Oh maybe I misread it.
I thought it was just the series overall that paid 50 deep. Individual races would have the normal prize purses.
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Well I haven’t read it at all, just @Chriswim comment!
No sorry, 50 payouts at end of the series! 5k for everyone 11th to 50th.
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Is that essentially a refund of their entry fees? Or is there still that deal where a pro buys a sort of season ticket?
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It’s less than what it costs to take part in Kona (inc everything) that’s for sure.
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As I understand it, pros get free entry to races but have to buy a pro card. So effectively they have a season ticket. I’m sure 90% of the 1000 pros on IM books are pros because it works out cheaper than paying for AG entries, and have no illusion of actually making a living from tri.
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The eligible races look quite North America-centric, plus the regional champs.
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Seem desperate to fill Nice next year, although top 5 at some 70.3’s with no roll down might encourage better athletes
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Yes, this could work both ways…but i do sense IM fatigue has set in…
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Kona this year had a record finish rate. It’s really easy to criticise IM, I have done so many times, however, it was a massive success. Lets give IM a bit of space and see what they can do with split men and women
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I would agree. I was in Kona, buzz was tremendous, the race was outstanding even if LCB’s historic gun to tape took away some of the drama.
Some Kona vets said the vibe was much better without hordes of peacocking males. The ladies raced brilliantly across the board, hence the much lower DNF than mixed races.
My partner is stoked to race Nice next year after a 4th AG in Barcelona.
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You could add, being a devils advocate, that as the field was much weaker, there were a lot of “just finishers” looking for a medal and tatt so didnt push for a time and blow?
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I’d suggest that that is searching for the negative in a sea of positive.
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Yes, so much positivity, like coming 25/26 in your age group and barely beating cut off but being invited to the pinnacle of the sport. Dont kid yourself, it’s a money making scheme. Yes some athletes may have enjoyed the split event, particularly those that like to brag on instabooks about Kona Q’ing who came 2nd last in over 15hrs (i know one) but ive seen equally those that thought the split took something away from it. I wonder how the viewing figures compare to last year and between both races. I also wonder how sponsorship will work out going forward, both IM and individual athletes
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I read something about top 5/10 in each age group at Kona this year (no rolldowns) get auto qualification for Nice provided they validate. This seems reasonable. I’d love to see a good top end in the age group race - and this kind of thing will help to ensure that.
I loved watching the Kona build up and buzz from afar this year and then watching the race unfold on the live stream. So much more exciting than the Nice race for me - but perhaps (as mentioned already) time zones potentially made a bit of a difference. I’m just not used to a world champs being on during UK daytime.
I’d dearly love to see the event continue in Kona and have men and women at the same event - but no idea how that could ever happen. Maybe this alternate year thing may just work out. Keep a race at Kona every year and just alternate the location of the other race for a couple of years - so the men and women both get a chance to race at the same alternative location.
It’s still a PITA for couples who both race. Perhaps just split the entries 50/50 for a single day race - so 1000 men, 1000 women. This would be bloody hard to qualify for - even harder than it used to be (it is a world championship after all). And make sure the womens race starts 90 minutes before the men or something so that there’s little to no overlap. Age group racing would then continue until about 2am so that’s not ideal. I just don’t think there’s a perfect solution which involves Kona.
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One race on sat and one on sun. Tough for the marshals, but…
and the locals
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and for Greta…
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She’ll probably be locked up in jail anyway so will have to protest from “inside.”
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She might at that…