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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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thanks Steve for your input and the week long reporting.

1. indeed, interesting to see who was there (as vendors) and who didnt come. there were some noticeable absences or limited presence. the carousel is always interesting to observe.

7. i tend to agree with Terra Man: i think Kona does a great job accommodating the IM burst. wherever i went, even at the crowded aquatic center, i found local people very welcoming. i did hear some mild complains about "iron people" riding their bikes carelessly. but overall, i am still amazed at how courteously i was treated.
i think the kona magic is here to stay. especially in the eyes of foreigners.

ironman village: WTC tried to improve it with a new flow/set up. i'm not sure if that was successful. if anyone has an opinion, please lmk.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Terra-Man] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Terra-Man, With the Cliff bar photos, do you remember the company name to get them.. I missed getting to the Cliff Bar but remember my number on the blue band they gave us.. Wondering if I can get the photo some how??

Cheers
Steven
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [sjnewman1976] [ In reply to ]
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Here's a link:

https://www.flickr.com/...164602536@N06/albums


Coach at KonaCoach Multisport
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Terra-Man] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks, Fantastic!!!!
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [BryanD] [ In reply to ]
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BryanD wrote:
It may keep them cool but it’s also to prevent their skin from tanning. The darker your skin, you are seen as poor and a low income job that has to work outside. The more pale you are, the richer you are seen as.

My ex and her family are Vietnamese and explained that to me and I thought they were kidding until I saw Asians at University walking around with umbrellas in the sunlight.

America and Europe used to be like this as well. My grandparents talked about it occasionally. It was only after outdoor sports and laying around pools became a thing (Maybe in the 1960s?) that being tan represented wealth. If you had a "healthy tan" that meant you had disposable income and time to waste laying around in the sun on purpose. But look at old paintings of European royalty and they are pastey white as heck. The paler you were, the richer you were. Same goes with being plump. Nowadays, being lean takes money and education. A long time ago, poor people were lean and only the rich could afford enough food to actually get chunky. Now, cheap food is so calorie dense and non-nutritious, things have flipped.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [ZenTriBrett] [ In reply to ]
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Funny how these cultural norms on wealth bias change over time.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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First time there. I was really surprised at the amount of homelessness to be honest.

“The answer is hard work. What are you doing on Christmas Eve? Are you riding your bike? January 1st – are you riding your bike?”- Lance Armstrong
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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My thoughts

- The level of athlete at front of AG racing is phenomenal
- The utter carnage of pro blow ups
- How quickly the finish gets put up and pulled down is amazing
- lava java huggos have it dialed in
- other restaurants i visited were great. Welcoming and kind. I never heard a server complain. All i hear in Penticton is complain! Past when Ironman was here and present day 20/20 hindsight wishing it was back.
- The aging and becoming tired triathlon media. For example, i saw Bob everywhere as i stayed at Royal Kona & he basically lived at Huggos. He throws a great party btw. TGINR was LIT! But in 2 years Triathlon Taron and Talbot Cox has 4X you tube subcribers and 10x views for their content than Bob. Not saying i like that content but speaks to shifting wants in media channels.
- I watch the pro presser and Greg Welch was terrible. Spoon feeding answers to questions. Saying TMI to Rinny re: breast feeding, and then saying “how can you not love Sara True with that smile...”.....terrible IMO. It was really a terrible presser. Point being WTC is a $500MM business. Get some training to these people.
- Bike check “show” has improved since my last visit in 2011 but i see opportunities to really create stars that WTC is missing. I will leave it at that as my ideas maybe used in other races
- marketing tents outside expo were everywhere. Ceramic Speed was most pro in this regard right by Huggos and where Specialized launch their horrible new Shiv
- where was Trek? I was looking forward to hanging at a Trek booth. Nowhere.
- Lindsey Corbin and Corbin Brands are on point. Top professionals. Great ambassadors. Same for Cliff Bars where they were stationed. Really impressed
- yes Hoka looked to have blown their whole year budget in Kona. BUT.... everyone was wearing their shoes. I tried a pair. They suck
- vinokourov has terrible run form but did like a 3:20 or something. He was all smile at 20k...but please, just go away
- road riding in Kona is incredible. I was in awe of the roads, the climbs, the views. And with road cycling comes its partner COFFEE....and man, HEAVEN. Though surprise lava java lattes & caps kind of sucked. Better java around the corner and on the shop on Palani.

Last the run course change. Yeah bad. They extended the time running in the energy lab and reduced the time running on Alii by miles. Speaking of making stars of their athletes why would they do this? No fans in energy lab. Fans everywhere on Allii. And in turn where they stop fans on the queen K was at 17k.....so NO ONE would see the Lange pass of Wurf for example. Its like they dont want fans anywhere near where the action goes down.

I loved my visit being a non racer And its agreed in the home that my trip to Kona is an annual trip.

