That is a pretty well thought out statement and I don't believe it's to extreme since it is a similar situation of dealing with an issue of discrimination.

A nearly perfect statement. You hit the nail on the head with the logistical problems with travel and the types of courses. Exactly why I chose Ironman Arizona. I can drive to it and not have to pay baggage fees for a handcycle and a racing chair and the course gives me the best chance to finish.

Well you don't know me personally but if you did you would probably know I am someone that is typically quite alert of his surroundings and respects his place - meaning I won't be riding or running where I'm not supposed to be, but will give others space, regardless of if they are participants on foot or wheelchair athletes or vehicles. I also never meant to suggest that I would not support having wheelchair athletes in a race because I truly admire the challenges they need to overcome every day and in a race, and I would love to help them in any possible.

My point here was that, based on my experience at IMMD and recollection of the two transition areas, I thought those spaces did not easily lend themselves allowing a wheelchair to travel across it. Maybe I am totally wrong, underestimating the athlete's abilities (and wheelchair capabilities) or maybe it is much easier to find a solution to make it work should WTC want to. I just wanted to look at it from both angles because these debates quickly turn into 'WTC is evil' without actually looking at what their justification could actually be. Based on the passion of some people in this thread they are confident that any problem can be fixed and that if there's a will to make it work, there's a way... that is definitely awesome. But without any WTC response on their reasoning, I guess we won't really be able to determine if they had a fair argument or not.

Hey sorry if my posts were a bit over the top and I was over reacting. In general, my opening position is I am going to be in favour of anyone/any group being shut out of doing sport where I think there is a reasonable way to accommodate. I don't think telling them "go do another race" is good enough option when able bodied athletes have the option of "this race" and don't need to be told, "do next month's race across the country". I feel that disabled athletes should have all the same options we do. If it is SUPER hard for them, that's fine. They are there for the challenge.

In terms of the WTC "evil" angle, if you have seen my posting history, I am generally accused of being a WTC fanboy (and usually I am). But the most loyal customers are also often the harshest critics (I have done 31 WTC IM's and probably in the range of 70-80 half IM's).

All I ask is "don't tell disabled athletes what they can't do". We'd all be shocked with what they are able pull themselves through. For most of them, doing an IM is not the mental nor physical challenge we feel it may be. Most of them have gone through dramatic life changing events and have daily struggles (compared to able bodied people) to do simple things we take for granted. By the time they get to an IM, it's another "day in the life". Let them play and watch them do some amazing things. Able bodies athletes....play safe and let's give them some space just like we give our able bodied peers. We can all play safely.

What's the Ironman tagline again? "Anything Is Possible"

Well, I challenge them to use that same tagline on their race organization and open up all of their races to disabled athletes that have to use hand cycles. Challenge yourselves to open up your races, and just watch the athletes step up and get it done. I am sure there is some hand cycle athlete thinking, "I can do the IM Whistler course even with the gravel run section with steep uphills....I'll just use wider tires and go mountain bike mode and suffer the drag on the tarmac sections". The guys and girls are up for the challenges on the sporting side, but is WTC up for the challenge on the organizational side?

I don't think WTC nor Iroman are evil and don't want to portray them as such. I am only wanting them to see it from our side concerning the somewhat unique situation we are dealing with. WTC and Ironman do allow disabled athletes and they do make possible concessions and/or accommodations for these disabled athletes. They refuse to do so for handcycle athletes in certain (most of them) events on their calendar. I fully understand their reasoning but it just doesn't make any sense that a handcycle will cause any more of a safety issue given there are 2000 plus bikes already on the course. Steps are not an issue and can be negotiated to a certain extent but to my knowledge there are no Ironman courses with multiple flights of stairs on the run courses. Cracks in the pavement on the bike course are not any more dangerous to or for handcycles than standard bikes. WTC and Ironman can make any accommodations and/or concessions they choose to make. I seriously doubt that Ironman events across the world will be flooded with entries from handcycle athletes there by causing mass pandemonium on the bike and run courses. Between all the athletes, volunteers, and spectators on the courses handcycles will not cause anymore problems than there already are on the course.

People who toe the starting line at triathlons, marathons, and specifically Ironman have had to over come many challenges just to get there and will more than likely overcome more challenges and struggles during the race itself. Nothing screams "Ironman" more than a disabled or handcycle athlete taking on the worlds toughest triathlon and crossing the finish line.

I followed up on behalf of Dan & ac10co91 with Ironman. No resolution yet and the final answer may indeed still be that these races are not (or "not yet") races where handcycle/wheelchair athletes are allowed. If that is the case, certainly I think worth discussing why certain courses are deemed to not accommodate handcycles/wheelchairs. But in the short term, I'm sure we can at least get these two gentleman a clear answer.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Great thoughts! You are correct that we try to adapt as best we can to try to get things done. I myself use mountain bike tires and wheels to get through the sand from the waters edge to the T1. I would also use them if there were grass in or leading up to transition and possible for hopping up or down steps and or curbs. In the worst case scenarios where there were multiple steps or obstacles that could not be negotiated in this manner wheelchair athletes have exited their chairs and crawled or scooted and pulled their chair behind them then getting back in their chair and continuing. The ironic thing is that an most Ironman courses are far easier to negotiate than the real world. The ADA has done wonderful things to make this much easier but there is still a lot that has to be done. I have been to races where the transition zones are on football and baseball fields where there is a curb to get up and down. The race simply placed a ramp to get up and down, this was done for the able bodied athletes with standard tri and road bikes, not me. I was given a separate transition area a few yards from the regular transition area and given permission to use the sidewalk bordering the transition area to get from waters edge to T1. The Race Director then had a volunteer take my chip and run it over the bike in/bike out timing mats to get my splits. The same was done when I returned from the bike to start the run. The RD also had me use a the same sidewalk around the T1 zone to start the run which added a 1/2 mile to my run but was far easier to negotiate than the football field leading to the run out mat. My Wife offered to run my chip over the timing mats so we didn't take a valuable volunteer from other race duties and the RD said "absolutely not," "you are here to support your husband and that is what you are going to do." That's the way it is at every event I have been to including triathlons, marathons, and Ragnar Relays. Ironman can easily make this happen, let's just hope they do. "Anything is possible?" That is true for athletes and certainly for WTC and Ironman.

Thanks a ton for your help and work on our behalf!!!