2026 Competition Rules and Regulations in Ironman Triathlon

Article IV.
SWIM CONDUCT
Section 4.01 GENERAL
(a) Each swimmer must wear an official swim cap provided by the Race Officials. If two
caps are worn, the official swim cap must be worn on the outside, at all times during the swim segment. Failing to wear the official swim cap at all times during the swim segment of the Race may result in a time penalty enforced by Race Referees after the swim segment in T1.

EZ Gains - Please place your race swim cap on top of the EZ Hydro-Glide and EZ Hydro-Glide swim cap.

(b) Wearing swim goggles or a face mask is neither prohibited nor required;

EZ Gains -N/A
(c) The use of snorkels, fins, gloves, paddles, or flotation devices of any kind (including pull buoys) is prohibited; (DSQ)

EZ Gains -EZ Hydro-Glide is Non-buoyant

(d) The use of a cast or splint must be pre-approved by the Event-specific Head Referee;
(30 or 60 Second Time Penalty (as applicable) or DSQ)

EZ Gains -N/A

(e) Neoprene or any other booties are prohibited unless the water temperature is 18.3
degrees C/65.0 degrees F, or colder; (30 or 60 Second Time Penalty (as applicable))

EZ Gains -N/A

(f) When the use of wetsuits is prohibited (see Section 4.03), clothing covering any part of the arms below the elbows and clothing covering any of the leg below the knee is deemed illegal and is not permitted during the swim segment of the Race but may be worn after completion of the swim segment; (DSQ)

EZ Gains -N/A

(i) For religious reasons or for approved medical conditions, athletes are allowed to have the body totally covered (except the face, hands, and feet) provided that the material is compliant with Section

EZ Gains -N/A

4.03(a). Applicable athletes must contact the Event-specific Head Referee onsite for authorization and
awareness prior to Race day.

EZ Gains -N/A

(g) Individual paddlers or escorts are prohibited; (DSQ)

EZ Gains -N/A

(h) Any assistance during the swim will result in disqualification if forward progress was made. Athletes are permitted to use the on course kayaks, boats or any stationary floating rafts/docks as aid, as long as no forward progress is made. Race Officials and medical personnel reserve the right to remove athletes from the course if such removal is determined medically necessary;

EZ Gains -N/A

(i) It is the sole responsibility of each athlete to know and follow the prescribed swimming course. No adjustments in times or results will be made, for any reason whatsoever, for athletes who fail to follow the proper course;

EZ Gains -N/A

(j) Indecent exposure/public nudity is prohibited at all times during an Event; (DSQ) and (k) Swim course cut-off times will be stated in the Event-specific Athlete Information Guide.

EZ Gains -N/A

Section 4.02 WETSUIT RULES
(a) For age-group athletes, relay team athletes and Open Division athletes, wetsuits 2026 Competition Rules – Page 14 may be worn in water temperature up to and including 24.5 degrees C/76.1 degrees
F (DSQ) (*Please note: If the water temperature is above 24.5 degrees C/76.1 degrees F (but is less than or equal to 28.8 degrees C/83.8 degrees F) then, with respect to certain Events (e.g., Events sanctioned by USA Triathlon (“USAT”)), IRONMAN may, in its sole discretion, allow age-group athletes to wear wetsuits and participate in a separate non-competitive wetsuit wave/division, provided, however, that such
athletes participating in the designated non-competitive wetsuit wave/division will not be eligible for age-group awards including, without limitation, IRONMAN World Championship slots or IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship slots);

EZ Gains -N/A

(b) The use of wetsuits is prohibited in water temperatures greater than 28.8 degrees C/83.8 degrees F;
(c) For professional athletes, wetsuits may be worn in water temperatures up to and including 21.9 degrees C/71.5 degrees F; (DSQ)
(d) A wetsuit may cover any part of the body except the face, hands, and feet;
(e) A race kit may be worn underneath the wetsuit;

EZ Gains -N/A

(f) A neoprene swim cap may be worn when wetsuits are allowed. If a neoprene swim cap is worn, the official swim cap issued by the Race Officials must be worn on the
outside at all times during the swim segment;

Please use EZ Hydro-Glide PCM heat pack if you are using a neoprene cap as well place under this.

(g) The thickness of the wetsuit may not exceed 5mm. If the wetsuit consists of two or more pieces, then the combined thickness of the overlapping pieces may not exceed 5 mm; (DSQ)

EZ Gains -EZ Hydro-Glide is not part of the wetsuit and is non-buoyant

(h) The most external part of the wetsuit will fit to the athlete’s body tightly while they are swimming; (DSQ) and
(i) Wetsuits are mandatory for professional athletes and age-group athletes for water temperatures below 16 degrees C/60.8 degrees F. (DSQ)
Section 4.03 SWIMWEAR POLICY WHEN THE USE OF WETSUITS IS PROHIBITED

EZ Gains -N/A

(a) Swimwear must be 100% textile material, which is defined as materials consisting of natural and/or synthetic, individual and non-consolidated yarns used to constitute a fabric by weaving, knitting, and/or braiding (this generally refers to suits made only from nylon or lycra that do not have any rubberized material such as polyurethane or neoprene); (DSQ)This refers to swim wear "

EZ Gains -Swimwear is any clothing specifically designed to be worn for water-based activities (like swimming, surfing, or water aerobics) or sunbathing (Cambridge Dictionary)

(b) Swimwear may contain a zipper;
(c) Sleeves that extend from shoulder to elbow may be worn;
(d) Wetsuit (neoprene) shorts/bottoms (aka buoyancy shorts) are prohibited; (DSQ)
(e) Swimwear must not cover the neck, must not extend past the elbow, and must not extend past the knees; (DSQ) and
(f)
A textile race kit may be worn underneath swimwear, provided, however, that the textile race kit must not extend past the elbow and must not extend past the knees.

EZ Gains -N/A

2026 Competition Rules – Page 15
(DSQ)
Section 4.04 ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT
(a) Headsets or headphones are prohibited during the swim segment of the Race (30 or 60 Second Time Penalty (as applicable), DSQ if not remedied promptly);
(b) Athletes may not use communication devices of any type, including but not limited
to cell phones, smart watches, and two-way radios, in any distractive manner during the Race. A “distractive manner” includes but is not limited to making and receiving phone calls, sending and receiving text messages, playing music, using social media, taking videos and taking photographs. Using a communication device in a distractive manner during the Race will result in disqualification; and
(c) Using any device (e.g., including without limitation, cameras, phone cameras, video cameras, glasses, etc.) to capture photographs, video, or other visual images during the Race is prohibited.

EZ Gains -The EZ Hydro-Glide GPS Tracker is optional, does not require any interaction from the swimmer whilst swimming, and it is a pure safety device and non distracting.