Qualifying at IMOZ came in around 97/98 from memory and lasted until about 06 (First Port Mac race) , when it was replaced with a validation process where you had to complete a race in the Half Ironman series to validate your entry. IMWA started in 2004 and was a Qualifier for IMOZ 2005 with 150 slots. I am fairly certain that was the last time you 'had to qualify'.

5 times IMOZ Finishers were exempt from qualifying or validating. Though in reality anyone who really wanted to Race during those years could find a backdoor into the race without too much trouble.

Thanks. The info helps a lot for what I needed.

As an aside, qualification wasn't that stiff a process as there was a series of 1/2 IM races and the spots would gradually get peeled off. Having said that, with only one local IM the quality of the AG field was typically very deep in Forster.

The quality of the field is exactly what I remember. In most races the competitors get stratefied quickly. In Forster, the swim was a tight pack the whole way. Thanks for the info.

Was living in Sydney late 97/early 98 for a work assignment and had to do one of the HIM races to qualify for Forster in 1998.

Actually called Ken Bagg (sp?), the RD, to see if I could get an international slot, but no dice.

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