Technical Official's Guide to Triathlon South Africa Age-Group Racing 16+ 2026

Penalty options (World Triathlon rule 3.1): an athlete may be verbally warned, given a time penalty, disqualified, suspended or expelled. The nature of the violation decides which.

Warnings (rule 3.2) are meant to alert athletes to a possible violation and encourage officials to be proactive. A warning may be given when:

• the athlete breaks a rule unintentionally;
• you believe a violation is about to happen; or
• no advantage has been gained.

How to warn: blow your whistle, stop the athlete if necessary, ask them to correct what they're doing, then let them carry on straight away.

You do not have to give a warning before penalising a more serious violation that could lead to disqualification, suspension or expulsion.

Time penalties (rule 3.3) are for infringements that don't warrant disqualification. On the age-group run, an infringement may be dealt with by a warning or a time penalty on the spot.

Suspension and expulsion (rules 3.7 and 3.8): for fraudulent or very severe violations, the Head Referee reports to the World Triathlon Tribunal within a week of the race. Suspensions run from 3 months to 4 years. Repeated violations that each earn a suspension lead to expulsion for life.

Swim conduct (World Triathlon rule 4.1):

Allowed: any stroke, treading water, floating, standing on the bottom, and resting by holding a buoy or stationary boat. Athletes may push off the bottom at the start and end of each swim lap, or elsewhere if the Technical Delegate allows. They must follow the set course.

Emergencies: an athlete in trouble should raise an arm and call for help. Once official assistance is given, the athlete must retire.

Age-group swim penalties for infringements at the start or in the swim are served in T1 at the athlete's spot.

Wetsuits (rule 4.2) for age-groupers up to the 55-59 category: forbidden at 22 °C and above for swims up to 1500 m, and at 24.6 °C and above for longer swims. Mandatory at 15.9 °C and below. For 60-64 and older: forbidden at 24.6 °C and above at any distance, and mandatory at 15.9 °C and below. Bib numbers are not allowed in a non-wetsuit swim.

Time limits (rule 4.3) for age-groupers include 20 minutes for up to 300 m, 1 h 10 min for 1001 to 1500 m and 2 h 20 min for 3001 to 4000 m.

Is the race draft-illegal? (World Triathlon rule 5.5 a) For age-groupers: super sprint, standard, middle and long distance triathlon are draft-illegal. Sprint can be either. Mixed relays are draft-legal.

In a draft-illegal race (rule 5.5 c):

• The bicycle draft zone is 12 m, measured from the leading edge of the front wheel of the rider ahead. Entering it is drafting, unless one of the exceptions below applies.
• An athlete may enter another's zone to overtake, but must be seen to be progressing through it, and has no more than 25 seconds to get through. Several consecutive unsuccessful attempts to overtake may be called as drafting.
• An athlete is passed when the other rider's front wheel is ahead. The passed athlete must keep dropping back out of the zone. Re-passing before leaving the zone, or staying in it beyond the time allowed, is a drafting violation.
• Allowed in the draft zone: for safety reasons; within 100 m before and after an aid station or transition; at an acute turn; and in course sections excluded by the Technical Delegate (narrow lanes, roadworks, detours, safety).
• Every athlete is entitled to any position they reach first without contact, but must leave reasonable space for others. An athlete approaching to take advantage of a draft bears responsibility for avoiding it, and athletes must reject others' attempts to draft off them.
• The vehicle draft zone is 35 m, and applies in draft-legal races too.

In a draft-legal race (rule 5.5 b): it is still forbidden to draft off a rider of a different gender, a rider on a different lap, or a motorbike or vehicle.

Discretion (rule 3.1 e and f): officials may penalise an infringement not listed in the rules if an unfair advantage was gained or danger was created intentionally. In exceptional circumstances, they may adjust penalties in line with the spirit of the rules. Officials may use electronic and other technology to gather evidence of infringements (rule 11.4).

Drafting notification (World Triathlon rule 3.4 a): as soon as it is safe:

1. sound your whistle;
2. show a blue card;
3. call the athlete's number in English and say "Drafting penalty, you have to stop at the next penalty box".

You must make sure the athlete has received the notification, which has to be clear and unambiguous (rule 5.6 b). The penalty is served in the next bike penalty box.

Other bike time penalties: whistle, show a yellow card, call the number and say "Time penalty, you have to stop at the next penalty box". Again, make sure it was received.

