Jesse Thomas won IM Wales, that course doesn’t tickle.
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So, question
On a scale of 1 to 5 (unlikely to likely) would you go to a WC with the following options.
Two days in Kona with separate race days for M\F
Single day rotating around the world but fewer slots
As we are with Kona\Nice split
Rotating around the world with separate days - same as 70.3
Single day in Kona with fewer slots (like it was)
My answers FWIW were 2,4,4,5,3
If it’s in Kona better on a single day as logistics would probably be worse.
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
There was another question asking if I think slots should be split 50/50 across sexes, a bit like London GFA, or as they are on proportional basis going on size\sex of AG
I generally went for a rotating venue, I get the history of Kona but ruled by my head for logistics instead of my heart.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens but I think they will keep the next 2 years as they’re currently planned.
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I was blocked from posting that before 
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Triple post innit
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I wonder if they are truly exploring these options or it’s window dressing for an already preferred A or B plan anyway?
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True. I wasn’t so much saying that they don’t have good athletes more saying that if the courses they train for are relatively easy then they won’t be pushed as hard as Europeans would.
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2 days at 1 venue is by far their best revenue earner - 1 x infrastructure for 2 x athletes.
Id wager they are ‘hoping’ this is the outcome and the survey will give them permission to do it (note how they’re emphasising ‘fewer slots’ on the 1 day options).
It also means they can wear a ladies race of 1500 (Nice women only was 1400 and loss making) if there’s 3000 men the day after.
If rotating venue gets the thumbs up they’ll be very happy. If it’s a 2 day thing but Kona they may try and hardball Kona.
My crisp fiver is on rotating 2 day event with a ‘compromise’ with Kona that it comes there every 3 or 4 years.
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Yes, Kona might accept more people and two days if it is every few years instead of annually.
I don’t think they could run a pro only event though.
Kinda interesting that they’re asking about option 5, 2 separate days in Kona, which I understood wasn’t an option from the locals.
Might be to try get some like like @TROSaracen suggests with moving venues that visits Kona every X number of years.
I also think that’s a good solution for the health of Ironman WC - Keep people wanting to return to WC by the opportunity to race in different places.
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I like the idea of a one day event having both the men and women on course. Where that race is I don’t mind!
(Not that I’ve been anyway)
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@Chriswim maybe they would seperate the 2 Kona days by longer. Last time it was Thursday/Saturday. Maybe Saturday-Saturday or even 3-4 weeks apart.
I just about scraped into bronze AWA last year despite only doing two 70.3’s, think both were around top 25 in the A\G.
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Didnt realise it was April the 1st.
(Maybe I should actually read the article.)
Ah. Challenge… that makes a bit more sense. Article reads like a marketing brochure to me.
It brings back up the… how would it work on a lapped IM course which you could argue there are too many people on course.
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They’re going to need a bigger penalty tent.
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Or a field the size of the T100 pro field.
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It all sounds interesting - the idea of better tracking of all athletes could be good - rather than just waiting for split times on the course. Sounds like they just want to try it on a few (not all) age group athletes at Wanaka. They also mention the idea of having a ‘competitive’ wave - so these people would have lights enabled on their devices (well, it’s the light of the person in front that light up) and drafting would be stricter (and visible) for these athletes. This wave would be the one that awards prizes/slots etc. However every bike would need RaceRanger attached (at least on the rear - as that’s the one that lights up). A ‘competitive’ wave would be no good for Ironman when slots roll down big time.
Challenge seems like a reasonable place to start with some smaller races - but I cannot see Ironman ever coughing up for this - even though it’s the racers who’ll see it in the entry fees.
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Speaking of T100… I saw that early bird entries for the London race in August are now on sale (I wasn’t looking - it just came up on socials).
100KM - £390 (+4.99% booking fee)
Olympic - £195 (+4.99% booking fee)
Sprint - £108 (+4.99% booking fee)
This racing lark isn’t cheap is it. What are we looking at here… around £80-100 per hour.
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I think TC mentioned that elsewhere about the T100, it’s probably not much more expensive than a branded 70.3 for a similar distance?
Probably a lot of costs for a venue in London which just feels like a strange location for a race.
It’s getting very expensive to race.
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And the course is a bit shit. Purely paying to race in central London.
Re trackers, @Doonhamer is spot on, half the field who come out of the water in 1hr-1hr10 or 30-35 mins would be pinged and having been there, there’s not much you can do about it at times.
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