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How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics?
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denali2001
Aug 21, 08 14:36
Post #1 of 19 (464 views)
How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics?
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I don't want to start another debate about the relative merits of draft or non-draft events. I think there's room for both in the Olympics. If most sports have multiple events (grymanastics supports the traditional disciplines as well as trampoline, and diving now has the synchronized events), I think triathlon more than justifies a complement to the current ITU-style 1.5K/40K/10K race. I think a 70.3 race would fit in nicely. I know some would say that 70.3 isn't "long course" but I think an Ironman distance race might be too much. I see a few advantages of the 70.3 distance compared to a true long course race (140.6 or the ITU-long course format):
1) If the events were spaced out, some athletes might compete in both (short course in the first couple days and then the 70.3 event 10 days later). This might mitigate some of the fuss whether draft-legal or draft-free racing is better. This is a probably a stretch, but maybe we'd see some of the ITU specialists (SQW, Gomez, Rana, Docherty, Benno, Henning) try to lengthen themselves and race longer than they normally do. Before I get flamed, I know this probably wouldn't happen, but I think it would be cool if it did!
2) Wouldn't disrupt athletes preparation for Kona - an important event for many due to sponsor commitments
3) Wouldn't force major changes to many athletes schedules dictated by sponsor commitments or other financial needs; a true "long course" race might force athletes to make a choice between making a living or going for Olympic glory. Winning a gold medal would obviously have financial benefits but some might not think it's worth the risk of basing much of their season.
4) More TV friendly... NBC doesn't want an 8-9 hour event and it would be way too expensive to put on the race. 4-4:30 is still on the long side but certainly could get worked into coverage of the decathalon, beach volley ball, and events. A 56 mile bike course would be hard to layout, but not impossible. Since it would only be top athletes, the bike course would only need to be open a 2:30-3:00.
5) It would be a real test of who reigns supreme in the 70.3 distance. As the 70.3 schedule now stands, we usually only have a few top pros in any one event. Clearwater doesn't really fit the bill as a true championship because almost all of the best long course athletes are still recovering from Kona.
What do people think?
Uncle Phil
Aug 21, 08 14:47
Post #2 of 19 (455 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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it'd make for some pretty damn boring TV or internet feed.
Lazy Ben
Aug 21, 08 14:55
Post #3 of 19 (443 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [Uncle Phil]
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They could hold it right after the watching paint dry event to make it seem more exciting
Forget speedwork. Speedwork is the icing on the cake and you don't have a cake yet. - MattinSF
TriStrut
Aug 21, 08 14:59
Post #4 of 19 (431 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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The possibilty of adding additional tri's to the Olympics has already been discussed to death in one of the other threads. I don't know how to link to other threads, but just take a look at the threads posted over the past couple of days.
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Go that way really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.
MeltingPot
Aug 21, 08 15:09
Post #5 of 19 (421 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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Can we at least take one baby step and call it a freaking 1/2 ironman and not this 70.3 bullsh#t.
support crew
Aug 21, 08 15:12
Post #6 of 19 (418 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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70.3 is a Trademark race series. Can't happen in the Olympics. Any new distances, even if one were to be added, would be ITU events.
I believe (I know someone will correct me if I am wrong) the ITU "long course" is a Half Ironman distance.
Question: Are ITU
Long Course
races draft legal? Pros and AGers?
Support Crew
This information contained herein has been assembled for your assistance and convenience. It is believed to be reliable, however, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All opinions shown are subject to change without notice.
swimfan
Aug 21, 08 15:15
Post #7 of 19 (411 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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70.3? Why not the real one?
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I know I can't spell... This is not going to be graded so I don't care about the grammar either...
brider
Aug 21, 08 15:21
Post #8 of 19 (406 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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The whole reason that events have a 2 hour limit is that the marathon is being held as the "primier" endurance event (blasted tradition and all that), so any event that would overshadow it wouldn't be considered.
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mcdoublee
Aug 21, 08 16:41
Post #9 of 19 (369 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [brider]
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The whole reason that events have a 2 hour limit ...
Two hour limit? Beach volleyball took a week and a half!
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MC Double E
smilford
Aug 21, 08 16:43
Post #10 of 19 (365 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [mcdoublee]
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And wasn't the cycling road race 6 hours?
:)
footwerx
Aug 21, 08 17:26
Post #11 of 19 (346 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [support crew]
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no ITU long course is 4/120/30, or at least it used to be. i think it was changed just last year but it's still quite a bit longer than HIM.
and no, it's not draft legal for pros or AGers.
fitzie
Aug 21, 08 19:19
Post #12 of 19 (296 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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I personally would watch from start to finish. I love the distance. But to get ADHD Americans to watch it? Not happening.
"We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong."
Bono
jrfalck
Aug 21, 08 19:24
Post #13 of 19 (294 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [MeltingPot]
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Can we at least take one baby step and call it a freaking 1/2 ironman and not this 70.3 bullsh#t.
uhm, so replacing one commercial name with another commercial is not bullsh#t ?
MeltingPot
Aug 21, 08 19:44
Post #14 of 19 (278 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [jrfalck]
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I don't want to speak for everyone, but for many of us who have been around long enough, Ironman is 1st and foremost a distance and 2nd a trademark. If tomorrow the word MARATHON becomes a trademark by the NYRRC, BAA, IOC or whomever, will you then call the marathon a distance or a trademark?
I called Ironman a distance in 1983 when I started playing this game and I call it a distance today.
manutd
Aug 21, 08 20:19
Post #15 of 19 (255 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [brider]
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The whole reason that events have a 2 hour limit is that the marathon is being held as the "primier" endurance event (blasted tradition and all that), so any event that would overshadow it wouldn't be considered.
not too sure about that one....the mens race walk just finished....50km and took 3hr:30m + to complete.....
LazyEP
Aug 21, 08 21:04
Post #16 of 19 (238 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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Very dead horse yet we still continue to beat it over & over & over...
NO. Ironman & 70.3 are brands not race distances. WTC & ITU have a fragile relationship at best. IOC does not like ultra-endurance events (see IOC Medical Commission). New sports need to fit in two-hour broadcast window (see BMX - 40 second final). IOC members, 100+, could care less about 70.3. You can speculate all you want but unless those people think a change is beneficial then it's a no go. We're saying good-bye to baseball & softball after these Games. Why would triathlon make a change?
To all of you who say "I'd watch it" or "it would be more compelling," well isn't that special. An N of 1 does not a change make at the international level (IF, IOC, broadcasters). Besides, there is the rest of the world to consider. Just because a few ST Americans think it's a good idea is, well isn't that special.
"It's not the age sweetheart. It's the mileage."
Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr.
linhardt
Aug 22, 08 5:14
Post #17 of 19 (192 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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Would you have to volunteer in Beijing to have a chance to enter the London event?
What about the 5-night minimum on hotels?
How about a finishers t-shirt and medal for everyone?
ksull
Aug 22, 08 5:24
Post #18 of 19 (189 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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The more triathlons in the Olympics the better :)
Kerry Sullivan
USAT,USACII, CSCS, NLP practitioner
http://www.BlazingTriSpeed.com
Mdenes
Aug 24, 08 14:16
Post #19 of 19 (87 views)
Re: How about a 70.3 Event for the Olympics? [denali2001]
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I would like to see a 70.3 event as well in the Olympics. The current format is a sprint race with team tactics coming into play and the best runner winning.
One option in making the race more interesting is increasing the length of the run to 10 miles. This would make it more of an endurance race.
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