Yeah, because we ALL know it's the wetsuit that does all the work. People aren't stupid. Do you honestly think people are going to go

"WOW, that guy is a speed freak in the water. I have to get one of those wetsuits."

Pleases! Spare me the what wins on Sunday sells on Monday.

And you can say what you want about the Rudy Project expirament. It worked. Hottest selling helmet on the market. Look at the Helmet count from Kona last year. 654 Rudy helmets toe'd the line. #1 helmet last year by far.

Why would you want to sponsor the slow guy if you can sponsor the fast guy though? Don't give me the BS that "they're out there longer". They're in the water, no one can see them. Also, as it's been said, you're comparing apples and oranges with Rudy Project. A simple google search can get you "sponsored" pricing on a Rudy helmet. Them giving away helmets at Kona argues against you. KQ are the .1%. I thought you were defending the 99.9%?

Somebody sounds pissy they don't fit into a tier?

This makes no sense. One company gives away their helmet to the fastest people and it becomes a top seller. But it won't work for a wetsuit company? I gotta think Roka has done well this year with all the high profile sponsorships they have signed.

No, Rudy gave a helmet to EVERYONE who raced Kona in 2012, not just the fast people. They received the helmet when they checked in.

I'm not pissy at all. I work for a Trek Bicycle Store. Get great deals on my bike and parts. We also have a Triathlon shop attatched to it and a running store next to it. All my needs are met with great discounted prices.

This is an expensive hobby. Just like to see companies help out the ones who aren't as fast. That's all.

This has been a topic I've often made fun of on twitter. It seems like there are a lot of age groupers that are very interested in being sponsored because it makes them look cool to their family and friends on social media. I joke around that most of the "sponsored" "elite" age-groupers are getting nothing more than 15% off of their honey stinger waffles. To me, it often seems more about self-promotion than anything else.

With that said, this seems like a much more legitimate opportunity than the others, particularly at the higher levels, and I hope he finds some people that can provide a ROI.

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Website
Contact me for Huub and Falco Discounts

Yes EVERYONE who signed up to get one. It won the Kona count. I would say most people see Kona as the fastest people. Guess I am wrong on that.

Hang in there Marcin! It's a tough crowd here some times. :)

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Paul Lantinga
Sable WaterOptics from See Worthy
paul@sablewateroptics.com

Still in Shanghai. Be back to Austin in couple of weeks can't wait to swim at Barton Spring and go for a ride on my Ducati :)

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Marcin Sochacki
CEO
Rocket Science Sports
http://www.rocketsciencesports.com

Slow people do not qualify for KONA unless part of lottery.... This is a championship race.

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Marcin Sochacki
CEO
Rocket Science Sports
http://www.rocketsciencesports.com

That make sense. Trek just hands out bikes to MOP and BOP athletes?

Now now now... Lets not be to harsh...

Reading what was posted, there was nothing that says you have to USE their wetsuits... Just you can sign up, get on board and still rock your Helix or Maverick get out of water 1st and Ka-Ching

While I appreciate the effort and program... think it is pretty LIGHT - you can join up with many Tri Teams and get similar discounts, and across the board, not just wetsuits

Good Point's Mark... But I am so Politically incorrect if you knew me... but overall I am frank with everyone and maybe I do upset some people from time to time. But everyone who works for me seems to like me or at least pretend they do JK :) Take care...

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Marcin Sochacki
CEO
Rocket Science Sports
http://www.rocketsciencesports.com

Marcin, is 100% right here. For those of you who think all pros have great sponsors you are seriously wrong. I coach 3 up and coming pros and almost 95% of the money for their season comes out of their own pocket. Most companies are not putting money or product in the hands of the lower level pros or high end age groupers. I can tell you what Nike Swim or Speedo offers to National qualifiers in swimming is a lot less then what this offer is. I love what the company is doing and wish more would do the same. Great work and hope it works for you and we will see more companies offering similar deals.

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We would like to congratulate all the athletes who made our 2015 sponsorship selection.


