Triathlon words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 29 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Triathlon

A multi-sport race combining swimming, cycling and running, completed back-to-back in that order, without stopping the clock.

Segment

A stage of the competition: a triathlon has five segments, swim, transition 1, bike, transition 2 and run. In a relay a leg is one athlete's whole triathlon.

Also called: leg
See also: Triathlon, Transition

Transition

The change of equipment between segments, T1 from swim to bike and T2 from bike to run, done inside the transition area. The clock keeps running, so transition time counts towards the total.

Also called: T1, T2
See also: Transition area

The ruleWhat are the rules in the transition area of a triathlon?

Overall time

The total combined time across all three legs plus both transitions, this determines the final result.

Race distances

Sprint distance

A 750 m swim, a 20 km bike and a 5 km run. Sprint races can be draft-legal for elite, under-23, junior and youth athletes, and age-groupers race either draft-legal or draft-illegal as the event chooses.

Standard distance

A 1,500 m swim, a 40 km bike and a 10 km run. The Olympic distance in the reference is called the standard distance in the rules.

Also called: Olympic distance

Middle distance

A swim of 1.9 km to 2.999 km, a bike of 80 km to 90 km and a run of 20 km to 21.9 km. It is always draft-illegal. Ironman is a brand name, not a World Triathlon term.

Also called: half-ironman, 70.3
See also: Triathlon, Long distance

Long distance

A swim of 3 km to 4 km, a bike of 91 km to 200 km and a run of 22 km to 42.2 km. It is always draft-illegal.

Also called: Ironman

Swim leg terms

Open water swim

Since triathlon swims usually happen in lakes, rivers or the sea (not a pool), athletes must sight landmarks/buoys to stay on course.

Wetsuit

A neoprene suit whose use depends on water temperature. For elite, under-23, junior and youth athletes over up to 1,500 m it is forbidden at 20 C and above and mandatory at 15.9 C and below; the limits are higher for longer swims and different for age-groupers. The air temperature can adjust the water temperature used.

Buoy

Floating markers athletes must swim around to follow the correct course.

Mass start

A swim start with a large group beginning together. Elite athletes pick their start positions in order of start number and are told 'Athletes, you are now in the hands of the starter'. A horn starts the race; a false start is declared if several athletes move early, and a valid start with early starters gives them a time penalty in transition 1. Age-group events may use waves instead.

Also called: wave start
See also: Transition, Penalty, Time penalty

Bike leg terms

Drafting

Riding in another athlete's draft zone. Drafting is forbidden in draft-illegal races and allowed in draft-legal races, apart from drafting off a different gender or lap or a vehicle. The bike draft zone is 12 m measured from the front wheel's leading edge, and an athlete passing through it has 25 seconds to complete the overtake.

Aero position

A low riding position with the forearms on clip-on bars. It is allowed only in draft-illegal races: the rules say the only points of support are the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle, with forearms also allowed in draft-illegal races.

Bike course

The part of the course where the bike is ridden, walked or carried inside lane boundaries, from the mount line to the dismount line.

Mount line and dismount line

The lines at the transition area's exit and entry. An athlete must mount after the mount line and have a foot on the ground before the dismount line after dismounting, or it is an infringement.

Run leg terms

Brick

A training session combining biking followed immediately by running, used to prepare the legs for the unique "jelly legs" feeling after cycling.

Also called: brick workout

Finish chute

The final marked section leading to the finish line, often lined with spectators.

Equipment and rules

Transition area

A defined area, not part of the swim, bike or run course, in which each athlete has a space to store clothing and equipment. Bikes are racked in the athlete's own spot and equipment to be used later stays within 0.5 m of the bin.

Race belt

A simple belt used to quickly attach a race number for the run, avoiding the need to pin it to clothing mid-race.

Penalty

The consequence for an infringement, which can be a time penalty, disqualification, suspension or expulsion. Time penalties are served in a penalty box or in transition.

Also called: time penalty
See also: Transition, Time penalty, Penalty box, Disqualification

DNF

A result recorded when an athlete starts the race but doesn't complete it.

Also called: did not finish

Penalties and officials

Penalty box

A marked area on the bike or run course where a time penalty is served. The athlete reports there after being notified, and the clock starts when they have given their number and the technical official says 'Go' when it ends.

Yellow, blue and red cards

A yellow card tells an athlete of an infringement that may bring a warning, time penalty or stop and go. A blue card is for a drafting infringement on the bike. A red card is for disqualification.

Disqualification

A penalty after which the athlete gets no finish or split times and is not counted in the placings.

Also called: DSQ
See also: Penalty

The ruleWhat gets a triathlete disqualified?

Technical official

A member of the team of international, continental and national officials at a World Triathlon event. The Technical Delegate oversees the event, and the Head Referee makes the final decision on violations reported by technical officials.

Format and rule terms

Duathlon

A multisport of three segments: run, bike, run.

Aquathlon

A multisport of swim and run. The rules say it is normally run-swim-run, changing to swim-run if the water is below 22 C.

Aquabike

A multisport of two segments: a swim followed by a bike ride.

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