I agree with you, you can call yourself anything you want, but if you read your Vineman application it says it is the Vineman Triathlon. It maybe the "Ironman" distance ie 2.4,112,26.2 but it is not an Ironman (TM M dot). much like a Pepsi isn't a Coke even if they look and taste the same. I don't know how many ways to explain it but you seem to have the entity confused with the Trademark. But then you do state that you did finish the Vineman long course triathlon and not the Vineman" Ironman" .
If you tell me you finished an"Ironman" distance race you did a 2.4, 112, 26.2 distance race and this I understand. But it was not an Ironman unless it is a M dot production, because they own the name.
That is why I posted my original post, was to clairfy that M dot is Ironman, because they own it and can choose when, where. and what it will be. Sort of like me being the World Champion cat wrestler of my house. No governing body needed. Although one cat is pretty good.
And yes, I have finished Kona twice, but choose to never be called an Ironman because of the Trademark M dot thing, and I think it is pretty pretentious to label oneself a title as honorable as Ironman. I just want to be called G-man. The old guy that can still limp around the course pretty good, and how the hell did that fat piece of crap finish in the top 10% of the field anyhow guy? Twice?. G.

I vote for IM Worlds not at Kona.



And that’s why:



It’s the IM worlds, but lots of Europeans just can’t afford to go, though they easily qualify.It costs approx. 2.500 $ for any European just to get there. It’s worlds, you qualified, but you ain’t on the boat. No money.

And no, you can’t get a sponsor as a top age-grouper. Unless you’re a top10 class pro, there’s no way anyone in Europe is gonna finance your trip to the island.

So what do most AGs do over here? They do the trip as often as they can afford. And this will be way short of coming every year. Some even can’t afford to come ever.

Those who can afford to come through a well paid job, will never be a factor podium-wise (AG) or Top 100 OA. Those guys just come once, cause you gotta be there once in your life, no doubt. But why come more often, if its just for the finish? A trip to Kona is equal to race Brazil, Germany and NY marathon in ONE year. And you will still have that extra money for new race wheels.

If every good AG would come over to Kona to race, the race would be a whole different thing to what it is today.



What I would want:



Have worlds anywhere in the world on alterning locations. Let only 500 guys start through the same qualifying system as WTC has it already. keep a parallel system for Kona going, so a lot more people could race Hawaii as the field would lose even more depth. compare: NYC marathon is still the one and only NYCM, but you can crack top100 easier than do it in kona. but results just don’t count there. it’s for the sake of finishing.



at 7 am on HIM race day there’s no place I’d rather be than kona. battle it out with the best. but once I crossed the finish line, it’s like the days leading up to the race. I name you hundreds of places I’d rather be. too much posing, too much merchandising.

cheers from überbiker-country,



uli, two time kona-finisher; 2002 94th OA in 9:37h; 2003 and 2004 no money, no worlds

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

 

"Also, holding it every 4 years in Hawaii, I think, would be a HORRIBLE idea. It's hard enough to get into the race now... can you imagine if it was held every 4 years???"

On the contrary, my ideal would be that IMH would continue every year, just that the WTC's self designated "world championship" would move around every year and possibly return to Kona every 4 years. While the "world championships" where being contested at IMC or IMNZ or IMXYZ!, it might actually make it easier to get into IMH for several years in a row. This truely could be a win-win situation.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

BAD!

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Great post with some good ideas.

I hear what you are saying. I qualified for IMH for 10 years in a row('87 - 97), but I only went twice due to the cost. I agree with you that if EVERY top age-group long distance triathlete in the world actually went to Kona the race would be very different. If people think that it is competitive now - watch out!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Tell me about it... just had to refuse a slot at IMFlorida :-( No money, no worlds.

Sergio Marques

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S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com

Good point as well as Uli's......if you ever want a warm training/vacation place in your winter, I'll swap ya North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountain homestay for a Christchurch, NZ anytime. Cheers