We've always been told that the entry fees for ITU worlds would be up to around $250... That said, I find it a real pisser that with Worlds in Canada, they charge us in USD. I believe when Du worlds were in Ottawa, it was $200 CDN for the standard distance (maybe $225), this year I'm racing the DL-sprint Du and it's $250USD ($343 CDN when I paid my fee). I get it that it's worlds, and it's a privilege to be there. It's also worth noting, that from what the website suggests, there's a lot more swag included with it than a typical ITU worlds (at least typical of the ones I've done), not sure whether that's good or bad, I'll have to see how it looks and whether it's well made... It is a lot of expense for one race (at least there are some discounts for people doing multiple events), so you have to balance that experience with that of other races to make the personal decision whether or not to do it...

I hadn't heard of some of the Tri fees being so high, at recent worlds either... I know that these races are increasingly costly to put on, but they'll have to watch that the prices don't keep climbing to the point where so many opt out that they lose more money than they would, charging a bit less and attracting a larger field... It'd be interesting to see the cost from the last few worlds as stand alone events (i.e. LD tri, Du, cross-tri, etc.) vs. the cost in the festival format. I know there are advantages of having it all in one place, but is it driving up the prices (It's tricky too with an N of 1 for the festival format..., the analysis would be more meaningful in a few years)

I was a happy triathlete until prices kept going up. Now I'm a happy road racer.

$500 USD for the long course was pretty much at my limit.
I was pissed they were charging in USD.
It's a Canadian race, operational costs are in CAD.
Charging in USD is bullshit.

I just wish they would go ahead and announce the courses and the distances, at least for the LC.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

ITU AG worlds twice, both races were wonderful.
First time in Lausanne, I had a free plane ticket from a race lottery, camped for $20 a day, so the expense was mostly entry fee, race kit, and car rental. It cost me more to go to Nationals in Tuscaloosa than Lausanne..
Second time in Budapest, wasn't strong enough to camp in the rain, found a good flight/hotel deal for $1200 and spent that knowing it was probably the last time.
I still keep track of worlds and its locations, but am too slow to qualify anymore..

The distance is 3/120/30
Yeah, I know the swim should be 4k. Not sure what up with that.

As someone who has helped organized races, bike course approvals are a pain.
For Penticton they will first need approval from the province for the highways, then municipal approval for the route through town.
I imagine a similar course to last year with loops around Skaha.
I wish they would go to Oliver and up past the radio observatory.. much harder and more epic, but unlikely.

so basically 3 laps around Skaha? Did the old course also go up McLean Creek Rd?
Thanks for the info

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

Last year the test event did a small loop out to Summerland and back (38k?), then past transition and two loops around Skaha (46k each?)... out east side, up McLean Creek, through OK Falls and back via Hwy 97.
It was a bit weird though because the bit in town you rode on the LEFT side of the road.

The run course along the canal was awesome. Way better than running through town.

Im thinking of heading to PM Zofingen and doing the short race. Worlds always seems like way too much $.
I can fly to Zurich and stay 3 nights in a very nice hotel for less than $900 and the race is 85 Euros.

Lots of good comments. A couple of questions?

What kind of swag has been typical with World's events. Am I going to be wowed with my swag if I pay the entry fee?

Is this the first time for the "Festival"? Overall the festival should cut costs way down, in terms of only have to stage one event in one location instead of 4 or 5 separate events, so if anything the fees should be lower and/or very reasonable instead of the worst gouging I have ever seen. For example I can only imagine the deal a timing company would give when they were offered an opportunity to show up in one place and time a different event every day for a week.

I also find it suspicious they are not giving anyone the opportunity to weigh all the costs in aggregate before they commit. Last month they rolled out the ridiculous lodging cost, now the crazy entry fees, but they still haven't told us what the uniform costs are. To me it should be transparent what the entire event is going to cost before you have to commit to doing it.

What swag?

Yes first time for a 'festival' of this nature. What, aggregate costs and pass savings onto punters? Oh, look there's a squadron of pigs flying!

The 'ITU Worlds' are all about the experience. Period. You either pay your money and go, or you don't. Little point in looking for value for money. If you don't value the experience, then you don't go.

