Wetsuit legal: water temperature limit at which the wetsuit is allowed in Ironman events
SwimIRONMAN rule: wetsuit is allowed up to 24.5 Celsius (76.1 Fahrenheit) for Age Groupers. Above that, swim in trisuit only.
Wetsuit status is checked by officials the morning of the race, 30-60 minutes before start, after measuring water temperature. IRONMAN and 70.3 rules for Age Groupers: wetsuit mandatory below 15.9 Celsius, allowed between 15.9 and 24.5 Celsius, forbidden above 24.5 Celsius. Pro rules are stricter (wetsuit only up to 21.9 Celsius). Maximum thickness 5 mm on torso. Benefit: the wetsuit improves buoyancy by 5-10 seconds per 100 metres for an average swimmer, and delays hypothermia. Anticipate: if the race is marginal (~24 Celsius), prepare both options in T1 with your wetsuit laid out.
In TriPaced:
TriPaced does not yet handle race-day weather, but the race card in Settings > Race A lets you set expected water temperature. The taper will prescribe 1-2 wetsuit swims in week -2 to test fit and shoulder-stroke feel.
Source IRONMAN Competition Rules 2026, section 2.03 (a) Wetsuit Rules