I'd say some impact on Australia and maybe nz from Asia where more 70.3s in Asia also means less ppl travelling south to race, fewer and more expensive flights post covid too plus quite a few ppl were s bit scared of country shutdowns in aussie en zed for travel plans, now a fading thought.

imnz imnz70. 3 used go have 20-30+ Thai athletes, in March this year it was..... 2. I think 2024 will be better but not by much as the higher performance ppl will go WC24 anyhow.

I'd agree 70.3 is a bit like one day vs test cricket 80% of the outcome for a lot less fluffing around and effort while still having some legit credentials vs 5150 or whatever that short course thing IM tried is.

Best race and best things in Stralia are Kiwi anyhow - pavlova, pineapple lumps, chully buns, crowded house margot robbie*... U blokes might as well accept the best full distance in Aussie is.... Imnz and that ain't going anywhere!

* OK maybe not her

There is the appeal of 70.3 races, where you can still have as you say 80 % of the outcome. For anyone who thinks the 70.3 is not enough of the challenge, and the IM is the only real show, did you run under 90 minutes in your last half?

A lot of folks do one or do IM for a while and either lose interest or just don't have the time motivation for such an enormous event. While I'm not fast by any measure on the back off:

• Year round cycle most days, lot of this easy social 3 to 4 coffee rides, not epic bunches, but we get about 50-60 Km in depending on where we start form.
• 1 to 2 interval type sets on zwift, in August do a crit or two per week, subbing out interval or coffee ride. These rides other than crits are done at 530 am. Ride once on weekend something long on gravel mainly for 4 hours or more.
• Run most days, 5- 7 km lunch filler, couple of intervals or hill sets, one mid week run up to 21 km and maybe some of those mid weeks get a bit longer 50- 70 Km

Swimming, oh how I hate you so, swim sometimes, try to go twicw, but more likely to lift. 12 weeks out from a half I will swim 3 to 4 times a week. This is good enough without having a tri plan or coach to go low 5 under 5 and over 5 if I don't have enough time.

But you can do halfs well just being a life style athlete, as outlined above

You are right... it is very different to what it was 10-15 years ago.

It used to be that if you didn't sign up within 24-48 hours, the races would sell out... no joke. Busso was like that. We had to be on the computer at the exact open time for registration refreshing to get in!

Now, you can get a slot if you are willing to pay, right up to race week. Numbers have definitely dropped... and IM know- which is why they have added Swim/BIke to Busso along with the 70.3 on the same day. Not as hard to train for, brings in more athletes on a course already shut down for them. They have had to adapt to the reduction in athletes racing IM.

Agree that's why 70.3 has exploded while IM is at best stable. Big time and effort commitment, hard to fake your way through either but IM training is just that extra few hours a week more and extra few weeks longer IMHO.

Agree, and no faking it really, but I can hack last 5 kms being a bit tough to well next 25 kms when the piano drops on your back.

Inaugural race in '04 was a two laps, parallel to the north side of the pier. It wasn't until the following year when it went around the pier.

The pier swim was a unique feature of the race for so many years. Busso might be the only tri location in the world with a conveniently located 1.9km pier running straight out into a relatively flat ocean.

That is interesting then. Not sure if they ever publicly explained the reason they scrapped the full jetty swim? From a safety perspective I would think they could keep a better eye on everyone from the elevated position.

I don’t like to sound like an old timer, but agree with some they ‘don’t make ‘em like they used to’.

Kipstar - I will say, having done Taupo twice. That IS a pretty course, and I loved my trips there.

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JAWS..
Fin-ished: Ironman WA organisers call time on iconic jetty swim due to shark concerns (watoday.com.au)

Apparently, sharks are less of a concern when everyone isn't dressed to look like a seal, as the 3.6km Busselton Jetty Swim is still going strong and will be celebrating its 29th consecutive year next February.

Yes, in 2021 while the rest of the world struggled with covid, there were 3000 swimmers at Busso enjoying WA's pestilence-free lifestyle.

The Busso Marathon and Half are also staged on the prior to the swim. Both swim and run events sell out months ahead.

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We all know that triathletes these days are soft. :-)

The day after IM Busso last year a shark paid a visit to the beach in between the jetty and the swim enclosure and some people were all freaked out about it.

“We all know that race organisers these days are soft”. There - fixed it for you. ;)

I have no interest in returning to Busso with the swim in its current format.

The Ironman and 70.3 on the same day is working for the folks at Ironman Oceania as Busso is now sold out.
(Todays FB post)
Facebook
.... THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT

All entries to 2023 GWM IRONMAN Western Australia and 2023 GWM IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia (Individual, Relay Teams and Aquabike) have now been snapped up.
Good luck to over 3000 athletes who are expected on the start line in Busselton on Sunday, 3 December. You have picked an epic race to end the year
With [/url]just 16 days to go, the countdown is well and truly now on We hope all athletes are enjoying some taper time in preparation for the big dance!