“The world champion gets an automatic spot for five years after winning”
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Yes, but they do need to finish a pro Ironman in the same season to validate still (https://www.ironman.com/pro-athletes)
That was the quirk for Taylor Knibb, that winners of the 70.3 from same season don’t need to do one to enter, even though last year’s IM winner does.
ETA: IMWC podium finishers also get 1 year automatic spot (subject to validation).
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I assumed knibb was the only competitor in the race who’d never done an Ironman.
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In fact Knibb really needs to get onto IMJ - never run a marathon, never ridden 180km - you’ve got this, smash it, don’t be shit
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What was the overall AG field size/depth like?
Just wondering how sustainable a female-only event is in Hawaii. Although people seemed to think Nice would be even harder?
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Think there was at least 2k, Nice will be interesting, it’s a course for cyclists.
What is Ryf like in the mountains?
Not to stereotype, but she is Swiss! 
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probably the same person at sea level… 
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She looked very grumpy at the post race conference.
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Laura Phillip will be one to watch in Nice I think
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This one was another good watch.
Think c2,100 were there. Great vibe, less peacocking/egos more celebratory.
Stat going round that 0% DNF on the swim and only 2% DNF overall - both lower than normal. It wasn’t a tough year conditions wise, but also ladies were racing much smarter!
Ladies Kona felt very sustainable, challenge I think will be ladies Nice. My partner is very nervous about the climb/descent, another friend who did Kona is not sure about even trying for Nice.
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Wonder what the male/female DNF rate is previously, whether that’s conditions or whether females always less.
As you’d have expected a higher DNF rate for cutoffs since they gave out places very liberally
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AB racing another challenge event this weekend, fast track to another injury, or trying to get some form for a Kona Q attempt in Oz or somewhere?
Or maybe Cozumel/Arizona/Florida?
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Are you sure you’re not thinking of Challenge Mallorca which he did last weekend, after Challenge Barcelona the weekend before 
Not according to Challenge
In addition to the top French athletes, dozens of top international athletes also appear at the start of Challenge Vieux Boucau. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) for example: the multiple Olympic, World and European Champion finished second at Challenge Barcelona and third at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca in the past two weeks, making a more than excellent comeback from injury. Still, Brownlee will be aiming for a victory this time and that is what his sights are set on. World champion Rico Bogen (DEU) will also race Challenge Vieux Boucau: he had a tough day in Mallorca last week, so he has something to put right in France
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Yep confirmed on his Insta
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So many of the modern top athletes are constantly injured; AB & Frodeno in particular are/were in a constant cycle. Contrast this with Mark Allen who raced more sparlingly, and clearly applied the correct training load/conditioning. If not for his Paternity Leave in Oct 94, he would almost certainly have won 7x Kona on the bounce. It’s why he’s the GOAT 
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On the injury thing - I saw LCB post race Breakfast with Bob, and she remarked that for the pre-Kona block she decided to just go for it on the run training, she’d rather risk injury be on the start line knowing she was in shape to win, than play it conservative in training.
I think these days, given the depth in long distance, athletes might be forced into taking this mindset, which given the busy calendar is a recipe for a lot of injured athletes
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