rbuike wrote:
dgunthert wrote:
rbuike wrote:
+1 Challenge Penticton will be a great race but it will never be Ironman Canada. Challenge Penticton will be like a Massachusetts Marathon or a Rev3 Kona. Everything that makes it special has been lost.
FTFY
No you didn't
Yes, I know you meant it seriously. I was merely trying to point out to others that it's absurd. The fact that it's losing the name "Ironman" means nothing except for the brand conscious. It's certainly not what made this race special to people who rush to sign up it over venues like Louisville and The Woodlands. The fact that it's losing WTC means nothing at all. WTC had never run this race until this year. They simply let Graham organize and put it on while allowing him to use the name "Ironman". The race was losing Graham whether the it continued as Ironman Canada or not. Contrary to being a good thing, WTC taking direct control over the race did not bode well for the experience. There's plenty of evidence from the races that WTC has taken direct control over in the past. IMLP is a good example. Every year it seems there are a few more corners cut since WTC took over. Even more than the athlete's experience, the support for the volunteers is far inferior to the days when Graham ran that race. My parents would know. They've volunteered every year since 2005 and have been captains since 2006.
So are you really claiming that the name and the Kona slots are the only things that made Ironman Canada special?