Technical Official's Guide to AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules 2026/27

Section 5 of the Race Competition Rules sets the transition area conduct rules:

• A competitor may only have a bare torso when moving between the swim exit or entry and their transition position.
• Bikes must be mounted and dismounted at the designated zones (one complete foot on the ground after the mount line, or before the dismount line).
• Competitors must rack only their own bike, at their designated rack location, in a stable position, by either the seat or both brake hoods.
• All equipment must be placed at the competitor's own bike rack location.
• Competitors must not interfere with another competitor's equipment. If it happens accidentally, they must put it back in its former position and state before proceeding.
• Marking a position in transition is forbidden. Marks and objects used for marking are removed and competitors are not notified.
• Only equipment to be used in the competition can be left in transition. All other belongings must be removed before the competition starts.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, section 5.

• Helmets are compulsory and must be approved by a testing authority recognised by a national federation that is a World Triathlon affiliate. Altering or adding to any part of the helmet (including the chin strap), or leaving out any part (including an outer cloth cover), is prohibited.
• Fastened helmet: competitors must keep the helmet securely fastened, and not lock or unlock the buckle, from the time they take the bike off the rack until after they have racked it and let go at the end of the bike leg. A helmet not securely fastened is listed as a yellow card stop-start example.
• Race number: must be clearly displayed at all times on the cycle course. Not complying may bring a yellow card stop-start, but not if the official considers the number was unintentionally lost.
• Mount and dismount: competitors must mount after the mount line and dismount before the dismount line, with one complete foot in contact with the ground on the correct side of the line. Mounting before, or dismounting after, the line is listed as a yellow card example.
• Footwear and torso: a competitor cannot cycle without appropriate footwear or with a bare torso.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 3.1 to 3.6, 5.2 and Appendix B.

Rules 3.7 to 3.13 apply to non-drafting events only.

• Draft zone: 12 metres from the front edge of the front wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle. A competitor has 25 seconds to pass through it. For a race vehicle the zone is 35 metres, and a rear competitor has up to 90 seconds to pass a forward vehicle.
• Overlap: one competitor's draft zone may not overlap another's, except when legally passing, for safety reasons, at an aid station, entering or leaving transition, or in an acute turn.
• Passing: the rear competitor must be seen to be gaining at every instance of overlap. Once passed (the leading edge of the passing front wheel is ahead of the passed bicycle's front wheel), the competitor must immediately drop back out of the draft zone before re-passing.
• Penalty: failing to follow these may result in a blue card time penalty for drafting. Course conditions and proximity of other competitors are considered.
• Professionals: must move safely to the side of the competitor being passed and stay there while passing (no slipstreaming), or risk a blue card.
• Related: passing on the inside (left) may bring a blue card for an illegal pass, and impeding another competitor's forward progress may bring a yellow card stop-start for blocking.

The Technical Delegate can approve a special rule with a reduced draft zone if the course cannot safely fit 12 metres, and it must be communicated to all competitors before the race.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 3.7 to 3.11.

Warning: used to correct a minor infringement when the official believes a violation is about to occur, the competitor breaks a rule unintentionally, or no advantage has been gained. Attract the competitor's attention (no card is shown), stop them if necessary, ask them to change their behaviour and let them continue straight away. If they do not fix it, a yellow, blue or red card may follow.

Cards: the official must gain the competitor's attention, confirm their race number, show the card and tell them the infringement, and advise what action they need to take.

• Yellow card: stop-start penalty for a minor infringement, served with a technical official anywhere on the course.
• Blue card: time penalty, served with a technical official anywhere on the course.
• Red card: major infringement; no time penalty is served.

A competitor must confirm their race number and obey the official's instructions, and may still complete the event after any card. Officials may also penalise an infringement not listed in the rules if they judge that an unfair advantage was gained or an unsafe situation was created.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 11.1 to 11.6.

A penalty box is a designated area on the course where a competitor may be required to serve a stop-start or time penalty. A competitor sent to a bike course penalty box must attend the next penalty box; failing to do so may result in disqualification. The competitor may resume racing only when the penalty box technical official instructs them to.

In the penalty box a competitor:

• may consume only food and water that is on their bike or person;
• may not use the restroom (if urgent, the official has discretion to pause the penalty time while they do); and
• may not adjust equipment or do any bike maintenance.

Blue card time penalty duration: 2 minutes if the bike course is 90 km or less, 3 minutes if it is over 90 km.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 11.5 to 11.7.

Multiple blue cards: a competitor must serve every blue card time penalty but may complete the event. In events with a bike course under 80 km, two or more blue card time penalties may result in disqualification by the Head Referee at the end of the event. At 80 km or more, it is three or more.

Red card: issued for a major infringement. The competitor does not serve a time penalty and may complete the event. At the end of the event the Head Referee rules on the violation. A technical official who cannot safely issue a red card in person does not have to penalise the competitor in person, though the competitor may still be disqualified by the Head Referee.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 11.3, 11.8 and 11.9.

A technical official must give the Head Referee a violation report when:

• the official has issued a red card;
• circumstances meant the official could not issue a red card in person; or
• a yellow card stop-start or blue card time penalty was not served, for example a competitor penalised for drafting who never reports to the penalty box. The official responsible for reconciling penalties completes the report and includes the name of the official who originally issued the penalty.

Disqualification is a penalty given by the Head Referee, on personal observation, from violation reports, from a protest, or from other evidence such as information from a timing company. The Head Referee needs to be "comfortable satisfaction" and must make all reasonable efforts to tell disqualified competitors as soon as practicable.

Source: AusTriathlon Race Competition Rules June 2026 v1.2, sections 11.10 and 11.11.