Blocking (rule 5.7): an athlete riding where someone behind can't pass, because they are poorly placed on the course, gets a yellow card, served at the next bike penalty box.

Escalation (rule 5.6):

• Failing to stop at the next penalty box: disqualification.
• Second drafting offence in standard distance or shorter: disqualification.
• Third drafting offence in middle or long distance: disqualification.
• Drafting violations cannot be protested.

Dangerous riding (rule 5.1): accidental contact or cutting across, followed by moving away without causing a crash, isn't penalised. Cutting across dangerously or impeding without moving away earns a time penalty. Deliberately targeting another athlete means disqualification and possible referral to the World Triathlon Tribunal. Passing on the wrong side can be penalised as dangerous riding.

Where age-groupers serve time penalties (World Triathlon rule 3.3 b):

Lengths (rule 3.3 e):

Running the bike penalty box (rule 3.5 d):

• Numbers aren't posted. It is the athlete's responsibility to stop at the next box after being notified.
• The athlete enters, dismounts, and tells you their number, how many penalties they have and the colour of card(s) received. Start timing once they have done all that, and say "Go" when the time is up.
• If they leave the area, call them back and pause the count. They may only eat or drink what is on their bike or person. No toilet use (the time pauses if they go) and no adjustments or maintenance on the bike.
• For PTWC athletes, the count starts once they are totally stopped.

Penalty in T1 (rule 3.5 c): hold up a yellow card at the athlete's spot. They must stop without touching their kit. Pause the count if they touch it, and say "Go" when it is done.

On the spot (rule 3.5 f): hold a yellow card in front of the athlete and have them stop safely at the side. Pause the count if they move forward.

An athlete who fails to stop for a drafting penalty is disqualified.

Key rules under World Triathlon rule 7.1:

Where age-groupers serve transition penalties (rule 3.3 b): an infringement in T1 or T2 is served as a time penalty on the spot. The run penalty box board, with letter codes such as D (dismount line), M (mount line) and E (equipment outside bin), is used for elite and para categories.

Bike check (World Triathlon rule 5.3):

• A visual bike check happens before athletes go into the transition area. Check that the bike complies with the rules: UCI time trial rules for draft-illegal races, UCI road race rules for draft-legal races.
• Each registered athlete may check in one bike only, and must rack it before transition closes. Anyone who can't must tell the Head Referee.
• Disc brakes are allowed. Platform pedals are allowed if they have a quick-release mechanism.
• Not allowed: headphones, headsets, technical earplugs or smart helmets in or over the ears; glass containers; mirrors; and any non-compliant bike or part.

Helmet (rule 5.2 g):

• It must be approved by a recognised national testing authority, and must not be altered or have parts missing, including the chin strap or cloth cover.
• Number stickers go on the front and both sides, unaltered, with 1.5 cm clear around each. No other stickers are allowed.
• In draft-legal races only: no visors, and the helmet must not cover the ears.

Numbers (rule 2.9), age-groupers:

• The bib may be worn in a wetsuit swim but is forbidden in a non-wetsuit swim. It is mandatory on the run, visible on the front.
• Arm body marking goes as close to the shoulder as possible, and one calf is marked with gender and category (e.g. F25).
• Numbering items may not be altered without the Head Referee's approval.

Transition setup (rule 7.1): remove marks, towels and objects used to mark positions. Athletes aren't told when you do this.

Disqualification (World Triathlon rule 3.6) is for severe violations, such as repeated drafting or dangerous or unsportsmanlike conduct. If time and conditions allow:

1. sound your whistle;
2. show a red card;
3. call the athlete's number in English and say "Disqualified".

For safety reasons you may have to delay giving it. The athlete may still finish the race. Disqualified athletes' numbers are posted on the white board in the post-finish area. If an athlete is disqualified after finishing and it wasn't posted, the athlete or their national federation must be contacted, and they have 5 days to tell the Technical Delegate if they want to appeal.

What can be protested (rule 3.9):

• Drafting penalties cannot be protested.
• A time penalty the athlete has served can't be protested: serving it means accepting it.
• An athlete who doesn't serve another time penalty is disqualified at the finish, but may protest the disqualification and the Head Referee's decision. The Competition Jury then dismisses the protest, or upholds it and reverses the disqualification.
• Evidence is only made available if a protest is lodged. You are not required to give a reason when you give a time penalty (rule 3.5).

Who decides: the Head Referee makes the final judgement on rule violations and signs the results to make them official.