Not sure about Kona, but there are some rules about calling things WC events. I don't have the exact rules, but in T&F for instance, its a Oly sport, and Oly sports are governed in the US by USAT & F.. You couldn't put on a WC Track meet with their approval or help, and I think that calling another track event a WC is somehow protected by law..

I think calling Kona the WC is one of the few things that WTC gets from the partnership from USAtriathlon.

But I'm not sure if Rev3 breaks from USAT if they could then call a race the WC for Iron distance. I'm not sure it matters, unless they would comp entries and possibly travel cost (which isn't going to happen) Kona will be thought of as The Show. Most causal fans don't even know Kona is the WC, just that its the mostiportant tri in the world.

Styrrell

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Styrrell

I think it goes like this. ITU is the Olympics recognized worldwide organization for triathlon. ITU controls any race's ability to advertise itself as the "xxxx World Championships", at least for triathlon, duathlon, maybe aquathlon. This goes for sprint Worlds, olympic worlds, long course worlds. WTC won the rights, through a court battle at CAS, to own and control the naming of anything named Ironman World Championships, which I think is why its called the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, so it will fall under that same umbrella. So, yes, someone could put on a Long or Ultra World Championships in Kona, with ITU's OK, but would it be worth picking that fight with WTC?

yes!

(i've had a lot of coffee and i am rocking out to Mr Saturday Night Special...... so i'm in a 'fightin' mood)

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Tim

Rev 3 could mos definitely call it something like the Rev 3 World Championship, the Rev 3 Championship or any other myriad of names. They cannot call it "Ironman" and there may be some trademarks on the use of the word "Triathlon", but they could even call it the Rev 3 REAL World Championship if they like.

As far as USAT goes, the real benefit to WTC is INSURANCE coverage. The reason why USAT events require USAT cards, or sell one day licenses is to pay the cost of INSURING the events, protecting the organizers and providing limited coverage for the athletes. Organizations that hold races that are not USAT sanctioned mainly means they have chosen to go their own way and either don't need the USAT umbrella, or the USAT is actually unable to provide coverage.

I did a race in Newport Rhode Island that was held on the Naval Station which was not a USAT sanctioned event, but since it was all on a military base, it was subject to military regulations and coverage

As the saying goes, "When it comes to a breakfast of ham and eggs, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed."

Would you be the athlete (involved) or the race management (committed) in this battle?

i just want to be the: drunk guy watching the fight that runs in and takes a couple 'free shots' and runs back out and talks shit! then when the cops come to break it up i go back into the bar.

which one would that be?

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Tim

why do it in Kona?

do it somewhere else with different conditions. Somewhere cooler, or hillier, or more technical

get a different crop of athletes rising to the top.

in fact I have declared Savageman as the TRUE half ironman world championship a few days ago.

see you there!

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Why would a "World Championship" have to be held in Kona? There are plenty of places around the world worthy of hosting a race like this.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I agree, if you want a WC to compete with Kona, putting it in Kona is a big handicap. You will always be the little brother. Of course other than the exact IM distance the Long Distance WC race, this year in Las Vegas already exists. Given the course the effort is going to be about the same, I suspect winning times will only be about and hour or less slower.

That WC wont have anywhere near the cachet as Kona though, either withing the tri community or from casual fans (well casual fans wont even know it exists)

Styrrell

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Styrrell

A bit confused by your question--does it imply that Kona is a false or untrue World Championship?

Do you really believe Macca is not the reigning IM World Champion? That Pete Reid wasn't WC 3 times? that the Ironwar wasn't to determine the World Champ? That ABC is wrong in calling it the World Championship? That among people who know/care about this niche sport that the 95%+ who believe it to be the WC are wrong?

As far as IM goes, Kona is the one and only. sorry to break the news to you.

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Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.

oh we know

but why not change it? =)

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

then why am "I" not in it and the biggest loooooooooooser is?


"I" referring to anyone that thinks they are competitive enough to be there.

i think for the pro's it IS the world champs. sorta.

i think it is the 'big show' and as best the pro's can, they show up and race with the best (on that day, in that location).

there at TWO events being held in one location at one time now. the 'world champs' and the 'bucket list'

two different events.......... two different mentalities that shouldn't BOTH be racing the 'world champs'

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Tim

I guess what I don't understand is, so what. The masses at Kona really don't prevent a potential winner from winning or even being there. I've won my AG at an independant IM and been top 10 in my AG in a couple of national championships, so if I were to do a WTC event, I think I have a shot at qualifying, but I have no shot of winning my AG at Kona.

Its a unique event you couldn't hold a IM on a good course where only the top 25 AGers from each class were allowed in, It would be too expensive to put on a first class event, so they fill out the field with 1500 others that have no shot of winning. Once you are in a WC with no shot what difference does it make how you got there?

Styrrell

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Styrrell

Isn't that a lot like letting mom'n'pops show up for the daytona 500 and racing their honda civic because they lost 200lbs or because they bought a lottery slot? sure you are 'there' and the winners will still win....... but i'm not sure if that might detract a little from the big event.

if nobody thinks outside the box ever.........then we are all just living in a box.

look out your window man, there's a HUGE world out there.

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Tim

Nothing at all like it. Mom and Pops would be a bit of a hindrance in the actual race. You and I in Kona wouldn't cause any issues. Also you and I in the race make it possible, where as Nascar has enough money that they don't have to let others in (well except for Danica ;-).

Styrell

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Styrrell

I'm sure it does detract from the 'big event' since everyone can name the Pro women and mens champions, the Biggest Loser Contestant, and the guy who came in with 2 seconds to spare. No one can remember the actual 'Age Group' world champions. The real question is, can the 'Age Group' world champions hold an audience on their own?

that's how i see it.............. but i'm a triathlete that knows about the race, not a 'common viewer'

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Tim

No it is not like your Daytona analogy. Lottery and promotional entry recipients do not go off with the pro wave.

You also can drive around many NASCAR tracks with other amateurs by just paying for the experience.

Agreed!
As far as IM goes, Kona is the one and only.

I'd say it's more like a "sprinter" from Ghana running 15+ seconds for the 100m in the Track & Field World Championships and two other guys who were 12+ seconds (this happened on Saturday). Not really much different than a lottery since a fit 12-year old can run faster. I'm sure the guy isn't the fastest man in Ghana but he represented his country in the WCs.

So are the T&F WCs really not true World Championships?

In the mens 100m, maybe ;-)

Styrrell

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Styrrell

It ain't good for nothin', but putting a man 6 feet in a hole!

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

I would think that anyone that really knew about the race would respect the lottery. Access to the common man is after all part of the race history, is it not?

you want a TRUE world championship? Why dick around with age groupers and "elites" (whatever that means)? How many truly revenue generating (on a global scale, one capable of supporting professionals from prize money, sponsorships, etc. that allows the best of the best to focus on their chosen profession) sports intermix these 2 concepts? Where is the American football age group world champs held? Or the baseball age group champs? Can those guys walk out on the same stage (field) with NFLers or MLBers? If you want this to be treated like a "big boy" sport, then start to treat it like one. No age grouper should be involved in a world championship - setting aside some sort of possible "elite" qualification system such as that mployed by golf for US open/masters (or even tennis for US open now). If you want a small fringe sport where everyone plays together (and I do not mean that in a derogatory manner at all), then why should any of us care about "true world champs"?