Guys, top or no top?

unless (the shirt) it is a requirement for your race, do the event as you have practiced.
Good luck and have fun out there!

Def. check the race requirements esecially for the bike.

If you haven't swam (swum?) in one before I wouldn't try it during the race, but good luck pulling on a shirt if you're wet and the race requires a shirt.  Actually, good luck either way...enjoy your race.

Don't know about Disco but at River Cities you'll see about 80% of the guys without tops. All that wicking and evaporative cooling works fine in the North, but with the heat and humidity down here you never dry from the swim and your clothes just get wetter and heavier from sweat. Much better to have it just roll off your bare skin (usually into your shorts, socks and/or shoes , but those get soaked either way).

If you're talking about going with a tri top, as opposed to a bicycle jersey or something else, those tend to be form fitting and really shouldn't be that big of a change from wearing no top on the swim and really shouldn't affect your swim. While it is generally a good rule of thumb to not do anything different on race day, this isn't such a huge change that it should throw you off. For example, I only wear my wetsuit in races and never practice in it. This doesn't throw me off at all and the wetsuit only serves to improve my swim. Then again, maybe that's just me. I know some people get thrown off by any slight variation in their routine. If this is you, take that into consideration.

If legal, don't bother with the top. Its just another thing to change into in transition. I did my first sprint (earlier this year) putting a bike jersey on at T1 but most guys just went shirtless and I realized that made more sense since it was just another thing to think about while fumbling with helmet, shoes, water, etc.

Good luck, have fun and hammer it!

another option, that I use and prefer, is the Tri-suit, no sleeves.

if its a sprint i would not worry about it unless requiered (most races you dont need them).

longer ones i would wear it for sun protection.

i race in a top all the time now because i have to for sponsors, but i raced without one in all the shorter races until i was required too.

a one peice tri suit is a good option as well

Thanks guys, no top it is. Now lets just hope I can sleep tonight! : )