, swimming is easy, just train harder, talent or ability has got nothing to do with it. Anyways, who said age groupers belong in triathlon in anycase. The less entries we have, the cheaper our events will be as well. Economies of scale you see. You don't belong here as we "own" the sport we invented.

 

Or move to the USA and race there as they allow it.

easy tiger, you started it!

 

this is actually topical for me for once, doing totalsports challenge this week-end. Will be taking on the 1.5km swim, it's leg 2 of a 7 leg race. Total swim training is 0m(over the last 3 months). Might wear the surfing wetsuit, but falsebay is pretty warm right now. Anecdotal analysis before had me going the same speed with wetsuit but using less energy, I could imagine a dedicated swim suit being a performance enhancer. Since triathlon is basically chequebook racing, i'm surprised they haven't made them mandatory yet.

 

I've tried swim training before, but fear of drowning(from falling asleep) becomes an issue. Would rather go ride my bike and make up the time on that leg.