Hey I get your point and in complete fairness you have made a bunch of sensible well reasoned posts and I think you make some very valid points.

Yeah I care about how I do and if that makes my sport less enjoybale for me then that is my problem. I agree with you and know lots of people who are in it for the experience only and I think that is great, they may be in the majoity on ST but it does not look like it from today' episode.

I am not incredulous that people can be that good I have some good mates who have done very good and competitive times at IM, all AG, I have no issue with them being that good.

As I said in the opening of this post, you have made a good point and I agree with it, I have my view that the chest thumping alphacrowd did not agree with and I still know many people who also agree with that view and there are races where it has been done and it works. Are there too many AG, divisions, has Kona become an obsession for some redcuing their enjoyment, probably.

Thankyou for providing some perspective and a reasonable non personal reply. I'll let you know in two years time when I go 9:15 if I think there should be an open male category