Just re-read your reply to me about the $200 race. I almost answered your challenge for a sub $200 IM (with a $185NZD approx $120USD) race.

Shane Hooks, past IMNZ run course? director puts it on. Price includes a cycle jersey, ton's o' spot prizes, great post race party (dance till after 2am if you dare) Excellent event. 500 or so competitors, Some drafting, but those that get caught get a stand down penalty PLUS whatever Hooksie feels like adding on later! If ton's o' people draft, he gets pissed off and adds 10 min to offenders finishing time. Last year, 2 podium finishers (even after the stand down time) got bumped off the podium because of the extra penalties. This news was greeted with wild applause at the awards ceremony. Almost as much applause as the girl that won the MTB prize for going the FULL MONTY in T1 and leaving her g-string in transition!

Did I say it was a great race? Cheap, fun, relativley draft free and cheap.

If you want to travel to NZ to do Hooksies' half IM in mid December, let me know. You can stay at my house and we can drive down together. Bring your dancing shoes.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

How about we lengthen the swim (good idea anyway!) to spread out the field on the bike?

The drafting problem at races is primarily (go ahead, argue the point) because there are too many people in the same place at the same time because we all finish the swim relatively close together .

If the swim was say.....10km long, then that would:

A) reduce the number of starters AND

B) string out the bunch on the ride!

Voila....drafting solved!!!!

FIGJAM (F, I'm good, just ask me!)

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

Since I've already argued the point, I assume you weren't swayed. Do you see a glaring flaw in my example?