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I am to please.
it's not the lunch box that anyone is worried about - it's muffin roll and chest that are the key areas that need to be covered..
[opens another can of worms.....]
Don't think he wasw DQed but warned by the marshals on the bike?
If it saddened you that much, you could just ask him to wear a shorter top next time?
From the rule book:
Rule 22.5
Competitors must be adequately clothed at all times, the minimum being a one- or two-piece non-transparent swimsuit, together with a cycling or running top, if appropriate, with a gap no greater than 10cm (4”). All competitors must ensure their upper body (especially the chest area) is clothed during the cycling and running sections of the event. Front fastening tops and trisuits must be fully fastened at all times
There's a discussion going on somewhere else saying the guy was DQd in the Outlaw last year for having a gap bigger than 10cm...
I didn't know that about fastening the front zips of trisuits - I do that in races all the time
the kit rules prompted one of the most heated discussions at a BTF officials meeting I went to earlier in the year. for many, the rationale behind it isn't clear: and the enforcement of the rules is going to be a pain!
in essence, common sense will prevail but those at the sharp end of a race and who should know the rules are the ones likely to get caught out by the zip rule
It only makes sense if you're worried about sponsors, for the same reason you see cycle race winners zip their team shirts up (if they have time) before crossing the line at the end of a mountain stage. If I was sponsored and expecting to be in lots of photos, I'd imagine my sponsors would be a bit hacked off if the exposure they'd paid top dollar for was of my chest and not their logos.
But for the vast majority of us it makes no sense whatsoever, and it's rules that don't make sense that are the ones that get ignored or forgotten.
CD is right - the zip rule is partly down to sponsorship which is why all GB and elite kit is now rear zipped to prevent any transgression. GE have stumped a lot of money into the BTF on sponsorship - the last thing they want to see is the G on one tit, the E on the other and a pile of flesh between!
and as said earlier - the BTF rules are aligning more with ITU rules, so if ITU says no zips or flesh, so will the BTF ones.
and one of the other reasons for the "no flesh" is to help grow the sports in newer countries where they may have very different approaches to modesty and dress sense to us Westerners. by showing pictures of athletes "apporpriately clothed" then it may widen the sports appeal. so you have to look at this in an international context and not solely a UK one.
Can I ask a question to those in the know. Bit worried now. Doing outlaw half at the weekend. Is it ok to just have knickers and sports bra on under my wetsuit. I will be suitably attired for the bike and run
SS- At Outlaw last year they had two naked under their wetsuit and a special section of tent just for them! Would knickers be OK if you took wesuit off outside? Bikini bottoms may be better but depends on Bikini bottoms and knickers I suppose.
The annoying thing about the zip up is that it makes no sense at all. FACT. Unless they set a limit for top of costume from chin then you could have a low cut top zipped up and show more than a high cut top with the zip 2inches from the top.
As FB says interpretation is everything and I am not sure this fair on athletes or officials.
However none of my running tees have zips and I survive so a rear ziped tri-suit shouldn't be an issue.
M..eface
meface - it doesn't really matter whether you agree with it or not - and many within the BTF would probably agree with you, but the rule is there. and I think that you will find that in due course a directive will go to tri clubs and tri kit manufacturers to adopt rear zips on all kit sold for triathlon purposes, but that will take some years to enact. if there is no zip on the front of kit then it no longer becomes an issue.
in the meantime, us officials just need to employ common sense - as do the athletes themselevs. ignorance of the rules is no defence so if the athletes play their part, so will the officials.
SS - only outright nudity in transition is frowned up. as long as your top and bottom are covered when you strip the wetsuit off, and you do not remove these items in transition; or if you do, you use a towel or similar to cover yourself as you change; then you are good to go. it's only when someone is completely naked and aren't covering themselves that us officials get arsey about it.
FB - Thanks for clarifying that
I'm glad I'm not the only child...
I did think about changing arsey to something else when I wrote it as I knew childen
would read something else into it.......but it was the best word at the time to sum what I meant!
Ultimately, the rules are the rules and surely if you don't like them, or disagree with them, you just wouldn't enter??????? Just sayin.......
you would think so BR....but sadly many triathletes think they know better and can make them up as they go along.....
Beth,
What if you hadraced Triathlon for 20-years and they changed the rules? Would you just give up racing?
