Triathlon Swim Distance

The Olympic distance is 1500m (1.5K) or 1650 yards.

The Ironman distance is 2.4 miles

Sprint ditances can be all over the place. I've seen 200 yard up to about 1200m.

Your best bet is to check the website of the race you're interested.

I think the measurements are supposed to be statutory miles.

A local tri had its 20th Anniversary this past Memorial Day.  The swim portion ended up being around 1800 meters as opposed to 1500 meters and I understand that it was because someone measured it nautical miles instead of statutory miles.

In your measurements estimates 1500m and 1640 yards are relatively close.  So the simpliest answer to your question is it is measured in what you list as runner's /swimmers miles and not nautical miles.

HIM = 1.2 miles its roughly 1900m - 2000 yards give or take.

IM + 2.4 miles  roughly 4000

Most distances are measured in metric, meters or km.  IM = 4k, HIM = 2k, Oly = 1500m (1.5k), etc. 

In reality....Triathlon swims are measured, from here to here....

They are always wrong. The distance given before the race is really a close approximation. They also forget to tell you when there is a 1/2 mile run through the sand that is added to your swim time.....

??  I've never heard of a "swimmer's mile."  I am a swimmer, and I count my miles at 1600 meters, not 1500.  Look up some conversion tables and do the math.  Something like 1600m = .994 miles.

I think Olys are usually 1500m, but when a lay-person asks I will tell them a mile without guilt or hesitation. They can wrap their heads around that easier. Factor in zig-zagging and current and you probably swim a mile anyway.  Then again, RDs as a whole are known for (or accused of) horribly mismeasuring  swim courses.

-eric

In theory, the distances are as follows

Olympic:  1500 meters = 1640.42 yards = .932 statute miles
Half:         1931.2 meters = 2112 yards = 1.2 statute miles
Full IM       3862.4 meters = 4224 yards = 2.4 statute miles

In any particular race, it is all subject to the accuracy of the measurement technique (as well as drifting buoys, etc.)

A "swimmer's mile" is 1650 yards, which is just over 1500 meters.  It is only used to refer to swimming the 1650 yard race, which is informally called "the mile."  It is not used in open water swimming or anywhere else.

I don't know where you got the term a "runner's mile."  A statute mile (what we all think of as a mile) is 5280 feet or 1760 yards. 

Nautical miles aren't used in triathlon, though I read somewhere that the Navy was asked to measure a 2.4 mile swim course, and made it 2.4 nautical miles, which is 15% longer than it should be.

Edited by kcb203 2011-01-12 1:19 PM