Long-distance triathlon glossary·AG

Age group : competitive category by age

Intensity

Triathlon competition categories organized by age bracket, which determine rankings and qualification slots for world championship events.

In amateur (non-pro) triathlon, competitors are ranked in their age category based on their age during the race year: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34... through 75-79 and 80+. The age used is the one reached during the calendar year of the race, not the actual age on race day. Each category receives a proportional number of qualification slots for Ironman World Championship events (Kona and Nice since 2023). AG rankings are public on Ironman Tracker; they're often more motivating than the overall ranking. The M35-39 category is typically the largest and most competitive.

In TriPaced:

In TriPaced, your age group is set during onboarding. It enables the display of your AG rank in race results and the calculation of a realistic time goal based on median and top-10 performances in your category across similar events.

Related terms

  • Dropbag : gear bag staged in the transition area
  • Race nutrition : fueling effort without crashing
  • Transition : T1 (swim-to-bike) and T2 (bike-to-run)
  • Cramps : Muscle cramps during racing
  • Heat management : Thermoregulation in racing
  • Energy gel : concentrated carbohydrate fuel