I understand the rule, the reasons for avoiding nudity, and will obey it. But that doesn't mean I won't comment on it. Is.a v-neck tri top ok that plunges to just below the navel as long as it doesn't have a zip and covers both nipples. But wear a round neck top with a 2 inch zip undone and you are in breach of theregulation. Thus it comes downtri interpretation of the referee. I don't think this is fair on either party. You could race 4 times in a top and be fine. Then race another and be DQ'd coming out of swim transition due to a referee's interpretation. That is £400, and 20+ weeks training in the bin. It may be unlikely but is a possible outcome.
M..eface
Some don't seem to have anything to do with racing, so even if you've read the rulebook from cover to cover it's easy to forget them. I had a warning about the 'no mobile phones in transition' rule a few years ago, when I called the missus after a race to let her know how I'd got on. Luckily the marshal was an FB-sensible type and just warned me. I hadn't been aware it was a rule up to that point.
I still don't understand the logic there either. I can understand it during the race, but before or afterwards?
Another time I straddled my bike so I could clip the shoes into the pedals and was warned that could be considered as 'riding my bike in transition' which is a rule I can understand but I wasn't aware of that interpretation of it.
Just say it...a mankini...
I have to say that stupid, pointless rules such as the 'no undone front zips' one makes me disinclined to enter races which apply such nonsense.
I'm not likely to compete for GB or get sponsored; I don't really care about Olympic distance racing at elite level. It's not as if an undone front zip is the only think which makes triathlon clothing immodest, is it? Women are still allowed to race in swimsuits, which shows far more than the upper part of a sternum. 'Promoting the sport in countries with different dress standards to our own' is an utter and obvious crock...
I'll largely stick with IM. I have to deal with lots of arbitrary rules at work, so I'm not interested in participating in a sport which does the same. No loss to me or the BTF (but yes, it OUGHT to matter whether I agree with it or not; I pay my BTF subs, which ought to bring some form of involvement)
So what about the Iron man athletes (and I'm talking about men) who wear little speedos and a cropped top to race? I think one of the guys is German. Is this not against the rules then? It might be comfortable for him to run in, but it's not comfortable for spectators to watch and surely contravenes the 'promoting sport in countries with different dress standards' rule????
Some of the rules do sound pretty extreme/daft, but they are obviously there for a reason.
However, as I am not a triathlete, nor do I ever intend to be, it doesn't really matter to me anyway.........
OK - let's make this kit rule clear
here is the rule:
22.5 Competitors must be adequately clothed at all times, the minimum being a one- or two- piece non-transparent swimsuit, together with a cycling or running top, if appropriate, with a gap no greater than 10cm (4”). All competitors must ensure their upper body (especially the chest area) is clothed during the cycling and running sections of the event. Front fastening tops and trisuits must be fully fastened at all times.
the bolded section is pretty unequivocal so that precludes your suggestions meface.
and yes - it will come down to interpretation as officials will interpret it differently and sometimes may not even spot you if there are loads of athletes around at the same time (you should try officiating in transition when it's very busy - you just don't have enough eyes) BUT at the end of the day, and as an experienced tiathlete, you should know the rules and abide by them. as I said earlier, ignorance of (or disagreement with) the rules is no excuse - you want avoid a penalty, then stick to the rules.
and we will always warn before penalising (bar some penalties which are automatic) so if you are warned to do something, then do it, or you otherwise risk a penalty.
and as CD found out, there are a number of rules which could be considered unusual or uncommon - the best solution is to read the rulebook and make yourself familiar with them - or ask a qualified BTF official....
BR - Ironman races are run by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) who apply their own interpretation of the rules and yes, they do have different kit standards so you will see athletes like Faris Al-Sultan (the German you mention) running in speedos and a crop-top.
the BTF and ITU have their own set of rules so competing in an event sanctioned by them means you race to their rules.
Crashie - I think you may find some of the kit rules for ladies may be changing and you'll see more racing in kit like Helen Jenkins wears which has a full top and legs.
believe me - this kit thing is contentious and many of the older members in the BTF don't like it either, but we as officials have to implement the rules otherwise what's the point of having us there?? and I'm sure the same may go for many sports.
Will 'full top' for ladies include backs? Watching some of them ride is like watching wheeled stegosaurs.
Personally, I think it is good of the BTF and ITU to protect the public by not allowing me to wear speedos and a crop top...