And Fleck. All roads lead to Kona. WTC is ALL IN on its bet to Kona. No one gives a shit about a world championship (ask ITU) they care about Kona. So have a WC elsewhere and no one will go. Ask Challenge. Its all Roth. No one cares about their championship race in wherever the hell it is. So. Its all about Kona.

@rhyspencer
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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This year was our first time to Kona. My wife raced and I shipped her race bike and my road bike down. Things I noticed...

- Everyone runs down Ali'i Rd which is great fun even for us not racing. We get to find some like paced runners and meet new people. But can we all decide its best to run against traffic? Having to dodge moving cars, parked cars, cyclists and other runners on that narrow road isn't fun for anyone using the road. Make it simple, run/walk against traffic!
- Its hot in Kona but the use of air conditioning by shops with their doors open and by IM in the large outdoor store is just crazy. Close the damn doors or get fans!
- The expo was fun. Liked the smaller vendors/apparel companies. Did anyone else arm wrestle the Quarq power meter?
- IM does a great job making the race setup/tear down as quick as possible to inconvenience locals as little as possible.
- Flats happen A LOT. Both shops said about 50% of riders flat either in training or racing and I believe them. My wife flatted three times in 4 training rides. Luckily she's tubeless and 2 sealed themselves while 1 from a huge goat head thorn required a Dynaplug and a CO2 to keep riding.
- When new tires fit her rear race wheel to tight and changed its shape causing the tire to rub on the frame (I tried 2 new tires with same result), Bike Works was incredibly helpful and got my rear wheel taped for a tubeless setup in less than 30 minutes. I know its a 1 minute job but there was an endless stream of customers with service needs in their door and they stayed on top of everyone getting fast service completed.
- I was not impressed by the food in Kona but the service was great. I'd read that servers hate this week but I couldn't tell that if it is true.
- We went to the ST party, my wife did not want to be in the sun and I figured just a few days before the race the party wouldn't be in the sun. Boy was I wrong. I loved being right on the water but she stayed in the shade until the sun went down.
- Clif! Kept me fueled all race day and I didn't buy a single nut or fruit filled bar!
- Ceramic Speed had an awesome setup! Got a great laugh that their floor was black and absolutely covered in white chain powder. Their staff were great and I really wanted one of their shirts but they were only going with installs of product. So it was an easy decision for me to let them install the chain on my wife's bike I had brought with me. I got a free shirt and didn't have to install a chain, WIN-WIN!
- We stayed down by Kona Country Club with many athletes to be away from the IMWC madness. Huge mistake, we spent a lot of time in the car in traffic to go places M-F. Stay closer to the race if you can.
- Triathletes are not bike handlers. Watching people nearly crash leaving T1 on the carpet was funny and scary. Why have carpet there?
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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Andre Bennatan wrote:
thanks Steve for your input and the week long reporting.

1. indeed, interesting to see who was there (as vendors) and who didnt come. there were some noticeable absences or limited presence. the carousel is always interesting to observe.

7. i tend to agree with Terra Man: i think Kona does a great job accommodating the IM burst. wherever i went, even at the crowded aquatic center, i found local people very welcoming. i did hear some mild complains about "iron people" riding their bikes carelessly. but overall, i am still amazed at how courteously i was treated.
i think the kona magic is here to stay. especially in the eyes of foreigners.

ironman village: WTC tried to improve it with a new flow/set up. i'm not sure if that was successful. if anyone has an opinion, please lmk.

What exactly is "ironman village"??? I've never heard of it until this year.


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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What I noticed and surprised me is some athletes wearing neoprene shorts (floaty pants) under their skinsuits for accrued buoyancy: I wonder how referees can police this.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [rhys] [ In reply to ]
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rhys wrote:
My thoughts

Last the run course change. Yeah bad. They extended the time running in the energy lab and reduced the time running on Alii by miles. Speaking of making stars of their athletes why would they do this? No fans in energy lab. Fans everywhere on Allii. And in turn where they stop fans on the queen K was at 17k.....so NO ONE would see the Lange pass of Wurf for example. Its like they dont want fans anywhere near where the action goes down.

It would be truly interesting to come out of T2 and go straight up Palani and out to the energy lab first...and the last 8 miles or whatever it is now on Ali'i be the last 8 miles of the race. Then when it's money time - there's people with a front row seat for it!

Would be interesting seeing seeing as the Energy Lab seemed to make no difference this year and they aren't scared to change up the course...

DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Zarautz70] [ In reply to ]
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Zarautz70 wrote:
What I noticed and surprised me is some athletes wearing neoprene shorts (floaty pants) under their skinsuits for accrued buoyancy: I wonder how referees can police this.

Interesting, I had never thought of this but the swim skins are the perfect cover for the neoprene shorts. Agree it would be pretty hard to police this with 2500 racers. So now, if you want to, in essence you never have to swim w/o at least a partial wetsuit. Personally, I've never bothered with a swim skin or the floaty shorts, just the old Speedo. :)


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Zarautz70] [ In reply to ]
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This came up last year in the post Kona thread. The consensus was that it would need to be monitored in T2 but may not offer a big advantage.