You can accept a place at the Worlds at any time it's offered. You're not committed to go until you part with some money. Take it from those of us who have gone and be prepared to shell out lots of money for the privilege of racing in country colours with your name on your bum. Unless of course you don't give a toss about that sort of thing.

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Trust me I’m a doctor!
Well, I have a PhD :-)

That is a high price to pay to come in second ;)

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Proud member of the MSF (Maple Syrup Mafia)

Swag depends, usually it's not much... In Cornerbrook in 06 it was a back pack, in Ottawa in 2013 it was a tech shirt (they had other stuff, but that was all for purchase), not sure about Adelaide (I claimed my spot, but then let it go a few months later, because the travel costs were going to be too high). For Penticton they say on the website "Finisher's garment & medal, 2017 backpack and "tones of swag" (the typo is theirs, not mine...). Yes this is the first year for the Multisport Festival format for worlds, Penticton did do a mini festival last year as a dry run that served as Canadian Champs for Du, Cross-Tri, and LD (Challenge Penticton)...

It's not the motivator for the race... I can't think of a single race I have ever signed up for, just for the swag, so I wouldn't expect to be wowed... But it looks like it may be slightly above par for an ITU Worlds (at least based on the ones I've attended)...

Coming in second would still be ahead of first Canadian.

I just paid my $300 entry fee, although looking through my emails I saw I also had to pay $50 to "hold my spot" last summer, so the tab so far is

$50 deposit fee
$300 entry fee
$50 USAT annual membership

now I just have uniform and travel costs. I honestly feel guilty, if I was a Christian or something I would have donated this money to end hunger or something;)

It's one of the reasons AG racing has never appealed; the diluted fields make it a hollow achievement imo. Certainly at the longer distances. You make each AG 20 strong per nation, make it expensive to get there and hey presto, the Q standards are pretty low.

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29 years and counting

The uniform costs are less than I might have expected, only $208-$224 dollars. So only in for $608 right now, before travel and lodging costs. I might get out of this for less than $1500.

Damn, I was going to try qualify for the worlds next year as they're in Australia, but I'm not paying $1000+ for an Oly race. I don't need another kit or a team uniform, it's a lot of money for crap i'll use once.

Entry to Oklahoma was $451.88
Entry to Cozumel sprint was $467.44

Triathlon is really working on very interesting business model. Make it so expensive, the people who want to race a ton don't. Then make it unappealing to newbies because of the rules and cost that a large chunk of them are one and done or only race once a year. Something is going to have to give at some point.

I did worlds 3 times and I don't remember it costing anywhere near that much. I treated them more as vacations/trips than for the racing. But for 600-700 for the entry fee plus uni now my desire to go back keeps going down. Which is depressing since the weekend is generally a blast and you end up meeting a ton of people.

I tell people its the $1K club... by the time you add up race fees, parade kit, uniform, admin fee "to hold your spot", etc. you're at about $1K(USD).

Then you have to factor in travel, food, the usual travel stuff. I'm registered for Rotterdam (qualified standard/sprint) and hoping the Roka kit is of better quality than the previous TYR kit. I agree the cost does water the field down but so do a few other factors. Some prefer other races... regardless triathlon is about racing the people that show up to race.

I saw a reply from USAT once regarding the entry fees, that they're not making money on race entry fees... maybe they're really expensive? I will agree they're beyond my comfort level and if it weren't for my wife signing me up and wanting to visit these locations... I'd probably be doing other races in the fall.

I enjoy the experience and meeting competitors from around the world... but I'm to the point that I'm over it.

that is why you see the bourgeoisie doing these races only now... lawyers, ceo's, with lots of disposable income/time . with a tight grip tri has on this niche, no need to cater to the masses, who have faster pools of racers.

I just worry about how long this lasts. I know junior racing is really up in participation, but how is that sustainable after college and not parent supported when a regular Oly race costs 100-150 now. I think when I started after college we are around 50-60 for an Oly, maybe 100 for a bigger race. Just seems like we're heading for a big crash.

Sorry for taking this off track haha.

go back to old school grass roots racing. grab some buddies and set up a course. or support the non usat/club races.

tri club sd you get 10 races a year for $75 that are chipped timed. i am only doing one usat race this year, it is because that is the first race I ever did and use it as metric to measure my progress. before I would do 5+ a year.