FORM, the fitness technology company pioneering real-time visual feedback to elevate athletic performance, has announced that its FORM Smart Swim Goggles are now race-approved by World Triathlon. FORM goggles are now legal in World Triathlon, Super League Triathlon (SLT), Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and USA Triathlon (USAT) races. Using the FORM goggles, professional and amateur athletes can use the in-goggle augmented reality (AR) display to access their real-time data to keep them on track at their targeted pace during competition.
“This is a monumental moment for FORM and for the entire sport of triathlon. The race approval in these three organizations is a turning point for the triathlete community. Athletes in these races can access their real-time performance metrics to pace themselves and push the sport further in the water, just as they do in cycling and running,” said Dan Eisenhardt, CEO of FORM.
“Having three leading triathlon organizations approve the use of the FORM Smart Swim Goggles in competition is a testament to our product and innovation in the sport.”
Swimming has been completely underserved by technology. Swimmers have traditionally needed to rely on a clock, flags, distance to a buoy, or a coach to judge their pace and/or distance or break their pace and look at a watch. Launched in 2019, FORM introduced the world to the first ever smart swim goggles, reinventing how athletes train in the water and transforming the sport. Using FORM goggles’ AR display, swimmers have the unprecedented ability to see their performance metrics like pace per 100, distance, calories and stroke rate in real-time through its powerful in-goggle display technology.
In its promise to support triathletes, the FORM goggles offer extensive open water capabilities. In open water, the FORM goggles provide swimmers with performance metrics like time and stroke rate. When paired with compatible Garmin or Apple Watches, the FORM goggles can also display distance, pace and heart rate, which can all be seen in the swimmer’s line of sight.
In 2021, FORM launched Workouts, where FORM users can choose from over 1,500+ coach designed workouts and be guided through an immersive training experience using the in-goggle display. Following the workout, the swimmer can access their data, providing additional insight into their training.
“Being able to wear FORM goggles in competitive races will help professional and amateur triathletes in a number of ways,” explains Brian Johns, Head of Coaching Science at FORM. “For a start, it will enable athletes to pace themselves and manage their effort, particularly at the start of their race in the water. Athletes can quickly assess how far they’ve swum and still have to go. It will also help with their real-time stroke rate and allow them to execute their race plan more precisely.
“The approval from all organizations catches swimming up to both biking and cycling for use of technology in competition. The other benefit is athletes experience less anxiety in the water because they don’t feel as alone.”
“The PTO has always looked to incorporate new technology and innovation in order to take the sport forward,” said PTO CEO Sam Renouf. “We’re excited and supportive of this news and look forward to seeing the impact that it makes.”
“As soon as FORM launched, our athletes were quick to adopt the new technology. We’ve witnessed first hand how effective the FORM goggles are for training, and now we can’t wait to see how they elevate the athletic performance of the athletes in competition,” said Michael D’hulst, CEO and Co-founder of Super League Triathlon. “By making FORM goggles race-approved, SLT is making it known that we are on the forefront of innovation and our races are about to push the boundaries of what’s possible in triathlon.”
“USA Triathlon will always seek to work collaboratively with those who seek to bring innovation to Multisport,” said USA Triathlon Commissioner of Officials, Mark Turner. “We are happy to affirm and clarify that FORM goggles are legal for use in USAT-sanctioned races.”
