Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation?

Oct 25, 22 7:47

Post #1 of 24 (4277 views)

Just mindless ramblings I thought others might be having and want to discuss...

Initially, the Zwift Tri Academy appeared to have an "everyman" story about age groupers who were on the bubble of qualifying to make Kona for the first time and following their journey...some successful and some not. The last iteration or two have seemed to be more about folks that were KQ veterans and going for top overall finishes. To me, the initial program was a bit more motivating to participate in and left a glimmer of hope to be selected if I had "ok" results and then did well in the workouts. This time around, looking at my past results and not seeing anything from Kona, I'm left with the feeling of...but why? Sure, they're good workouts but I see no reason or need to throttle myself in Oct/Nov for the sake of the program.

Anyone else?

(also, this is not to take away from anyone who has recently been part of the ZTA. They're amazing & deserve the benefits they got through lots of hard work)

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 7:54

Post #2 of 24 (4261 views)

I thought it was neat at first. I can swim FOP and run FOP but I'm a MOP/BOP biker. I thought they were looking for folks like me so they could improve the cycling and show the program works but they seem to pick people that are already strong.

http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 9:55

Post #3 of 24 (4133 views)

Its a no from me, once I saw they had a kona gofunder on the team. Not my type of people I prefer to surround myself with.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 10:53

Post #4 of 24 (4050 views)

I'm BOP swimmer, MOP bike and run - they ain't picking me LOL

I'm still doing it, to keep my training varied and the group workouts I really enjoy - but unless you are Cat A already I don't think you have a change in a month of sundays...

Regards, Richard

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 10:58

Post #5 of 24 (4036 views)

It's morphed into age groupers who just haven't taken their pro card yet. Ruth Astle, Eric Engel etc. It's more beneficial to stay an age grouper, get the free bike, coaching, gear, etc, then go pro the next year. Nothing every man about it lol.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pattaya] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 11:06

Post #6 of 24 (4021 views)

Yes, agreed. When they say "you must be an amateur athlete," but take folks like Ruth Astle (Pro) or Lars Wichert (ex Olympic Rower)...it really doesn't show how Zwift can help the normal person or even someone on the cusp of KQ get there.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 16:21

Post #7 of 24 (3764 views)

On Ruth, she was working 50h + in the city in london and been grinding for the last 4-5 years to get to the level she was at (she was also turned down by the academy the year before) so I think it was a good selection for the academy however Lars I can't comment.

Also agree would be nice to have people chasing KQ so the rest of us have a chance of applying ;)

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [Helltrack] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 19:04

Post #8 of 24 (3654 views)

What do you mean “kona gofunder”?

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 19:33

Post #9 of 24 (3615 views)

The Zwift athletes sucked at Kona this year. That's on them.

Also, top age group IM athletes are basically pros that don't hold a card. They simply have lifestyles that allow 25+ hours of training. If you don't have 25+ hours of training as an amateur, then don't apply to Zwift.
it's an elitist opportunity.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [applenutt] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 19:56

Post #10 of 24 (3593 views)

applenutt wrote:

The Zwift athletes sucked at Kona this year. That's on them.

Also, top age group IM athletes are basically pros that don't hold a card. They simply have lifestyles that allow 25+ hours of training. If you don't have 25+ hours of training as an amateur, then don't apply to Zwift.
it's an elitist opportunity.

Yeah it would be good if they had amateurs, relatively new to the sport, perhaps not going that well, but showing potential.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [zedzded] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 22:23

Post #11 of 24 (3483 views)

I suppose the problem for Zwift TA is they need to select athletes who will stick with the program and complete it. The risk of selecting a group and then them all dropping out for various reasons must be relatively high, and would wreck the whole year for them. Imagine they spend all that time and then they get a few months out from Kona and the athletes just give it up, they would need some certainty.

I don't think it's the whole reason for picking these advanced amateurs, but I would imagine it contributes.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [ianmo80] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 23:29

Post #12 of 24 (3450 views)

Who was on the team and how did they finish . The German dude before joining zwift did an 8.10 in Hamburg 2021 and seems to have gotten slower with the team. Would that be correct or not .

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pk] [ In reply to ]

Oct 25, 22 23:35

Post #13 of 24 (3443 views)

I have no idea, I have pretty much no interest in following them, I was just speculating on a situation I know nothing about :D

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 0:28

Post #14 of 24 (3409 views)

On this, in 3 of the 4 years the academy has been running an athlete from the Rocket Racing Team and coached by Golo (who was in the academy in the inaugural year) has been selected.

No doubt that those 3 athletes are actual weapons on the course, but seems more than a coincidence.

Last edited by: JaBuddyG: Oct 26, 22 0:28

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pk] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 1:33

Post #15 of 24 (3353 views)

pk wrote:

Who was on the team and how did they finish . The German dude before joining zwift did an 8.10 in Hamburg 2021 and seems to have gotten slower with the team. Would that be correct or not .

They seem to have underperformed this year. Only two AG podiums, some outside the top 100 in AG, at least a couple of DNF/DNS. Of course anyone can get injured or have a bad day but you have to think that with the time, money and kit invested that they were hoping for a bit more. It's definitely positioned as being for the best of the best AGers, rather than Joe Slightly-Above-Average who might scrape a KQ.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [cherry_bomb] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 3:05

Post #16 of 24 (3307 views)

Program is a lot shorter this year as well, only 3 bike/3 run workouts + final bike/runs - no starting baseline ride/run either.

Side note, Canyon the choice of bike within Zwift this year for the Academy, suggests to me they are moving away from Specialized for the next cohort.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pattaya] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 3:23

Post #17 of 24 (3283 views)

pattaya wrote:

It's morphed into age groupers who just haven't taken their pro card yet. Ruth Astle, Eric Engel etc. It's more beneficial to stay an age grouper, get the free bike, coaching, gear, etc, then go pro the next year. Nothing every man about it lol.

