The Competition Rules govern competitor conduct and outline equipment specifications for use during races. All athletes participating in events sanctioned by Triathlon Ireland must familiarise themselves with these rules to ensure compliance and avoid potential penalties.
Triathlon Ireland’s Derogations are vital to ensuring a safe, fair, and high-quality standard of competition for all participants in Ireland. The Irish Derogations are reviewed and updated annually to reflect the evolving nature of the sport while aligning with the rules set by World Triathlon, the international governing body.
Basic Rules
We’ve set out some basic rules to be aware of when taking part in a triathlon. For a full list of competition rules please refer to the World
Triathlon Competition Rules.
Things every triathlete should know:
Wetsuits are mandatory for all open water races in Ireland.
- Bike helmets must be securely fastened at all times when in
possession of the bike. - Drafting is not permitted while on the bike unless the race is draft
legal. - Keep Ireland green – do not litter!.
- Know the course and complete all required laps and routes.
- Be respectful of everyone involved with the event.
- Practice good sportsmanship at all time
- Follow World Triathlon Anti-Doping Rules
- Nudity or indecent exposure is forbidden. Competing with a bare torso is not permitted.
- Eligibility of an athlete is determined by their age on December 31st
of the competition year
- Athletes may use any stroke to propel themselves through the water. They may also tread water or float.
- Athletes may stand on the bottom or rest by holding an inanimate object, such as a buoy or stationary boat;
- 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.
Wetsuits
Wetsuits are mandatory for all open water events in Ireland and can can be ‘shortie’ or full length suits. The torso must be covered but face, hands, and feet cannot. The maximum thickness of the wetsuit cannot exceed 5mm.
a.) An athlete is not permitted to:
(i) Block other athletes by riding on the right side of course.
(ii) Make forward progress without being in possession of the bike.
Dangerous behaviour on the bike can result in a penalty or
disqualification. This can include (but is not limited to):
– Not obeying traffic regulations unless advised otherwise by a
technical official
– Passing on the wrong side of the course.
iii) Dangerous riding can include (but is not limited to) passing on the wrong side.
c) Please refer to the World Triathlon rules for guidelines on frames, handlebars, wheels, saddle position, pedals, brakes, etc.
Helmets
The helmet must be securely fastened at all times when the athlete is in possession of the bike, which means from the time they touch their bike, until after they have returned their bike on the rack at transition 2.
Drafting: There are two types of competitions, draft legal and draft illegal. Most races in Ireland are draft illegal meaning it is forbidden to cycle close
behind another competitor or motor vehicle in order to gain a benefit from the reduced wind resistance or drag or a drafting penalty will apply.
The draft zone is 12 meters long from the leading edge of the front wheel and an athlete must pass through the zone in 25 seconds to not incur a penalty.
Mount & Dismount Line: Cycling is not permitted inside the Transition Area. Athletes must mount their bicycles after the mount line and dismount their bicycles before the dismount line. While in the transition area (before the mount line and after the
dismount line) the bike can be pushed only by the athlete’s hands.
Transition:
Marking positions in the Transition Area is forbidden. Marks and objects used for marking purposes will be removed and the athletes will not be notified.
Illegal Equipment:
The following is a list of some illegal equipment. For a full list, please
refer to the competition rules.
– Artificial propulsion devices (fins, floats, etc.)
– Flotation devices
– Glass containers
– Headphones or headsets
– Jewellery
PENALTIES
An athlete may be issued a verbal warning, a stop and go penalty, a time penalty, or disqualified for failing to abide by the World Triathlon Competition rules and Irish Derogations.
Triathlon Ireland’s protest and appeals policy can be found here.