I think people give Cam some "slack" for multiple reasons. He admitted after Kona that he wasn't prepared for the aggression in positioning during the swim start so he missed the front pack. Also, combine the fact that he lost his nutrition on the bike and the fact that in a relatively short amount of time in the sport (essentially two years) he is learning to run and put together complete races. I don't think he will ever run well enough to win Kona, but I bet he ends up in the top 10. He is a far more complete triathlete than Starky. He is a pretty remarkable athlete all around given his pedigree. He has a fantastic personality too and that goes a long way.

I think it's because he has character, and the interviews are good to watch - he gives genuine insight.

Kienle in another one who gives a good interview, Sanders and McNamee also.

I watched the interview quite a while back. Dude is an engaging story-teller. I esp. liked his tale of that first tri that he did on his little Aussie Island against that guy (name escapes me right now) who became a pro-triathlete before he did. Quite reminiscent of Scott Molina's take on Dave Scott to the effect of "Dave was a butterball who ran like a duck. Of course I can beat this guy ."

That being said, what the interview really did for me was to train on the bike even harder, to kick his young arrogant ass. Folks like this I find much more motivating, rather than a "nice guy" like Craig Alexander. He seemed like such a mild and likable fellow and worked so hard, I would feel guilty about beating him. It wouldn't be Alexander's face that I would have taped on the basement wall with a bull's eye to motivate me as I crush those massive 215 watt intervals.

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

I think people give Cam some "slack" for multiple reasons. //

No I get it, he is a colorful character and he has a runway ahead of him. I also am cutting him some slack on this last race and expect him to factor into future races. My point was why all the hate for Starky? I dont know the guy, maybe his is just not likable. But just about every race he enters he is going to be a factor in that race. Not always or even mostly on the podium, but always dictating 2/3 of how the race plays out.


We need more of these kind of guys to push the limits of the others at the pointy end. I hope Wurf can find his swim and run legs to be part of that race at the finish line, if not he is still going to be a factor either way, making races more exciting for us fans..

How is Starky dictating anything in the races he is in? It's not like the race winners go with him, he just goes solo and then breaks down.
Wurf brought Sanders and Kienle with him in Kona and de facto played a huge role in how the race played out.
Starky will prob go really hard and try to break the record on the bike, but he isn't going to change how anyone behind him races. Now if Wurf were to show people during the year that he has improved his run, then he will def be on the minds of everyone behind him.

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

I believe he was the Slowtwitch darling until Sanders came along. His comeback is pretty damn impressive. I think if he were to push the pace on the bike at Kona, Wurf/Sanders/Kienle would want to try and catch up and tag along and that would definitely affect how the race would play out

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Matt

 I think if he were to push the pace on the bike at Kona, Wurf/Sanders/Kienle would want to try and catch up and tag along and that would definitely affect how the race would play out//

OR he just sits on a good pace with guys like Josh and does a kind of soft-pedal until that group catches, then joins in. One of the last times he did Kona he rode with a couple guys til the end so I think he has enough respect to not think he can just ride off the front of the swim and stay there all day. His real advantage is that he doesn't have to do any catching, the period where all those guys are riding over normal watts. He can prepare for that catch and save some matches just in case they get another magical and crazy fast day like last year. Without that the bike record is going to hang around for sometime.

But to my earlier point, he will be a factor during the race, and absolutely guys will key off him, work with him, safety and speed in numbers thing..

guess I am going to be a fan care of his origin but his interviews are a lot of fun, great to see an aussie larrikin happy to have a go and bring a bit of humour into the equation.

I can't see where he has gone hunting the press and the sound bite like macca did rather his natural personality has delivered him opportunity to stand out, along with his palmares of course.

I will be looking out for him and I reckon as a pro that is the first step to building the fanbase. hopefully he gets results to build it more!