It was like that during the first editions maybe. I coach a few solid AG-ers (podium or even fastest in Kona :)) myself and remember during first editions the ZWIFTers were really good, at least in the Age Groups that I follow a little. During last year I have not seen any of them @ FOP. Of course, I follow the Age Groups where my athletes are, so I may be biased here.

It looks like the support they provide is great and I would not hesitate to apply even if I am not very fast. The whole project looks healthy and I see no downside :) For top AG it might give the push they need to make it into pro ranks, for experienced and ambitious AG-ers it might help with KQ or 'bowl hunt', for beginner athletes it may be just a solid foundation of a long-term adventure. What other motivation do you need? :)

coaching via trinergy.pl
TP Training Plans
IG @kowalski.coach

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [tomekbielany] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 5:53

Post #18 of 24 (3202 views)

The last class who raced St George had 3 people on the podium, 2 of them won their age group.

The year before that, when Ruth was on it was stacked.

The team is set up and selected for athlete who have and will likely qualify for Kona. Then they want to see these athletes podium at Kona.

IMO where this program has failed is the complete lack of media attention and the journey of these athletes to Kona. You see a video about the camp in the spring, barely nothing all summer on their progress, then a Kona video. We want to see the athlete's journey, there should be weekly videos coming out. The athletes on the team can easily provide this and send it to Zwift Marketing. But two videos a year is a waste of talent and opportunity of this program.

Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [tri@thlete] [ In reply to ]

IKnowEverything

Oct 26, 22 8:47

Post #19 of 24 (3107 views)

tri@thlete wrote:

Yes, agreed. When they say "you must be an amateur athlete," but take folks like Ruth Astle (Pro) or Lars Wichert (ex Olympic Rower)...it really doesn't show how Zwift can help the normal person or even someone on the cusp of KQ get there.

Yeah - and I think there is a missed opportunity there. I obviously don’t know any real stats, but I’d have to think that for every person out there that has qualified for Kona, there are probably 10x that many legitimately trying to qualify but always fall short. THIS is how you sell to that group -“Zwift will get you across that gap! Here is evidence of 7 people this year that did just that!”

I’d also be far more entertained by the videos, too. When I see videos of a bunch of near-elites continuing to be near-elite…. I stop caring.

___________________________________
MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [tomekbielany] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 9:12

Post #20 of 24 (3092 views)

tomekbielany wrote:

pattaya wrote:

It's morphed into age groupers who just haven't taken their pro card yet. Ruth Astle, Eric Engel etc. It's more beneficial to stay an age grouper, get the free bike, coaching, gear, etc, then go pro the next year. Nothing every man about it lol.

It was like that during the first editions maybe. I coach a few solid AG-ers (podium or even fastest in Kona :)) myself and remember during first editions the ZWIFTers were really good, at least in the Age Groups that I follow a little. During last year I have not seen any of them @ FOP. Of course, I follow the Age Groups where my athletes are, so I may be biased here.

It looks like the support they provide is great and I would not hesitate to apply even if I am not very fast. The whole project looks healthy and I see no downside :) For top AG it might give the push they need to make it into pro ranks, for experienced and ambitious AG-ers it might help with KQ or 'bowl hunt', for beginner athletes it may be just a solid foundation of a long-term adventure. What other motivation do you need? :)

From what I remember, the very first year were just "normal AG'ers" just trying to kq. I don't believe any of them were really in contention for a kona ag podium. I remember hearing a few top ag'ers who had legitimate shots at a kona podium (some who had already podiumed) had applied to team but weren't accepted. Since the first year, it has seemed like they are targeting those who can podium at WC event.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [karmatraining] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 10:39

Post #21 of 24 (3009 views)

karmatraining wrote:

What do you mean “kona gofunder”?

I would presume that means someone who sets up a gofundme to pay for their vacation (Kona).

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 13:51

Post #22 of 24 (2869 views)

ajthomas wrote:

karmatraining wrote:

What do you mean “kona gofunder”?

I would presume that means someone who sets up a gofundme to pay for their vacation (Kona).

You presume correctly.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Oct 26, 22 15:09

Post #23 of 24 (2824 views)

I think what it's turned into could still be really good for the sport. In running/cycling the team dynamic seems to be bigger than in triathlon. Turn it into an elite development squad. It looks like they're cherry picking people who they think will do well so sponsors will see that gear when they make podiums. Fine. Be transparent.

I would love the resources chosen athletes are given. My biggest gripe is that I can't even "try out" for the team because I'm doing a late season race. The workouts aren't specific for my goals. You would have to have that be your entire hard training for a month. Can't they kind of just take a look at what you're doing on there? But I guess that doesn't help with participation levels. I also don't have a treadmill and like running outdoors. Access must be an issue for others who would do well with an opportunity like this.

Re: Zwift Tri Academy selection has lost it's motivation? [pacco] [ In reply to ]

Nov 4, 23 4:48

Post #24 of 24 (1076 views)

Looks likes it no more... bummer:

https://www.zwift.com/uk/zwift-academy

(scroll down to FAQ).

WILL ZWIFT BE DOING ZWIFT ACADEMY TRI AND RUN THIS YEAR?

There will be no Zwift Academy Tri or Run programs this year. We are very proud of both but have made the difficult decision to retire both campaigns for this season and instead focus on Zwift Academy Road program for 2023.

________________________________________________________
Taylor Rogers

2024: IM Hamburg

Our Partners

transition-DOT-area-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com

Advertise with us

©1999-2024 Slowtwitch, Inc., and Slowtwitch.com
Reproduction of material from any Slowtwitch.com page
without written permission is strictly prohibited.