Triathlon - I have to wear a shirt?!? (and race recap)

So there I was, at my first tri of this millenium. Did all the normal pre-race stuff, surveyed the swim - noticed it had to be waaaay short of 1500m, even with two laps. I was truly liking that part of it. Swam my first-ever ocean swim in a semi-protected harbor getting not too bad 2-3 ft swells and somehow keeping up with a lot more people than I used to. Ran around the buoy to begin lap two of the swim and noticed my time was 10:40 - sweet, the swim is short after all! Finished the swim in 22:xx (normally 30:xx). Then go to T1, no problems there, push the bike to the mount area, and then "STOPU, STOPU, STOPU! SINGRET! (there are no L's in Japan). SINGRET!!! I couldn't believe it. The race official is pointing at my bare chest and telling me "not arrowed." Great, so I have to go back to my spot, put on the thick cotton T-shirt that I was going to wear home for the rest of the race. First I have to take off my helmet though. So then I get to start my bike whatever amount later it is. Bike was tough with long hills into the wind. Then my chain was not really aligned with my casette - I either did not verify it was set up properly or else caused a misadjustment when I left my bike in the bushes while getting my shirt. Luckily I remembered that bar-end shifters have friction mode. That seriously saved me from a very herky-jerky and noisy bike ride! Bike ended up being 1:17 (19 mph - obviously hampered by the wind resistance of my high-technology shirt :rolleyes: ). I was looking forward to the run but I seriously gave up when I realized just how hot I was and that I needed to make up three minutes on my friend. I actually caught him with about 250m left, and thought I had him until he beat me by 6 inches to the line. Turns out he had been "penalized" for stuff like I did so I coudn't even claim that! Run was 47:xx 10k - my worst ever by at least 7 minutes. Total time 2:35 for Olympic distance - which I'm overall satisfied with but it should have been more like 2:40 with the swim The shirt thing really got to me though and I'm wondering if you guys think that's a rule only in Japan? I never wore one before this race. I still had a lot of fun and look forward to more of it. H2O chick, I'll be looking for you when I get back to Seattle next winter!

A perusal of USAT rules lists a requirement for helmet usage, and some prohibitions on things you may not use (fins, fairings, etc.) in the race, but nothing about required pieces of clothing. Is there a Japanese equivalent to USAT with it's own rules, or rules specific to that race that may be relevant here?

In the 7 tris I have done in part or whole over the last 3 years, I don't think I've ever seen someone go out on the bike without a top on, so I'm not sure what would happen if they did.

Yes, there is the Japanese Triathlon Union, but I would not be able to read any rulebook they had even if there was one.

I just don't get the point of the shirt. Women don't wear shirts, they just have whatever their swimsuit covers. It must be some kind of modesty issue; I can't imagine what protection a skimpy top would give in a crash, especially when many people still wear speedos (over here anyway). I'm surprised that you've never seen anyone without a shirt... maybe I'm the only freak that would like to do this.

Yes, there is the Japanese Triathlon Union, but I would not be able to read any rulebook they had even if there was one.

I just don't get the point of the shirt. Women don't wear shirts, they just have whatever their swimsuit covers. It must be some kind of modesty issue; I can't imagine what protection a skimpy top would give in a crash, especially when many people still wear speedos (over here anyway). I'm surprised that you've never seen anyone without a shirt... maybe I'm the only freak that would like to do this.

Please excuse my boldness when I say that he was probably worried about you causing a crash as you passed the male riders and they got distracted when checking you out as you flew by. For my GF, I would have phrased it a little different (darlin, you can't help it that you are HOT!), but since we are strangers I opted for what is hopefully a more well-mannered statement. ;)

I'm pretty sure that ITU requires a top.

It is called the torso rule. I dont know were to look it up, but it is there.

he was probably worried about you causing a crash as you passed the male riders and they got distracted when checking you out as you flew by.


...well, since I'm pretty sure that Steve is a dude...I'm not sure that this is the case...

In the 7 tris I have done in part or whole over the last 3 years, I don't think I've ever seen someone go out on the bike without a top on,

...When July and August hit here in Texas there are pleanty of folks that don't ride or run with tops...me typically being one of them...

Yay! Another Seattle-ite. Chris, we're going to have to organize a ride of the BF'ers that live in the area...

Congrats on the finish. And really, what's a tri without a good story to tell? There HAS to be something, doesn't there?

...well, since I'm pretty sure that Steve is a dude...I'm not sure that this is the case...

Doh!

It is called the torso rule. I dont know were to look it up, but it is there.

ITU rules, from http://www.triathlon.org/?call=TVRRNA==&keep=sh

E CYCLING CONDUCT
E.1 General Rules
A competitor is not permitted to:
a) Block others;
b) Cycle while their bare torso is exposed;
c) Make forward progress without the bicycle;

Yay! Another Seattle-ite. Chris, we're going to have to organize a ride of the BF'ers that live in the area...

Congrats on the finish. And really, what's a tri without a good story to tell? There HAS to be something, doesn't there?

A BF ride sounds good to me. Ride from Starbucks to Starbucks, having a shot of espresso at each one. We'd run out of daylight before we ran out of energy...

ITU rules, from http://www.triathlon.org/?call=TVRRNA==&keep=sh

E CYCLING CONDUCT
E.1 General Rules
A competitor is not permitted to:
a) Block others;
b) Cycle while their bare torso is exposed;
c) Make forward progress without the bicycle;

Doh! So maybe I could have shed the 2 kg of soaked cotton for the run only?! Oh well. Now I know better.

Chris/H2O chick - I won't be back in Seattle until winter a year from now... but since I've never met anyone who wanted to leave Seattle then you'll probably still be there.

chip - I probably confused you by using my wife's pic for my avatar...

On the Multirace series down here in Fl I think 20% wear a shirt, the rest are all bare, no ITU on this local scene...
Don't understand it anyway, why would you be required to wear a top, what difference can it make???

Here in Ontario, the swim in the only part you are allowed to go no top on.

I have only done one or two races without a top but the rule doesn't make sense to me either. Trying to put on a top while you are tired, in a hurry and with your torso still wet can be quite frustrating. My shirt is typically still partially rolled up by the time I am running out of T1.

protects your man-boobies?

I should probably wear a top... LOL
:D

it varies from race to race, shorter distances you don't need a shirt, unless the race gets writes it into their particular rules.
Ironman has a shirt rule.

One word, Steve: Pasties. :D :eek:

Hee hee. That's a good idea. What I see most of the "elite" men wearing is not really any more than a women's sports bra, I wonder what they'd say if I wore something of my wife's.

Or what if I wore my HRM strap over my nipples? Maybe it would be more acceptible if I made a curtain of fabric (wicking of course) that wrapped around the bottom of it?