Triathlon Laleu, and (3) a run () in the stadium André-Barbeau. The first modern swim/bike/run event to be called a 'triathlon' was held at Mission Bay, San Diego, California on September 25, 1974. The race was conceived and directed by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan, members of the San Diego Track Club, and was sponsored by the track club. 46 participants entered this event. It was reportedly not inspired by the French events, although a race the following year at Fiesta Island, San Diego, California, is sometimes called 'the first triathlon in America.' The International Triathlon Union (ITU) was founded in
Triathlon equipment Triathlon, USAT and ITU do not specifically disallow snorkels. British Triathlon does not list snorkels as part of the accepted equipment, thus they are disallowed. For safety reasons in open-water events, some federations permit special inflatable flotation devices; though activating the device will usually disqualify the swimmer, it can be used to float if the swimmer experiences difficulty. Because most triathlon swim stages are conducted in open waters (lakes, rivers, or oceans) which are often cold, many early races allowed wetsuits. However, typical wetsuits manufactured for snorkeling or water skiing are not optimal for triathlon, because the sleeves generally restrict