In most series races a person is required to compete in the same group (age group/elite/etc) for the entire season. Do the same rules apply to Ironman Qualifiers? Can I compete in one as an age grouper and another as a pro? After obtaining a pro license of course.
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well here is your answer
[ In reply to ]
[reply]In most series races a person is required to compete in the same group (age group/elite/etc) for the entire season. Do the same rules apply to Ironman Qualifiers? Can I compete in one as an age grouper and another as a pro? After obtaining a pro license of course.[/reply]
as long as you don't have a pro lic you can do all the age group qualifiers that you want. If you turn pro, you must compete as a pro. If you qualified for IMH as an age grouper and then turned Pro you would forfeit the slot, if after turning pro you qualify as a pro.. way to go yer racing pro. Same goes for a pro going back to age group. they need to requalify as a age grouper
Eric
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"on your Left"
as long as you don't have a pro lic you can do all the age group qualifiers that you want. If you turn pro, you must compete as a pro. If you qualified for IMH as an age grouper and then turned Pro you would forfeit the slot, if after turning pro you qualify as a pro.. way to go yer racing pro. Same goes for a pro going back to age group. they need to requalify as a age grouper
Eric
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"on your Left"
Re: Amature vs Pro [smeegle]
[ In reply to ]
You might want to consider carfully racing as a pro. Getting a pro licence is pretty straight forward (provided you have the legs of course). Going from pro back to age group is a little more difficult.
I cant find verification on this but I remember a ruling that a pro would have a 18-24 month period where they would not be eligable for age group awards etc, I also remember this being extended to Kona slots...good luck in the big league!
OB1
"I just dont have the legs"
I cant find verification on this but I remember a ruling that a pro would have a 18-24 month period where they would not be eligable for age group awards etc, I also remember this being extended to Kona slots...good luck in the big league!
OB1
"I just dont have the legs"
Re: Amature vs Pro [smeegle]
[ In reply to ]
i see a lot of europeans who race pro in european ironmans but manage to show up in kona as age groupers. i think this partially explains why you don't see a whole lot of american men 25-39 on the podium there.
Re: Amature vs Pro [smeegle]
[ In reply to ]
Good Question.
I am not sure on the absolute answer. Best to check with the people who are oputting on the Ironman race that you are considering. Ther may have been some clarification on this recently( I hope so), but for many years the issue was rather fuzzy.
You need to think carefully about moving up to the "pro" ranks. Why are you doing this? Unless you know you are going to finish in the top 5 there is little or know money available. By contrast the age-group prizes at many Ironman races are getting pretty good. Would you rather win or place in your age-group or finish 11th as a "Pro"? If you do finish 11th as a "Pro" you get nothing. No recognition. No prizes. Nada!
If getting an IMH spot is key, the upside is that it MAY be easier top bag an IMH IQ in the "pro" division than in the age-group at cetrain IM races. Some of the men's age-groups( 25- 29, 30-34,35-39) are very competitive at some of the Ironman races. Some of the Pro races at some Ironman races( because there are so many of them now) are not that competitive relativly speaking. Racing as a pro may be the better choice, but an Ironman is always a bit of a risky affair, so nothing is for sure.
Best wishes
Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
I am not sure on the absolute answer. Best to check with the people who are oputting on the Ironman race that you are considering. Ther may have been some clarification on this recently( I hope so), but for many years the issue was rather fuzzy.
You need to think carefully about moving up to the "pro" ranks. Why are you doing this? Unless you know you are going to finish in the top 5 there is little or know money available. By contrast the age-group prizes at many Ironman races are getting pretty good. Would you rather win or place in your age-group or finish 11th as a "Pro"? If you do finish 11th as a "Pro" you get nothing. No recognition. No prizes. Nada!
If getting an IMH spot is key, the upside is that it MAY be easier top bag an IMH IQ in the "pro" division than in the age-group at cetrain IM races. Some of the men's age-groups( 25- 29, 30-34,35-39) are very competitive at some of the Ironman races. Some of the Pro races at some Ironman races( because there are so many of them now) are not that competitive relativly speaking. Racing as a pro may be the better choice, but an Ironman is always a bit of a risky affair, so nothing is for sure.
Best wishes
Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
I agree with Fleck, racing as a pro is useless unless you are placing regularly in the top 5-10 in Ironman races...................if you are regularly getting beat by an age-grouper in ironman races racing pro might not be the best decision. An exception I saw happened this year at ironman Canada..............the first placed amateur went under 9 hours in what I think was his first ironman race (I may be wrong with this). This guy might want to think about racing pro to get the experience, but really unless there is a seperate wave for pro's there is no need.