What swim equipment is banned, and how thick can a wetsuit be?

You must not use:

• artificial propulsion devices or flotation devices;
• swimwear that covers your hands or feet (socks are allowed only when wetsuits are mandatory);
• a wetsuit thicker than 5 mm;
• a wetsuit, or any part of one (including neoprene shorts or bottoms, also called buoyancy shorts), when wetsuits are forbidden;
• any clothing containing rubberised material in a non-wetsuit swim.

When a wetsuit is allowed, all components must fit your body tightly. When it is mandatory, it must cover at least the torso. Subject to the Technical Delegate's approval, an athlete may have the body totally covered (except face, hands and feet) if the material is consistent with the Race Suit definition; contact the event's Technical Delegate on or before race day.

You may use any stroke, tread water, float, or stand on the bottom or hold an object such as a buoy to rest, but you may not use the bottom or an object to make forward progress. In an emergency, raise an arm and call for assistance; if you receive help beyond resting on an object, you must withdraw.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules, June 2026, rules 2.1 to 2.4 and 2.8, Appendix A.