Should this be done?

Totally impractical unfortunately, I think common sense should prevail.

I agree with Fegan, there would be no way to realistically do the swim test, it would end up being a matter of self certification which would miss the point of a test. Plus if you are going to pay £300 odd to enter a race then you would surely be able to swim, bike and run, mind you there are some daft people out there.....

Not all can swim and i think it would makes sense to do a swim test to get your membership to your tri NGB

Andy

You can guarantee that if a test was introduced it would need to be done by a sanctioned body - no doubt affiliated to WTC - and drag even more money out of us. Given that I am a reasonably strong swimmer, I couldn't give a rats arse about the non-swimmers struggling in the back. People signing up are well aware of the distances. Its an ironman for gods sake, not a pussyman. Buyer beware!!

if you need a swim test to enter, then why not go ahead and do a test to make sure you can ride your bike too? and while your at it why not do a practice race to see if you can finish the distance? this is totally impractical and it is up to you to decide if you can finish the swim in a triathlon when you sign up

No, no, no. I'm with Mason on this. Once there is a 'test' for one thing, it will be extended to the other disciplines. What happened to personal responsibility?

This is also the huge potential for someone to make millions from the testing - and do you set a limit on what distance you test for; just IM distance, or right down to some events with swims of only 200m?

Is having the nerve to enter a race with a 3.8km swim at the start not a test? People have to pass a test to be able to drive and still there are idiots on the road. What use would a swim test be other than to give more idiots jobs? Keep it all simple - training and racing - and all is good. No tests just take responsibility for your own actions.

No point having a test. It will just decrease the number of people who take part as many wont enter as they cant be bothered to turn up for a test. I did adventure racing and we always had to do abseiling tests before each race. That is fair because if you dont know how to abseil and are suddenly presented with a rope and a cliff in the middle of a race the consequences are pretty dire. But for a swim you either can or you cant. Should be pretty clear cut.

IF (and it's a big if) there was to be a test it should be totally about confidence / capability - nothing to do with speed / performance. Here's my real simple test: Push the person off a boat in the middle of Lake Taupo. If they freak out they fail. If they deal with it they pass.

Totally agree with Rob - he used the exact phrase I was going to use - personal responsibility. With every right comes a responsibility - you have a right to enter a triathlon, but with that comes a responsibility to train sufficiently such that you are not a danger to yourself or others. There's too many people in this world looking to blame someone else for their own shortcomings - you enter a triathlon, you make sure you can swim the bloody distance.

It's about personal responsibility - its up to the competitor to ensure their swim is up to a certain standard and if it is weak then they should seed themselves well near the back of a pack and keep out of trouble. If you start introducing standards in swim then shoudn't you also on the bike as there are riders who could do with improving their riding skills. More accidents occur on the bike so start there first.

I'll go one step further. I think it would make sense that in order to participate in an Ironman race, you must first complete a sanctioned Half-Ironman within the allotted time. Basically, you would need to qualify for an Ironman at a Half...just by finishing it. Of course, this just passes the question down to the Half-Iron level.

I don't believe a swim test would be practical, however race directors could implement a simple change to help: I completed a Half-IM in July which was a mass start. At registration, we picked up a different colour cap based on estimated swim time (<30, 30-35, 35-40 and 40+mins). Then when lining up for the swim start, you just stayed with your colour.

Not a perfect solution but seems to work really well for self-seeding rather than asking your neighbours what time they are looking for. Newbies or non-swimmers are more likely to grab a 40+ cap so they are at the rear for the start instead of in the mix and being trampled (can you be trampled in a swim?).