The German Sparkle Party on slippery stones. Trail shoes help runners to stay upright.

Long time race leaders and former elite swimmers Simon Börjeson and Rasmus Regnstrand prefer to take their shoes off during the swim sections.

Transitions need to be speedy. Individual setups need to be well planned and practiced in training.

The use of a tether between teammates is common practice. Although it is a fairly straightforward technique on land, in the water the swimmer in back needs to pay attention. It is easy to get your arms wrapped up in the tether.

Nearly everybody uses hand paddles. If you have the muscles and the skills to use them, they offer a nice advantage.

It is hard to find grip on these stones. Trail shoes help, although any shoe used must work on a variety of terrain.

While pull buoys help racers to float, they also need to be tucked away fast while scrambling out of the sea.

Hand paddles can be had in many shapes and sizes. Most teams write the swim and run distances on the paddles to keep track of where they are on the course.