Drafting

Notwitch

Over the last few years TI have highlighted their enforcement of drafting rules at upcoming National Series races. Competitors are obliged to know the rules etc. so the briefings are only trying to highlight what the TOs will be enforcing.

However, below are extracts from 2 National Series race briefings - 1 from earlier this month and 1 upcoming. By their nature both races got/will get a lot of beginners. They appear to differ from each other, from my understanding, from the ITU rule book, from what can be found on the TI website.....

Any TOs on here to assist - or am i just misunderstanding?

Sample 1:
4. No Drafting on cycle course Rule: Competitors are not allowed to draft, i.e. take shelter behind or beside another competitor or motor vehicle during the cycling segment of race. The draft zone is a rectangle measuring 7 Metres (apx four bike lengths) metres long by 3 metres (apx 2 bike lengths) wide which surrounds every cycle on the cycle course. A competitor may enter the draft zone of another competitor but must be seen to be progressing through that zone. A maximum of 15 seconds is allowed to progress though the draft zone of another competitor. If an overtaking manoeuvre is not completed within 15 seconds, the overtaking cyclist must drop back.. Penalty: - 2 minute time penalty for each infringement

Sample 2:
A REMINDER ABOUT DRAFTING RULES The Draft Zone is is (10m x 3m) in size. When trying to pass other cyclists, you have 30 seconds to pass other through this draft zone or else you must drop back. If you fail to comply with this rule, you expect to be issued with a time penalty. This rule will be strictly policed and is there to ensure a fair race for all competitors. Time penalties will be enforced by The Triathlon Ireland Official Team who will be on motorcycles throughout the course.

Oryx

As I understood it, the draft zone length was 10m, and the rider has 20 seconds to pass through it. The passing side depends on the race, here because of our roads, we generally pass on the right. I doubt many of our races will have the room for anyone to pass 3m out. Maybe the confusion over times is in part because the passed rider has 5 seconds to move back, once passed? In practice during briefings it is stressed that the passing rider should continue to make progress, and there is less focus on the 'dropping back' aspect. In races with open roads, rules of the road apply, and if moving through a draft zone meant crossing a continuous white line or similar dangerous manoeuvres, it would mean a DQ.

But yeah, those two contradict each other.

tunney

The only difference that I see is the 10m x 3m and the 7m x 3m and the time to pass.

Where is the box?
From the front wheel or rear wheel?

Passing on the correct side. Very important on the continent.....

tunney

ITU rules. the one that TI events are meant to be under.

*Age Group bicycle draft zone: the bicycle draft zone will be 10 meters
long measured from the leading edge of the front wheel. An athlete may
enter the draft zone of another athlete, but must be seen to be
progressing through that zone. A maximum of 20 seconds will be
allowed to pass through the zone of another athlete;

* Motorbike draft zone: the draft zone behind motorbike will be 12 meters
long. This applies also for draft legal events;

*Vehicle draft zone: The draft zone behind vehicle will be 35 metres long
and applies to every vehicle on the bike segment. This applies also for
draft legal events.

Does anyone *actually* think that any of the rules will be enforced - pacing, outside assistance, drafting, course cutting? Go figure.

Q7

As far as I'm aware they go by ITU Competition Rules which state:

To draft is to enter the bicycle or vehicle drafting zone:

Elite bicycle draft zone: the bicycle draft zone will be 12 meters long measured from the leading edge of the front wheel. An athlete may enter the draft zone of another athlete, but must be seen to be progressing through that zone. A maximum of 20 seconds will be allowed to pass through the zone of another athlete;

Age Group bicycle draft zone: the bicycle draft zone will be 10 meters long measured from the leading edge of the front wheel. An athlete may enter the draft zone of another athlete, but must be seen to be progressing through that zone. A maximum of 20 seconds will be allowed to pass through the zone of another athlete;

Motorbike draft zone: the draft zone behind motorbike will be 12 meters long. This applies also for draft legal events

Vehicle draft zone: The draft zone behind vehicle will be 35 metres long and applies to every vehicle on the bike segment.This applies also for draft legal events

speedyj

Oryx wrote: »

I doubt many of our races will have the room for anyone to pass 3m out.

One can enter the draft zone to overtake, so no need for 3m. Open for correction though

As for 10m vs 7m, that isn't really a concern - anytime I've seen drafting they've been close enough to rob the person's saddlebag..

speedyj

tunney wrote: »

Does anyone *actually* think that any of the rules will be enforced - pacing, outside assistance, drafting, course cutting? Go figure.

Of course they will, just sparingly

Notwitch

So attempting, failing and dropping back aren't a problem at all?

Oryx

speedyj wrote: »

One can enter the draft zone to overtake, so no need for 3m. Open for correction though

As for 10m vs 7m, that isn't really a concern - anytime I've seen drafting they've been close enough to rob the person's saddlebag..

I meant if they wanted to stay outside the draft area.

tunney

Notwitch wrote: »

So attempting, failing and dropping back aren't a problem at all?

Not in ITU, in WTC yes, if you enter the draft zone you MUST pass.

tunney

speedyj wrote: »

One can enter the draft zone to overtake, so no need for 3m. Open for correction though

As for 10m vs 7m, that isn't really a concern - anytime I've seen drafting they've been close enough to rob the person's saddlebag..

Saddlebags???? Seriously???? That should be an immediate DQ.
And if you have to draft someone who has a saddle bag in a tri then you should be disqualified and your bike confiscated.

ToTriOrNot

tunney wrote: »

Saddlebags???? Seriously???? That should be an immediate DQ.
And if you have to draft someone who has a saddle bag in a tri then you should be disqualified and your bike confiscated.

What do you do if you have a puncture?

sconhome

tunney wrote: »

Saddlebags???? Seriously???? That should be an immediate DQ.
And if you have to draft someone who has a saddle bag in a tri then you should be disqualified and your bike confiscated.

Maybe they have these saddlebags?

68 lost souls

ToTriOrNot wrote: »

What do you do if you have a puncture?

Depending on the race and your prospects a puncture would effectively mean there is no point in finishing.

National Championship last year for example, 3 minutes fixing a blown tube would be the difference between 1st and 10th or so. If your goal was to win then you've had it.

Not as negative an effect on us middle/back of packers as the time lost is a much smaller percentage of our over all time. Same applies to sprint vs Olympic vs middle vs full.

3 minutes in an hour race is a lot
3 minutes in a 9 hour race isn't.

EDIT:

There always this contraption

speedyj

68 lost souls wrote: »

Depending on the race and your prospects a puncture would effectively mean there is no point in finishing.

3 minutes in an hour race is a lot
3 minutes in a 9 hour race isn't.

I think they're asking about just getting back to T2. Don't want to be that mad fecker who ran about 10km in their bare feet back to Kilkee last year. Still nearly beat me too :-)

As for that contraption, I have it (I have ALL the gear..) But not the co2 parts, just the cages - handy for training for long course but I wouldn't be starting with two bottles in them on race day given the number of aid stations.. Not that practical for flying mount/dismount either if you've the flexibility of the typical MAMIL..

Oryx

speedyj wrote: »

I think they're asking about just getting back to T2. Don't want to be that mad fecker who ran about 10km in their bare feet back to Kilkee last year. Still nearly beat me too :-)

Was that Alan Ryan?

speedyj

Oryx wrote: »

Was that Alan Ryan?

Indeed it was! I think I'd have pulled someone else of their bike, or at least just as I was losing the draft grabbed a saddlebag..