You're talking about TeamUSA qualification... What is the easiest way to qualify?

It depends on your age group..

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A bunch of people double up with the two races that weekend, so if you were to choose one you'd have a better chance at the Sprint because that's on day 2. It also looks like 2800 did the Olympic and 1800 did the Sprint this year, and since you can just sign up for the Sprint without qualifying it's probably a weaker field even ignoring fatigue. Temp and wave order is another thing to consider though, some waves start almost as late as 10AM meaning that they'll be finishing around noon in mid-August heat but the sprint had everyone on the course by 9AM this year.

Writing it all out it you're probably right. The really fast under-30 guys going for their elite license are usually the last wave in the Olympic and the first wave in the Sprint, so their times suffer in the Olympic but the playing field is leveled the next day and they go much faster. At least that was my experience in Omaha last year where I went 10th/5th. The first day was a struggle because I was just starting my race in the heat when a good portion of people were already finishing up, but the second day I felt much better racing the Sprint despite the fatigue from the Olympic.

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At the WTS Grand Final; both sprint and oly each federation is allotted 18 participants slots per AG (host country gets 25).

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Yes... Men 40 to 44... The sprint overall wave seems weaker for various reasons but 8th compared to 18th appears to be much stronger...

The easiest way to qualify depends on you the individual. It depends on your strengths.
If someone wanted to qualify for TeamUSA in the Sprint division yet they're better at longer races, I think it would be easier for said person to qualify for the standard distance?

I'm not sure what you're trying to get at. It feels like complaining to me... USAT Nats they allot 18 slots of Standard distance and 8 for the sprint. There is another race to qualify for the sprint distance.... USAT sets aside the remaining 10 slots.

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He’s asking which one is easier to qualify for, if you want to go to worlds it’s a valid question.

Sprint used to be easier because they rotated around the championship. Now it may be easier because people are doing two races in the same weekend but it’ll be a crapshoot if 8 fast people show up.

That said rolldown will probably be easier to hit in the sprint vs the Olympic. Depending on your age group in the Olympic you may still have to be damn fast while the sprint you’ll probably have more gaps of time as you rolldown.

I'm not complaining... Just thinking about next season as I have no tris until May and am kinda bored at work right now...

TeamUSA still out of reach for me unless I can make dramatic swim improvements as I am MOP swimmer at best... But, I still keep it as my long term goal and am inching closer every year...

Just wondering what race in CLE next year will get me closer...


That's all...

Well...this year you had to be a pretty strong rough water swimmer for the Oly


....or be good at the Du for the Sprint.

They rolled down to 25th in at least one age group in the Oly.

Ok.
The Olympic/standard distance you have to qualify in order to even race for the top 18 at Nats.

Sprint distance has no qualification, simply race and make top 8.
Now there is another chance at qualification at the sprint distance, USAT is now calling it "Sprint distance Draft Legal National Championships", where they reserve 10 slots for TeamUSA.
*Sprint distance is only Draft Legal.




Also very good point conditions matter too.

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Yea, and short answer from my perspective (M45-49), even if you don't have to qualify for the Sprint, it's a lot harder to be top 8 than top 18 (or 25) in a national-level event.

This year non-swimmers loved Cleveland & Sarasota...

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I think USAT intentionally makes it "harder" because the sprint race at USAT Nats. is not draft legal.

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Grow with data: Dynamic Sports Data | eBay store

+1 This is what I was getting at - Is it harder to get top 18 in a super strong field or top 8 in a slightly weaker field competing against some tired legs as well...

Yes we did! Especially after Saturday :-).

eh, legs aren't THAT tired on day 2 at AGNC. last time I went (omaha) i went 11th and 6th in M40-44. My paces were about the same. My swim was slower on day 2, not sure if the course was long, but I remember it was a rough start, but once I hit T1, it was game on and the previous day I dont think had much effect.

That being said, I think if your goal is Team USA, go for the Oly. It'll definitely roll down, so 25th gives you a legit chance. Plus its just a better race to do.

Top 8 is probably harder.

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That's the basics. The details are far more complicated. Some of those 10 "reserved" slots can come back to the Non-Draft-Legal Sprint Championship finishers who were outside the top 8. At the Draft Legal Championship, you have to finish top 10 and within a bogey delta of the class winners time. (I can't find the formula they use to calculate the bogey delta for each category, but it's somehow based on the NDL championship results, and generally between 10 and 15%). If you're top 10 at at Draft Legal, but outside the bogey delta to the class winner, you don't get an invite. No roll downs are given at Draft Legal Nationals. So, if there aren't ten finishers under the bogey delta, or if any of those who finish top-10 and under the bogey time decline their invite, all those slots go back to the NDL finishers. Simple, isn't it?

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Do you recall which AG? Also was there ever a list of who took slots? I saw the "age-up" results list posted downstairs at the awards ceremony.

M45-49. After age-ups, I was 24th, offered a spot. Reserved it for now.

I would think the delta isn't really created as an barrier, more just an small hurdle (they aren't creating a standard that only takes 6 of 10 etc, it's "soft" enough so that they cover their bases with competitive athletes). It's what on avg for men 25-50 almost 14% behind the race winner. That's a big delta. The tightest is 9.92% but others are far softer.

Due to the quicker race due to no swim- top 10, 10th made it just under the number in the tightest delta AG.

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