Before getting on the bike the athletes will need to take off the floaty pants and this requires getting the skin suit off and back on. How long this takes depends on the athlete but it’s not negligible. The thought last year was most athletes quickly dump the pants to avoid being caught with the evidence. This adds further time as you have to make a side trip away from prying eyes.

Overall if you are a poor enough swimmer that you gain time going down this route you are not likely to be challenging for any podium at Kona. It’s still cheating and a bit of peer pressure could help sort things out but I’m not convinced it’s a priority to address.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Zarautz70] [ In reply to ]
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Zarautz70 wrote:
What I noticed and surprised me is some athletes wearing neoprene shorts (floaty pants) under their skinsuits for accrued buoyancy: I wonder how referees can police this.

What a bunch of blatant cheating bastards!
I'm sure these same people would never draft. They should be pulled from the race and not allowed to finish. Last year someone commented on all the "floaty" pants found in the Porto John's after the swim. Crazy.......
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [mdtrihard] [ In reply to ]
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mdtrihard wrote:
Zarautz70 wrote:
What I noticed and surprised me is some athletes wearing neoprene shorts (floaty pants) under their skinsuits for accrued buoyancy: I wonder how referees can police this.


What a bunch of blatant cheating bastards!
I'm sure these same people would never draft. They should be pulled from the race and not allowed to finish. Last year someone commented on all the "floaty" pants found in the Porto John's after the swim. Crazy.......

That blows my mind, "Discarded Floaty Pants in the Porta-John" is my new band name.

"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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I think a T1 volunteer found a bunch in the porto potty last year. Maybe its time for some officals to set up at the swim entrance.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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not sure if you're joking : )

it's a place down ali'i drive where vendors like us pay a fortune to set up a booth. we think it's a good way to engage with athletes and show what we have in store.

i do hope you're kidding : )
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [scott8888] [ In reply to ]
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Before getting on the bike the athletes will need to take off the floaty pants and this requires getting the skin suit off and back on//

I think they are wearing them under swim skins, so no need to take off your skin suit. They would roll them off with the swim skin, thus having no extra time added to transition. It would be quite a little enterprise though to be at the porto potties collecting them, what are they, nearly a 100 bucks??


And yes, they should pick out a couple of folks and DQ them on the spot, if it is becoming a thing. I have tested them, and for good swimmers they are like a buoy, for those slower swimmers perhaps 3 to 5 seconds a 100( the folks that get 15 to 20+ a 100 out of a wetsuit)
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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Andre Bennatan wrote:
as a vendor / spectactor, here're my 2 main observations:
- for the 1st 1/3rd of athletes, the quasi disappearance of the top+shorts combo. almost all were in a sleeved trisuit. will this trend last?
- also the quasi disappearance of the compression sock. was so prevalent in the previous years that the contrast is striking.

would love to see if anything else struck you, whether you raced or spectated.


- A lot of Cervelo P5xs
- No presence by Trek and Timex
- More vendors (last year was 2015) seems like expo is still filled and even more so + more vendors at odd locations.


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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [Andre Bennatan] [ In reply to ]
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Andre Bennatan wrote:
not sure if you're joking : )
it's a place down ali'i drive where vendors like us pay a fortune to set up a booth. we think it's a good way to engage with athletes and show what we have in store.
i do hope you're kidding : )

Ah, so athletes village = expo. Guess I've just heard the term expo more than AV. Also, it is a little confusing since in the Oly the athletes actually live in the AV, but I guess no such luck in Kona. :)


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [rhys] [ In reply to ]
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rhys wrote:
- The aging and becoming tired triathlon media. For example, i saw Bob everywhere as i stayed at Royal Kona & he basically lived at Huggos. He throws a great party btw. TGINR was LIT! But in 2 years Triathlon Taron and Talbot Cox has 4X you tube subcribers and 10x views for their content than Bob. Not saying i like that content but speaks to shifting wants in media channels.

I just want to point out the Breakfast with Bob is broadcast live on TriathleteMag's website and it only goes up on youtube late and then his youtube channel goes dead for like four months. Then he does Facebook Live events here and there but he doesn't use social media that well if he's actually trying to build the platform. Whereas Talbot definitely understands Social Media to the nth degree.

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [TheStroBro] [ In reply to ]
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Very good point. I would love to see that viewing live data. Bobs a classic but the interviews are repeat button. Especially with repeat guests year after year.

Again, TGINR was a great FKN party! That alone Bob gets my high fives!

@rhyspencer
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
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Gman: is that true...you can’t wear compression socks in a non wetsuit swim race (I’m talking about on the run)?

Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.
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Re: Kona 2018: you were there and you noticed...? [rcmioga] [ In reply to ]
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rcmioga wrote:
Gman: is that true...you can’t wear compression socks in a non wetsuit swim race (I’m talking about on the run)?

He means you can’t put compression socks on before the swim in non-wetsuit events. So many won’t take the time to put them on in transition. They are legal for the run (bike too).
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