Section 5: Rules of Play
5.1 Swim Segment
- Stroke: Any stroke permitted (freestyle/front crawl is universal due to speed advantage).
- Prohibited aids: No pull buoys, paddles, snorkels, fins, or flotation devices.
- Resting: Athletes may rest by treading water, floating, or holding a stationary object (kayak, buoy, dock) but may not make forward progress while doing so.
- Wetsuit stripping: Wetsuits may be removed in the swim-to-T1 corridor. Athletes may not receive assistance with wetsuit removal.
5.2 Bike Segment
- Draft-legal racing: At Olympic and World Triathlon events, athletes may ride in packs and draft behind other riders. No aero bars permitted.
- Non-drafting events: In non-drafting races (age-group, long-distance), a drafting zone of 12 m extends behind the lead edge of the front wheel. Athletes entering this zone must pass within 25 seconds or drop back.
- Mounting/dismounting: Athletes must be off the bike before the dismount line and may only mount after the mount line. Running with the bike in hand is permitted between these lines.
- Course conduct: Athletes must obey all course directional markers. Cutting corners, crossing centre lines, or riding on sidewalks results in penalties.
5.3 Run Segment
- Locomotion: Athletes must run or walk. Crawling is prohibited. Bare feet are permitted but strongly discouraged.
- No headphones: Earphones, headphones, or any audio device is prohibited during competition.
- No outside assistance: Athletes may not receive physical assistance from non-participants. Aid station supplies and official medical assistance are the only permitted help.
- Aid stations: Located every 2.5 km, providing water, electrolyte drinks, and sponges. Athletes must discard cups/sponges in designated litter zones.
5.4 Mixed Relay Format
Teams of 2 women and 2 men. The relay order is woman–man–woman–man. Each athlete completes a super-sprint leg (300 m swim, 7.4 km bike, 2 km run). The tag is made in a designated tag zone: the incoming athlete must physically enter the zone before the next athlete may start. The race is intense and typically lasts under 75 minutes total.