An instagram comment on a World Triathlon announcement about the delay from Marten Van Riel who was meant to be racing this morning…
If the priority was the health of the athletes this event would have been moved to another location a long time ago. We are just puppets in a puppetshow. Duathlon is no triathlon and changing the day like that in the middle of the night is disrespectful to the years of preparation of the athletes and to all (y)our fans that were going to watch live or on tv. What an appearance for triathlon on the biggest scene!
there are contingency plans - one is in action today. like all contingency plans you would hope that you don’t have to invoke them but sometimes you are forced into having to. Outside influences like the weather is something no competent organiser has control over.
You can argue back and fore as to why they shouldn’t be swimming in the Seine but the decision to do so was taken some years ago, and vast amounts of money have been spent, so the organisers and athletes just need to get on with delivering an event as best they can - even if ultimately it becomes a duathlon. Sure, that’s not an ideal solution that the IOC, Paris and WT would want but it’s there as a contingency.
I disagee with pretty much everything you’ve written … but hey, we’re all entitled to our opinion.
Having a crap contingency isn’t really a contingency IMHO. The fact that the organisers have dug their heels in about swimming in the Seine shows (again IMO) that they don’t have the event’s best interests at heart.
I don’t know if World Triathlon/Paris/IOC are openly publishing the water quality data (there were some numbers mentioned a couple of days ago) but here’s some independent data (and commentary around it) that’s being captured at the race site. 2024 Olympics - Seine Water Quality
Reading between the lines I don’t think it’s looking overly promising but I truly hope this time tomorrow I’ll be watching the second of two amazing triathlon races on TV.
If @jorgan was talking about the D+ highlights then I 100% agree with him. The highlights appeared to have been cut by a 5yo - they were absolutely terrible. It was impossible to know what was going on.
The reality is that they were never going to be able to switch the swim venue mid games. This isn’t a local Tri, this is the Olympics.
The whole of the bike and run courses need to be barriered and any crossings marshalled and that’s before you consider the other fixed infrastructure that would be required at the alternative venue
Disagree. This plays on the whole IOC is bigger than sports thing. Having it in the Seine is pure grandstanding. Imagine if some halfwit insisted on using the Thames in 2012.
I have always respected your faith in the committees but that’s never been something I’ve shared to any high level.
There is no argument about the Seine. It is not fit for swimming. If that money had been spent for environmental reasons that were sustainable then I could accept that. In this day and age, to spend that to put on a handful of swims is tragic. And a complete waste. A vanity project that May set triathlon back in the future
the men’s triathlon can be postponed to August 6, in a contingency plan set up by organisers. The women’s triathlon, set for Wednesday, and a mixed relay on August 3 can also be delayed to that day as well. If conditions remain dangerous, organisers have said they would cancel the swimming leg and turn the event into a biathlon.
Probably cleaner that the Serpentine was/is T100/London tri is in the Thames, there are two OW venues in the Docks, there are triathlons up river, including Windsor although that has been close to the mark previously when i did it and needed a porta pottie on the run
T100/London tri is in the Thames, there are two OW venues in the Docks, there are triathlons up river, including Windsor although that has been close to the mark previously when i did it and needed a porta pottie on the run