are those races on a schedule anywhere? West Point always seemed to be hit or miss, with last year getting EDR status 1 month before the actual race. I wish Detroit EDR would come back, but I guess it just doesn't.

USAT is talking to coaches to gauge interest in more EDR races. Currently the demand seems to not be there for RD's to financial risk doing it when only 48 total racers show up for 2 races (3 hours of closed traffic costs, etc).

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

ITU Montreal has a draft-legal sprint race option for amateurs:
http://montreal.triathlon.org/age_group/individual/


It's very disappointing the USAT doesn't seem to be putting an effort into creating more draft-legal opportunities, now that ITU Sprint Distance World's is a sprint race. It seems like they could promote it through regional associations, or have an actually Draft-Legal National Championships. A worlds qualifier is nice, but its not the same as a national championship. It seems like it would be reasonable for a fair number of races to be able to add an open draft-legal race, run as a separate wave. Not every course would be conducive, but a fair number would.

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John Hartpence, Athlete & Coach
tripence@gmail.com, @coachpence

Du Sprint is also Draft legal

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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

DL national champs would be cool idea, but I just dont think RD's want to put on the headache of a closed course venue and the added expense. That's the biggest issue. Adding a DL wave doesn't bring in more money, you actually lose money. So who's up for that?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Ottawa has a DL race in June.

It's the Canadian Nationals and anyone can race in it.

You have a better understanding of how USAT works than most people, so here is my Question. How do we get RD's and USAT to drive participation for Draft legal Racing? Start at the club level maybe?

That's a good question. I think the biggest limiter is awareness/comfortability with DL racing. And how do you improve that? You create more races. But that's an costly endeavor for RD's, especially when the demand for it is just not there *yet*. I was just at a DL race 2 weeks ago that had an AG race, and not even 90 combined male/female entered the race (and they took out the lap out rule).

So I think it's an 5 year process imo. They had AG race in Clermont, they'll have a DL race in Sarasota for world's qualifier. I think if a race like Des Moines Iowa who currently runs a full junior/elite race added an AG DL it would be better.


I think the issue with "just add it to a current race" doesn't understand the added costs of closing down the roads + participant numbers.
Me and Slowman have debated this issue about whether an race can do it on open or closed roads. I dont see how you couldn't without closed roads unless your race is out in the boon docks, which of course then you limit your participant numbers. Currently your local sprint is done on open roads with likely some help at intersections from the cops. But your also required to ride to the right, and hopefully out of traffic. In a DL event, if your drafting and in a group, you suddenly take up much more of the road, so to say just keep the roads open, that doesn't seem like a safe alternative.


I'm probaly the biggest DL fan here on ST. That's the majority of the athletes I coach. But I think there are some issues that a DL race has to overcome that your run of the mill sprint doesnt. I think some things they can do to make it easier.....like do gender waves 15 mins apart and make it a rule, you cant cross gender draft. Stuff like that can help with costs and quicken the time of closing the course. Take out the lap out rule would be another one (unless you did 1 single loop, etc).

But I dont know how you actually run a DL course that isn't protected from traffic. Even when cycling events are on "open" roads, most of the time the "pack" has a front leading vehicle and a rear vehicle. Or atleast a front vehicle to alert traffic. If you fall off that pack, your pretty much on your own. But every race I've seen, the front of the bike race has had a race vehicle/cops controlling traffic. I guess you could do something like that, but it would just create some extra drama filled moments for the RD (which is why every DL race I've been to has always been closed to traffic....they simply take out the traffic variable).

ETA: And I'd be all for it if you added it to local events. I just think it's more to it than just adding a DL wave after the non-draft goes off. I think athlete safety has to dictate much more traffic control then an non-draft due to the specificty of DL. Slowman may get on me for that, as he contends you can do it on quiet roads. Sure, if you know 2 cars a morning roll down a road, fine, but tell me in what area that occurs? Will that be an destination that gets people to travel to? Or picking up majority of local athletes. So I just think there are more hurdles to clear for a RD and currently the demand for DL is not there to worry about it.

I think I looked in New Orleans, and I think it was something like 240 people raced the DL sprint qualifier. Is that a high demand? Idk

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II