What Age groups do you think spend the most money in the sport? Our sport is structured the way it is to make the most money for the "business". These folks are not stupid. These folks know how to totally draw in our personality types. I have been to races with more "masters" than non masters. If all us Masters quit, do you think our sport would still be around?

WTC has do a amazing job mentally with Kona, etc. What other sport has folks putting tattoos on their body? Why are we called "consumers". It is all about getting our money, no more, no less.

After I got hurt last year, and am not sure if I will ever race again, let alone at the level I was, I understand that this sport, at the top level, does not last long for most. And does it really mean that much? But it sure knows how to get the money from us Type A's.

Pro, bubble pro, Age Grouper, what does it mean? Just means more ways to get more money. Just a simple principal.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I must be missing something key from the whole debate. What is the relevant distinction that makes the contest unfair between a top age grouper and a "bubble" pro. Many pros devote all their time to training. But so also do many age groupers, especially among the college/grad school set. But many age groupers have full-time jobs. So also do many pros. To my knowledge, merely having a pro card doesn't confer any special performance enhancements that would give bubble pros an unfair advantage. So what is the debate about exactly?

If you had raced AG then you wouldn't have taken a slot from anyone, it would have been yours.

You can't "take" what you rightfully "earn" - BTW I enjoyed your RR after LP. How you earn it is your decision, not anyone else's. Why do you feel that you're racing pro for the "wrong" reasons? I'm not being judgemental - I'm genuinely curious. If I took a shot at Kona and missed out by one position because a former pro went AG, I wouldn't think twice about it. It would be clear that my best on that given day was my best, but 5 people in my AG had a better best than me (grammar straight out of Dr Seuss). When I set my 1/2 mary PR last spring, it was at a relatively small local race (<300). I finished 10th O/A, but missed the podium by 4 spots. The year before, in the same AG, I finished 20th O/A and missed the podium by 1 spot. Point being that you can't control who shows up or how they race. You can only control how you race.

Every pro was an AGer at one point, yet no one complains that an elite AGer should be racing pro because they're "taking" spots away from us "bubble" AGers.

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"The right to party is a battle we have fought, but we'll surrender and go Amish... NOT!" -Wayne Campbell

Who do you think spends all the money in golf, squash, sailing, cycling, or other high-end and/or equipment heavy sports? Triathlon's no different, I know it's a business perhaps even more so than other sports. But that doesn't mean qualifying for world championships has to be by done by age, or at least not in such small increments. I would imagine the $ spent chasing Kona is but a small % of the total triathlon spend anyways. Driving up the competition could make it an actual sport to watch (long shot there, I know).

I have read post about AG's complaining that the winner of their AG was a pro last year and it wasn't fair that they should get to race as an AG. I agree that it is rightfully my spot if I race as an AG and win my AG. Others just don't see it that way.

I think I race as pro for the right reason. I want to race against the best people who push me to race faster. There are people on this forum that feel that I am not racing for the right reason as stated above, because I don't plan on being a "full time pro". When the gun goes off it really doesn't matter if you work full time or not at all, or if you trained 0 hours a week or 100 hours a week. It only matters how finish. If you are fast enough to get a pro card and are competitive you should get to race in the pro field.

Mike

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http://www.MikeCaiazzo.com
http://www.USProTri.com

I agree that you should race as a Pro because you think you should. Who gives a sh_t what others think.

I'd love to race as a pro, but I can't so I won't. I'd much rather be the last pro than the 1'st Age grouper. (and I know your a lot better than the last Pro)

One thing in our sport is so many want a be's bitch on this is not fair, or this "pro" should not have raced as an Ager, etc. Bottom line who cares, we each race, have fun, and there will always be someone who bitches they deserve the right to be at Kona.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Actually the biggest fallacy is that it is an actual world championship. What wordl championship is always held in the same country with the vast majority of qualifying races in that country? It IS Kona but NOT a world championship! Have to say this because this important fact always seems to get omitted.And is maybe why the majority of competitors actually are American.

I agree to a certain extent. For the pros I think it's clearly the world championships, but for the age groupers, it's just the IM everyone wants to do.

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Ignorance is bliss until they take your bliss away.

Yes, that is it. Wel put!

Exactly. You cant control anything but yourself. So go do your best and dont worry about everyone else.

Another dr seus sentence... you earn what you earn and you dont earn what you dont earn. If you are in the top-5ish you earn. If not you dont. Same story with the rolldown.

There seems to be a base assumption through all of this thread about what is "fair". Like these BOP Pros should be banished forever from the AG ranks just because the raced pro at some point.

Life isnt fair.

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Checkout http://www.iotexpert.com

Huh? You might want to check your math on that one...there are definitely more qualifying races outside the U.S. than inside the U.S.

I thought this thread was about pros blowing bubbles. What a let down!

Number of US athletes at Kona last year: 706
Number of athletes from other countries: 1072