Here was a writeup from an athlete in Kona 2016. Thought it was interesting.
Ironman Hawaii: "DRAFTING KILLS ENJOYMENT"
Yes, winning is great--as my 2 World victories were--but it is not enough, at least for me. I need Enjoyment, the Joy of Racing and Competing. Without it, the experience is incomplete, unsatisfactory. Triathlon, particularly when we push ourselves to the limit, and beyond, at times, is just too hard if, while doing it, we are not "enjoying" it. For example, the blatant drafting and the passivity of marshals at last Saturday's race destroyed my Joy of Racing on that tough day. I was frustrated as, I know, many of you, by several things during the bike segment.
1) the Blatant Drafting by so many (too many) triathletes, without shame. That is what really annoyed me this year (my previous participation was 2006 which was already pretty bad, but this year it was much worse, just plain awful): so many triathletes, knowing full well the rules, made the decision to cheat, purposedly. It was decided with premeditation. And when I confronted them, they were mad at me. When I would pass them and move to the right of the road in front of them, they would shout at me and repass me on the right! or immediately on the left without going back 6 lengths, and even on the shoulder! One guy even answered "who cares, there are no marshals anyway". I felt being a "sucker" the whole day, the only one (I know many follow the rules) following the rules and braking in order to go back 6 lengths ( I admit that in the last 40kms, I went back only 4-5 lengths--still better than zero--(I was tired to be the "idiot" of the day). One guy (I cannot call them triathletes anymore) rode on the shoulder overtaking people from the right for several kms. I even witnessed 2 guys of my own AG 60-64 drafting a few inches behind another rider as if they were in the Tour de France. Not even trying to go back at least 3-4 lengths, if not 6. Not even trying! They did not care at all about the rules as mentioned by the Head Referee Jimmy Riccitello at the briefing. Why?
2) Perhaps, because they knew something I didn't, that the marshals would not only be lenient but outright non-existant, thus incompetent. Or were they given instructions to enforce the rules with the Pros but not too much with the AG? One one hand, I don't want to believe that because it has jeopardized the bike portion of lots of triathletes, perhaps taking away their desire to return to Kona. I witnessed many times Marshal No.2 (blond woman) on her motorcycle riding beside groups of 5-10 people drafting, and not even blowing her whistle. On the other hand, there is clearly a laxist attitude within the @IRONMANWorldChampionship #imkona2016 race direction. With so many years of experience, how is that possible that it cannot manage successfully the drafitng problem? "Oh, but now there are 2500 athletes, which is too many", I was told. Ok then I am telling it "reduce the no. of athletes to 1500, or change the mass start to an AG waves start, as in the Worlds 70.3.", and put more motorcycles on the course. It does not seem to be very complicate to organize.
3) The IM World Championship should be the fairest race of all Worlds, and it is the least fair race of all Worlds. Yes, there was also drafting in Mooloolaba, but at least each AG wave had the same race conditions. For ex. our wave AG 60+, starting last men's wave, had a perfect, honest, and fair race with zero drafting possible. And the athletes within an AG who faced drafting situations, at least, they faced the same race conditions as their direct opponents. But in Kona, with the mass start, the bike dynamics are totally different for each athlete and changing constantly as the race evolves, making some racing strategies superfluous and rendering the race unfair.
4) One last point: it all starts with the individual triathlete. That's were the first responsiblity lies, within our heart, our soul. "The Original Spirit of Triathlon". Doesn't that mean anything anymore? With its values of Chivalry: courage, fairplay, solidarity, sportsmanlike conduct, honor. If we all take a little step towards them, the World of Triathlon will be a better place and we will all feel happier while racing. My Passion for Triathlon goes beyond winning. I want again to feel ENJOYMENT.
PLEASE SHARE--MERCI de PARTAGER
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
Ironman Hawaii: "DRAFTING KILLS ENJOYMENT"
Yes, winning is great--as my 2 World victories were--but it is not enough, at least for me. I need Enjoyment, the Joy of Racing and Competing. Without it, the experience is incomplete, unsatisfactory. Triathlon, particularly when we push ourselves to the limit, and beyond, at times, is just too hard if, while doing it, we are not "enjoying" it. For example, the blatant drafting and the passivity of marshals at last Saturday's race destroyed my Joy of Racing on that tough day. I was frustrated as, I know, many of you, by several things during the bike segment.
1) the Blatant Drafting by so many (too many) triathletes, without shame. That is what really annoyed me this year (my previous participation was 2006 which was already pretty bad, but this year it was much worse, just plain awful): so many triathletes, knowing full well the rules, made the decision to cheat, purposedly. It was decided with premeditation. And when I confronted them, they were mad at me. When I would pass them and move to the right of the road in front of them, they would shout at me and repass me on the right! or immediately on the left without going back 6 lengths, and even on the shoulder! One guy even answered "who cares, there are no marshals anyway". I felt being a "sucker" the whole day, the only one (I know many follow the rules) following the rules and braking in order to go back 6 lengths ( I admit that in the last 40kms, I went back only 4-5 lengths--still better than zero--(I was tired to be the "idiot" of the day). One guy (I cannot call them triathletes anymore) rode on the shoulder overtaking people from the right for several kms. I even witnessed 2 guys of my own AG 60-64 drafting a few inches behind another rider as if they were in the Tour de France. Not even trying to go back at least 3-4 lengths, if not 6. Not even trying! They did not care at all about the rules as mentioned by the Head Referee Jimmy Riccitello at the briefing. Why?
2) Perhaps, because they knew something I didn't, that the marshals would not only be lenient but outright non-existant, thus incompetent. Or were they given instructions to enforce the rules with the Pros but not too much with the AG? One one hand, I don't want to believe that because it has jeopardized the bike portion of lots of triathletes, perhaps taking away their desire to return to Kona. I witnessed many times Marshal No.2 (blond woman) on her motorcycle riding beside groups of 5-10 people drafting, and not even blowing her whistle. On the other hand, there is clearly a laxist attitude within the @IRONMANWorldChampionship #imkona2016 race direction. With so many years of experience, how is that possible that it cannot manage successfully the drafitng problem? "Oh, but now there are 2500 athletes, which is too many", I was told. Ok then I am telling it "reduce the no. of athletes to 1500, or change the mass start to an AG waves start, as in the Worlds 70.3.", and put more motorcycles on the course. It does not seem to be very complicate to organize.
3) The IM World Championship should be the fairest race of all Worlds, and it is the least fair race of all Worlds. Yes, there was also drafting in Mooloolaba, but at least each AG wave had the same race conditions. For ex. our wave AG 60+, starting last men's wave, had a perfect, honest, and fair race with zero drafting possible. And the athletes within an AG who faced drafting situations, at least, they faced the same race conditions as their direct opponents. But in Kona, with the mass start, the bike dynamics are totally different for each athlete and changing constantly as the race evolves, making some racing strategies superfluous and rendering the race unfair.
4) One last point: it all starts with the individual triathlete. That's were the first responsiblity lies, within our heart, our soul. "The Original Spirit of Triathlon". Doesn't that mean anything anymore? With its values of Chivalry: courage, fairplay, solidarity, sportsmanlike conduct, honor. If we all take a little step towards them, the World of Triathlon will be a better place and we will all feel happier while racing. My Passion for Triathlon goes beyond winning. I want again to feel ENJOYMENT.
PLEASE SHARE--MERCI de PARTAGER
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