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Marcin Sochacki
CEO
Rocket Science Sports
http://www.rocketsciencesports.com

Thank you very much! I look forward to working together in the future.
Adam

looks like one his level 3 guys is makin' it rain in Choo Choo town today...

Hopefully you don't work in PR or marketing b/c insulting publicly other athletes is no way to gain market share.

I'm never going to do a race that involves a wetsuit because i'm a cold water weenie and live close enough to the equator that i don't have to, but solely due to your demeanor in this thread i headed to your site and found a THERMOREGULAOR suit! ho boy! that looks too cool for words. and while i took 2nd female overall earlier this year, i know that at 54 that was a huge anomaly and while it did inflate my head for a while i know i'm just hanging on the the tailcoats of the FOP pack. and swimming is not my forte. :) so good luck to you, Martin, and i'm off to wander your website some more...

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Yeah it's a pretty sad situation in the Tri world. I finished towards the top of a lot of Tris in the last few years and the best opportunities I've found were similar, "We'll let you buy our stuff for cost, just know that it's a huge favor we're doing you! Oh you are going to race Xterras, can you race 4 more halves instead?" When I rode BMX I got free bikes, payed to travel to go get video'd falling down stairs, and I was far from top of the game. The problem is tri is extremely niche. Non-triathletes don't buy tri gear. Kids buy BMX bikes and shirts when they see people doing it on TV. Very few people see Kona on TV, get inspired by the sob stories, and go buy a tri bike and a wetsuit. The community is pretty much closed, a lot of pros and dentists are already geared out and aren't looking for the next best thing, a huge portion of the field is just there to finish so doesn't care much about gear, in the end there just aren't many people to market to, just the people new to tri that want to begin to get serious. How many wetsuits/shoes/bikes can a top AGer sell to that demo? Unless it gets turned into a lifestyle thing like skateboarding where people with no interest in the sport still wear the gear, like kids and 30 year olds wear skate shoes and shirts just because it is cool, there isn't going to be great sponsorship opportunities for new pros and top AGers.

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http://www.onelesshiker.com
http://www.twitch.tv/1horsepower

I joke around that most of the "sponsored" "elite" age-groupers are getting nothing more than 15% off of their honey stinger waffles. To me, it often seems more about self-promotion than anything else.

That 15% get's extended, in all sorts of directions by so many retailers (To clubs, to groups, to people who enter certain races etc . .), that when looked at en-mass, no one in entire regions is making any money. Why? That 15% is the margin where the shops actually make some money, and all of them are just giving that away!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Yeah it's a pretty sad situation in the Tri world. I finished towards the top of a lot of Tris in the last few years and the best opportunities I've found were similar, "We'll let you buy our stuff for cost, just know that it's a huge favor we're doing you! Oh you are going to race Xterras, can you race 4 more halves instead?"

1. The performance model, that because someone wins or does well, and the used X-equipment, and that will influence others, is for the most part dead.

2. The margins on most things are so narrow, that really few people are making much money.

3. Xterra's are great races, and not too take anything away from them, but despite the fact that many have been saying for 15 years that Xterra is the next-big-thing, they've never really taken off. FWIW - Ironman is the current big thing, and while it feeds into this whole triathlon world revolving around Ironman situation, most brands structure their performance bonuses around dong well in Ironman races, with a significant and major bonus in doing really well at Ironman Hawaii. Winning an Xterra race is a great achievement, but from a marketing perspective is of little value.

For most Pros off the A-List and ALL age-groupers, the currency and metric of choice for sponsorship or "support" really of any kind is your social media profile and foot-print. That's what will impress WAY more than winning some regional triathlon race.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Thanks so much! Just go the first email today with info...looking forward to more info and working with you all. Thanks for the opportunity.

Dana

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Don't Just Live, Thrive!
Thrive Kinematics Physical Therapy - http://www.facebook.com/...8178667572974?ref=hl

Thanks for coming on ST. Sounds like a good deal from AG to Pro! Once I get my mojo back I will submit ;0)

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