Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions

Aug 31, 04 10:44

Post #1 of 16 (2733 views)

Two Questions:

1. Say you qualify very early for IMH and then you age up in the interim. What age-group do you race in when you race at IMH?

2. If you qualify early for IMH and then in the interim you apply for a Pro/Elite card and get it. What category do you race in at IMH - age-group or pro? Do you give up your age-group spot? Must you have to try and requalify as a pro?

The reason that I am asking this is my girlfriend will be racing at IM Florida later on this year. She is shooting for a pot at IMH next year(2005) which she hopes to gain at IM Florida. She will be racing in the 30 - 34 age-group, but she will age up by the time IMH comes around in October 2005 and she is seriously considering moving up to the Pro/Elite ranks as she has, and continues to improve dramatically.

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:47

Post #2 of 16 (2718 views)

For qualification purposes, if she is 34 at IMFLA, she competes for slots in 30-34, even though she will race 35-39 in Hawaii. Don't know about racing AG this year and taking out a pro card next year. She would likely have to requalify as a pro, but you can pose that question directly to WTC to get the definitive response.

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:48

Post #3 of 16 (2708 views)

I'm pretty sure you loose your slot if you get your pro card.

"your horse is too high" - tigerchik

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:50

Post #4 of 16 (2692 views)

She would definitely need to requalify as a pro, or risk the wrath of the WTC not allowing her to start in Hawaii.

Marty Gaal, CSCS
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Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:53

Post #5 of 16 (2677 views)

Every time that happens to me I contact IM and get an answer in writing.

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:54

Post #6 of 16 (2669 views)

http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/vnews/information/faq

27. If I qualified as an age grouper and then turn pro, can I still race and vice versa?

No. You must requalify as a Pro earning a Pro slot. If you race as a Professional Athlete during the calendar year, you may not race as an age grouper in Kona for that year.

29. I�m 24 and have qualified in the 20-24 age group category. However, my birthday falls prior to the Hawaii race date and I will be 25 by race time. In what age group category do I race in Hawaii?

Your age on race day determines the age-group category. Whatever your age is on race day, that is the age-group category you must race in. For example: If you have qualified for Kona at age 24 and earn a slot in the 20-24 age-group BUT you have a birthday prior to Kona�s race date and become 25 before race day, you will race Kona in the 25-29 age-group category. The rule is you race the age-group category of your actual age on the day of the event.

"your horse is too high" - tigerchik

Last edited by: Hid: Aug 31, 04 10:54

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 10:58

Post #7 of 16 (2648 views)

from the faq on ironmanlive.com:

27. If I qualified as an age grouper and then turn pro, can I still race and vice versa?

No. You must requalify as a Pro earning a Pro slot. If you race as a Professional Athlete during the calendar year, you may not race as an age grouper in Kona for that year.

29. I�m 24 and have qualified in the 20-24 age group category. However, my birthday falls prior to the Hawaii race date and I will be 25 by race time. In what age group category do I race in Hawaii?

Your age on race day determines the age-group category. Whatever your age is on race day, that is the age-group category you must race in. For example: If you have qualified for Kona at age 24 and earn a slot in the 20-24 age-group BUT you have a birthday prior to Kona�s race date and become 25 before race day, you will race Kona in the 25-29 age-group category. The rule is you race the age-group category of your actual age on the day of the event.

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Hid] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 11:00

Post #8 of 16 (2640 views)

so I am slow at the whole copy/paste thing

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Hid] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 11:08

Post #9 of 16 (2612 views)

Hid,

Thanks.

I tried the FAQ at Ironmanlive.com just a short time ago and the site was down, so I thought that I would try the learned and esteemed minds here at Slowtwitch.

I figured that would be the situation.

Thanks again.

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

....

Aug 31, 04 11:24

Post #10 of 16 (2555 views)

you can also add this:

if you first qualify as an AG and pay registration for kona, then race pro and qualify again, the money you paid for the AG slot is NOT transferable...
you will pay $900 to race in kona...so she may want to think twice about paying for a kona slot at IMFL or think twice about turning pro the following year.

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Francois] [ In reply to ]

Aug 31, 04 11:30

Post #11 of 16 (2542 views)

Francois.

Thank you. That is indeed an interesting situation. I wonder why that is the case?

It's a bit frustrating this whole pro/age-group thing for her as she is in that netherworld between very good age-grouper and the top pro-ranks. Locally and even nationally in Canada she could race pro. This season she has been winning races overall as she races as an age-grouper. However, in deep international competion like the IM races and IMH in particular, there is no real reason for her to race pro. She will not finish in the money and would rather be competitive in her age-group.

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Sep 1, 04 9:27

Post #12 of 16 (2382 views)

FWIW, I'd suggest that she go through the entire IMF - IMH cycle as an AG athlete & see how high she can place in her AG in Kona. It's f-ing hard to get on the podium (don't I know it -- 6th in my AG in both 2000 & 2003)!!

And she'll also get to see how many pros she beats in Kona, as an additional confidence builder.

Just my two cents-

-Mike

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [mpl201] [ In reply to ]

Sep 1, 04 9:44

Post #13 of 16 (2353 views)

I agree, and that's the way she is leaning. However, she will have to pass-up some local/national money winning opportunities in Canada for all of next year to do this.

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Sep 1, 04 9:58

Post #14 of 16 (2305 views)

The whole pro / qualifying thing is weird. I think if I cherry pick my races with the idea of being a pro I could get a pro licence. It would take some doing and i would be the slowest pro out there. No real reason to do it, except... Well the exception is I could then enter any IM race except for IMH at the last minute. For a lot of people that would be hugh. I would give up any chance of ever qualifying for Hawaii, but for me I suspect that getting a pro licence is much easier than qualifyining for IMH as an age grouper.

Frankly I feel that the qualification for pro should be tougher. I would suggest top 5 in 10 races in a year with 500 or more people or top 2 with less than 500.

Shawn T

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Sep 1, 04 9:59

Post #15 of 16 (2302 views)

Fleck, if she thinks she can qualify at IMFLA as a pro, then she should turn pro now, take out the pro card, get the pro slots at IMFLA and then next year, she can make some cash all year racing pro locally. She'll also get to start earlier in Hawaii and not like I am any guage or anything, but it would save her from dealing with assholes like myself on the bike (Fleck's girlfriend and I were getting pissed off at each other during the half Ironman in Peterborough...nothing like male age groupers messing with the top women) :-)

Re: Ironman Hawaii Qualifying Questions [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 1, 04 10:58

Post #16 of 16 (2202 views)

I don't know this woman or her times, but it is typically much easier to qualify in an agegroup than as a pro. If she turns pro she will have to give up her age group slot and most likely her chances of racing IMH

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