Bike was full distance as far as I can see. My mate did 6.20 and he’s a strong cyclist.
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The full details will never be known. There’s no monitoring of the swim to release.
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A problem that often comes up and us TOs keep banging on about this to organisers. Many organisers look at it from a cost element POV than a safety one. It’s simple to fix - bigger buoys and different hats - but many don’t fix from one year to the next.
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My mate is there
His brother was doing the 70.3 good cyclist strong runner but weak swimmer, he persuaded him not to go in, that was the first I heard of the deaths.
I’ve raced to a good standard for decades with some good ish results at times
I 100% wouldn’t have gone it that sea, but I’m old and really really don’t GAF what people think with thousands and thousands in the bank so maybe I’m a bad example.
Looks like they need a new swim location or it’s doomed like Bolton.
I hope I have a full distance race in me yet, it 100% won’t have a sea swim
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it has to be Copenhagen, lagoon sea swim best of both worlds, salt water with no waves/swell.
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I expect the conditions didn’t help; but in all the years Perranporth has been going, no-one has succumbed and the conditions there are often very difficult by design. That said, you enter knowing it could well be rough i.e. you’re prepared.
I think part of the the problem that we often cite, is that many people are light on swim training.
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It’s really not difficult to add helium balloons to the surface buoys; that would help in both flat and surf. The year I did IM Regensburg the lead kayak had a balloon above the stern.
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When I did Weymouth MD in 2011 they shortened the swim to about 1km; closest I’ve come to puking in the swim …and I’ve done Perranporth 6 times!
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Might play a factor but they are usually still fairly fit and the swim is obviously the start of the race, and most would have covered todays distance in the pool. Possibly a combination of things including race nerves. Really is one of those unexplainable things, if they can do a long bike ride or run then go within 0-30 minutes of today’s swim.
I think there’s been something like 4-5 in races I’ve done now, as above it’s a risk you take but I’m just not sure that sea conditions would be the main factor.
A bit like the amount of people who die shovelling snow in winter, is that because they’re sedentary, just got up so the body is still warming up and then they do quite an intensive exercise.
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The sea in the background here looks okay yesterday; is there a video of today?
Colwyn bay standard 1991 was an horrific swim
Obvs only 1500 m
It was my first ever triathlon!
I remember the kayak guys being “ unhappy” at going in, I knew no different but it was really scarey. Huge waves and the only thing you could see was the shore I just kept moving forward god knows how came to a huge turnbbuoy and swam back to shore. Ironically it was turned into a duathlon for the next two? Years I think.
Much smaller field no one died today is very very sad
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double post
this picture was in the Irish Examiner, so I can see why it would be worrying for a weak swimmer and sighting bad for everyone
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I’ve just watched a video on IMUK journey
I can’t get it to load the Irish girl who’s always there is screaming “head for orange buoy”
They obviously can’t here her as
There are people swimming all over the place and that’s just the start!?
Most of us on here have been there, there will be a shit storm about this one I think.
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This has little to no impact. If you’re in a rough sea and take in a mouthful of water and you’re a weak swimmer, you are going to panic and panic creates the issue. If you’re fit but an inexperienced swimmer you have no idea that you need to stop, roll on your back, and stop the panic. You’re very likely to vomit because it’s saltwater but it is all manageable IF you’re experienced. If you’re not, all those aspects just build and build the panic and very quickly you’re in trouble. Add to that a few hundred other people around you and you can’t escape the situation easily.
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I don’t know if they had qualified SLSC people there either, or just regular water safety.
It’s a horrible horrible feeling
I know ttowel used to suffer bad with panic attacks as do several others.
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I don’t know how relevant it is but not as bad as Barcelona 2021.
My suspicion with swim deaths is always on the athletes around them. It’s really not hard to imagine someone getting dunked or a punch in the face once or twice that they can’t handle, gasp underwater and only luck can save you from there.
Swim skills, water temperature, practice swims, experience, swim conditions, none of them correlate with deaths so I’m happy to rule them out and the victim as a cause.
“Previously undetected heart condition” is first responders way of saying “I don’t know”.
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It’s a terrible tragedy. Lots of people on social media pointing a finger at Ironman not looking after athlete safety and only interested in profit (this is a stupid argurment in my view).
However, I am concerned that this may also be a result of the IMJ “can’t swim but you’ve got this” attitude that is increasingly popular. Swimming is dangerous, sea swimming can be tough and people can die. Yes the organizers are 100% responsible for safety, but athletes are also accountable to make sure that they are prepared to deal with the conditons. IM Cork is a sea swim in the Atlantic, it can be rough.
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