Actually Dan wrote about this on August 15th

http://www.slowtwitch.com/headings/olympics3.html

LC is now a double Olympic distance. Dan speculates (or perhaps more than speculates) that ITU is trying to distance itself from 1/2IM and IM distances.

Double Olympic is nice distance with a bigger emphasis on swimming than 1/2IM and IM. I'd like to see some of those races in the US.

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Justin in Austin, get it? :)

Cool races:
- Redman
- Desoto American Triple T

Was the motion carried in favour of the change? I seem to recall it was just a motion and had not been enforced at that time. Do we have an update confirming this?

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Yes, congress minutes are posted on the itu website in the downloads section.

Dan

So it actually went through, eh? With the shorter run it's going to be quicker to recover.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Yeah, 1.1K is really going to save the legs;)

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*********************
"When I first had the opportunity to compete in triathlon, it was the chicks and their skimpy race clothing that drew me in. Everyone was so welcoming and the lifestyle so obviously narcissistic. I fed off of that vain energy. To me it is what the sport is all about."

I like the idea and hope it catches on. Half IM has been my favourite distance, but being a strong swimmer and weak runner, the double olympic is much nicer!

Dan

Actually 10km. Former distance was 4-120-30.

Dan

Sorry, did I get something wrong? Wasn't the previous ITU long course Nice distance run 30k and now it's 20k?

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Actually 10km. Former distance was 4-120-30.

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Thanks, Dan. That was my understanding too.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

My bad, I thought you were comparing to HIM. 10K less will make life a little easier.

Fair enough.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Looks like a great distance. Will there be any events in the US? USAT involved?



Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

The current run is 30K not 21.1K - I know as I will be watching my wife running in circles.

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Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz

If they decided to go that way i think the should go the whole way and make it a draft race. I think it will be more interesting with drafting on this distance since there will be more time difference from the swim and if the bike is 80km you could really benefit from going in a break away group. The strong bikers can loose the "runners" and we don´t have to see 90% of the field making it to T2 together.


It´s to bad the ITU forces all people who aren´t swimmers to go to a private company to be able to race at the longer distance. This will make WTC even more dominate...

If a racer can not swim, then should they not only do duathalons? I would love to see a much better balanced race, even though I dont swim well. Would love to see them all about an hour in length.



Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I agree with you, if a person can´t swim it is impossible to race in triathlon!


What´s bad with this new distance is the ITU only have races for one type of athlete. If you don´t come from swimming it is very hard to impossible to race at a top level in ITU championchips. At the oly races you have to do 17:30 on the swim, at the old "Nice distance" you could place fairly well with an 60min swim since the bike and run was long. I think that it is ITU responsibility as the head organ to have races at different distance.

Jocke...that would be cool. I've been a proponent of an ITU draft legal race that looks more like 2.5/60/10, so there a chance of both a small break in the swim and more bike breakaways that stick. Making the 3/80/20 draft legal would be quite interesting, but 3/80/10 would be even better, since you need something like 5-8 min to hold a lead over 20K over a really swift runner

I agree, if you cant really swim, do duathalons. If you cant really run, do aquabike. The reason I joined the masters swim team this year is it seems a real race in tri races should work to be balanced at all 3 events. But, with the distances now, a person can basically use a wet suit and float the swim. Then the bikers and runners win the race.

So, IMO, this more balanced distances would show who is a much better real Tri racer. I thought I read Dave Scott was pushing for a more balanced event in the past.

I know I talked about it with the co RD at the race I used to co RD at LOP, to have a balanced event. (He was a world class swimmer).

So, the more I think abou it, the more I think this type of race would be more enjoyable to be in, since I am not great in any of the 3 events, but good enough in all three to have fun with it.



Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep