Digital magazines from the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and the World Triathlon Series
Issue link: http://worldtriathlon.uberflip.com/i/1405112
IMPAIRMENT CLASS EXPLAINER PTS4 – Moderate impairments. In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices. Includes athletes with comparable activity limitation and an impairment of, but not limited to, limbs, hypertonia, ataxia and or athetosis, impaired muscle power or range of movement. PTS5 – Mild impairments. In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices. Includes athletes with comparable activity limitation and an impairment of, but not limited to, limbs, hypertonia, ataxia and or athetosis, impaired muscle power or range of movement. PTVI1 – Includes athletes who are totally blind, from no light perception in either eye, to some light perception. A guide of the same gender and nationality is mandatory throughout the race and athletes must ride a tandem during the bike segment. PTVI2 – Includes athletes who are more severely partially sighted. Must ride a tandem during the bike segment and a guide of the same nationality and gender is mandatory throughout the race. PTVI3 – Includes athletes who are less severely partially sighted. Must ride a tandem during the bike segment and a guide of the same nationality and gender is mandatory throughout the race. The different degrees of impairment represented by the various PTWC and PTVI classes are compensated for by staggered start waves, the athletes with the greatest impairments going off first. As well as the actual race times that the degree of impairment can impact across the swim-bike-run, the 'fourth discipline' – transition – is also a vital part of para triathlon, with handlers and swim exit assistants helping the PTWC athletes out of the water and into their racing chairs, for example. 93 - World Triathlon Media Guide Tokyo 2020 - Paralympics