Draft-Legal Racing
Benefits of Draft-Legal Racing #
New Skills #
Draft-legal races build an athlete’s bike-handling skills. Athletes must also incorporate more strategy and know when to lead the pack, when to follow, and how to react to tempo changes while drafting.
Level Playing Field #
Athletes who aren’t as strong in the swim or bike disciplines can conserve energy by drafting behind stronger athletes. The more energy athletes have for the later stages of a race, the more competitive races will be.
Results Cross Over #
Racing draft-legal tends to make athletes improve their swimming and biking abilities. These enhanced skills are useful in traditional multisport races, too!
Compact Courses #
Draft-legal races typically feature multiple laps on a shorter circuit, meaning races can be held in smaller, more compact locations. There must be separate bike and run courses.
Closed Courses #
Draft-legal racecourses are completely closed to ensure both athlete safety and a stronger overall experience.
Rule Differences#
The primary difference between draft-legal and non-drafting races is that there aren’t drafting penalties during a draft-legal race. The two are otherwise similar but for a few exceptions: Note: The following is not intended to be a comprehensive coverage of the age group draft-legal rules, guidelines and procedures unique to draft-legal racing versus Non-Draft Legal racing. This document is intended as a primer on the very basics. View more multisport and draft-legal specific rules.
ATTENTION RACE DIRECTORS
Why Organize a Draft-Legal Race? #
- Draft-legal races are a youth-focused promotion that helps create a pathway for the development of high-performance athletes. By providing opportunities for young athletes to participate in draft-legal events at an early age, USA Triathlon may more easily identify and nurture talented athletes who have the potential to excel in the sport at the highest levels.
- Draft-legal races also give Age Group Team USA athletes opportunities to prepare for draft-legal World Championship events.
- Draft-legal races can help promote the sport of triathlon to a wider audience and encourage more participation in the sport as a whole.