I think this was a case of the punishment not fitting the "crime". But that's the rules, and that's my issue I have with races that put it solely on "athlete responsibility". Just make sure the race does it part in the equation to support the athletes so stupid mistakes like this don't cause a black eye for both the race organization and top athletes.

IE- WT learned their lesson by putting an official who was directing traffic at that diverging point in the men's race. Unfortunate that no one thought of that before the women's race.


(This was certainly not athletes trying to "cut the course" imo)

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