ask77nl wrote:
dtoce wrote:
I'm interested to hear about how the race was in terms of organization. It seems as if the Rev3 did a much better job...
This was my first one here, so I'm not sure how it was before. But the following things were a bit annoying:
- slow parking on Saturday due to Amusement park being open
- the idea that sherpas cannot come with athletes, but only after 6:30am
- for people who don't have sherpas there was no bag drop.
- 2000 bikes brought back to parking spots on old school buses (did it really happen this way? or people send their SOs to bring cars?)
- in the morning bike tech people brought 4 pumps with shrader valve connectors and let triathletes have fun for a while. Then they took pity on technically challenged and give us normal pumps :)
Probably most of it has to do with the disadvantages of the place. Too close to NYC/Boston to find a park with a lake and lot of parking that can be rented exclusively for the weekend?
But I agree, there was a lot of things done right:
- Enough police presence and volunteers.
- Course markings are clear
- Sings "Caution, rough road ahead" could have been replaced by "Caution, you're in Connecticut", but appreciated anyway
- Letting bikes to be taken before announced 1:30 - nice touch.
- “the idea that sherpas cannot come with athletes, but only after 6:30am”- NO- it was posted and stated that Sherpas” could be on shuttles at 5:30 not 6:30
- “...bag drop...” Why would you need a bag drop? There was only 1 transition.
In regard to shortening of swim, it had far more to do with safety than road timing. The lifeguards have to be able to see everyone, and if they are spread over a 1.2 mile course that would not be possible. They had to bring the course closer to shore, where it was less foggy, and make it shorter so the lifeguards could be closer together. They basically formed a corridor of kayaks and boards, making it impossible for anyone to swim off course. Shortening the swim was absolutely the right decision, and they did it quickly and in a very organized manner.
I thought the volunteers were great, well spaced at bike aid stations, very friendly and helpful.
The bike course is technical, based on the course and the often bad roads, but the biggest issue on the bike course was the horribly bad riders- why do so many triathletes not put any time into basic riding skills? Yes, it was crowded, but it looked like the keystone cops out there!
The only thing I blame the WTC for is eliminating a vegetarian option for post race food. At first I thought this was the Quassy Park, but when I asked they told me the had always had vegetarian options in the past (Rev 3) but the WTC declined doing this to save money!