What's the point of bodymarking?

It is my understanding that one of the main reasons it is done is for the
benefit of the race photographer. It is up to the athlete to ensure the
markings are made where they can be seen while wearing the clothing you are
racing in.

Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<no_one_knows-0D2BD5.10441422092003@news.comcast.giganews.com>.. .
> In article <vgttmv0t6p7cgsa9c34prqbk4pngi5v3vt@>,
> Mike Tennent <ironpeng@darientel.net> wrote:
>
> > "Tom Rodgers" <ironmantexasm> wrote:
> >
> > >I actually agree with the "race photographer" theory, though even they
> > >usually get me wrong in the swims. I think originally it was to contribute
> > >to swim security, prevent cheating in the water, etc.
> >
> > I think it's mostly a tradition, now.
> >
> > But there is one useful purpose. I do like to know the age of someone
> > I might be following or catching. Nothing worse than pushing yourself
> > to catch someone that's not even in your age group. <g>
>
>
> Yeah, I get the age-numbering part--although there's no rule about
> wearing over-the-knee socks. It's the numbering part I was wondering
> about.
>
> --Harold Buck
>

I believe it's as others have mentioned: if, heaven forbid, the
lifeguards pull you out of the water, they'll need to identify you,
even if you're unconscious, or hypothermic and unable to give coherent
responses. (Most athletes probably didn't have their mother sew their
name into their tri-shorts or wetsuit!) Without a number on you,
it'll be something over the PA like: "we need to identify this guy -
he's a white male, mid 20's to mid 30's, about 6' tall, wearing a
black wetsuit...anybody spectating here have an athlete that matches
this description?"

It's important to be able to find out ASAP any special info on a
particular athlete - emergency contact, medical history, allergies,
etc. And a timing chip isn't a good alternative, since you need both
a mat to read it, and the computer to match the chip code to the
athlete that's been assigned to it.

Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<no_one_knows-A06CEF.20305822092003@news.comcast.giganews.com>.. .
> In article <90188097.0309221713.239bf7a0@com >,
> bobbetts@ (Sherpa Bob) wrote:
>
> > I believe it's as others have mentioned: if, heaven forbid, the
> > lifeguards pull you out of the water, they'll need to identify you,
> > even if you're unconscious, or hypothermic and unable to give coherent
> > responses. (Most athletes probably didn't have their mother sew their
> > name into their tri-shorts or wetsuit!) Without a number on you,
> > it'll be something over the PA like: "we need to identify this guy -
> > he's a white male, mid 20's to mid 30's, about 6' tall, wearing a
> > black wetsuit...anybody spectating here have an athlete that matches
> > this description?"
> >
> > It's important to be able to find out ASAP any special info on a
> > particular athlete - emergency contact, medical history, allergies,
> > etc. And a timing chip isn't a good alternative, since you need both
> > a mat to read it, and the computer to match the chip code to the
> > athlete that's been assigned to it.
>
>
> I suppose this makes sense, since you could lose your swim cap (which
> also has your number). However, that doesn't explain why they number you
> 4 times or why they insist that the number is on the outside of the left
> thigh and the inside of the right thigh; that sounds like a "we want to
> be able to see it from the motorcycle while you're on the bike" kind of
> thing, which only makes sense if you're not wearing long bike shorts.
>
> --Harold Buck
>

This one just came to mind: in the pre-timing-chip days, volunteers
would need to write down each athlete's number as you crossed a spot.
More copies increases the chances of being able to read at least one
of them when you ran by. Even with the chip, they still can use that
written number to call you out by name from an announcer's stand, or
to call out your number in T1 so a volunteer can grab your bike off
the rack for you.

One other thought: "inside of the right thigh" - the body marking
volunteer thought you were cute, and was having fun marking you up
?!?!?!? Hadn't heard of that location before...