How much is the testing. I would gladly pay an extra $50 to be tested, if I were to get a slot again (backdoor brag). If it were just one test though, I'm not sure how effective it would be and/or when taken. It would be easy to PED leading up to race day, qualify, and test clean on race day. It would also be easy to test clean when you arrive in Kona.

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

Unless testing is done out of competition then only the stupid end up getting caught.

True, but even the stupid deserve to be caught...

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http://ironvision.blogspot.com ; @drSteve1663

OOC testing should absolutely be part of the qualifying.

1. Declare yourself for the Kona Qualifier pool 1 JAN for the following season's Kona qualifying races, which start about 31 August and continue on through August of the following year

2. Be subject to OOC testing for the next 20 months

3. Attempt to qualify at races of your choice

4. Start the process over the following January

5. Test data forms basis for AG biological passport

That said, WTC is about making $$, not fair sport.

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Do you win something of financial value? I'd rather see it at races where you win something of value. Seems like a slot at USAT nationals and worlds should also be tested if pushing for Vegas or KONA or are you only concerned about long course? Why not push a governing body rather than a private one?

Would WTC make $$ if they would allow cutting the courses? No.

Why do athletes allow non-testing?

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

USAT does test at their championships.

It's only one of the reasons people cheat. I highly doubt it's the main reasons for anyone in triathlon.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

I'll take a stab at that...

because generally, we're intellectually lazy. We've bought into the myth that "it's not that common" and "it can't happen to me" and "a false positive is way to common and way to life altering".

Also, we're easy. No doubt there are influential people in the sport who dope and who attempt to steer the narrative away from rational discourse on a testing solution. (ie. just test, dammit). Sheep who follow.

Finally, we're narrow minded. We don't have the experience that others have... both to know how common doping is and to know how easy it is to test.

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Good points. Hence, we need events that take it in their hands and show it can and has to be done.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

Read my entire post - triathlon is not just about long course.

It takes an independent organization, not the sport governing body. Read Vaughters on Cyclingnews. Spot on.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

I don't follow sports that closely. Not even this one. So maybe I'm just ignorant, but what sport has had a major doping issue in the amateur ranks?

I don't see AG testing as having anything at all to do with the TDF, or baseball, or soccer, etc. Pro testing is a different matter.

I'm not opposed to some random testing etc... but I don't want my race fees increased 10% and be required to be at the race site a day earlier for the mandatory drug testing either. I'm BOP and more likely to be caught by the cutoffs than catch the podium. While I don't want to encourage anyone to dope, I don't want to add more barriers to new entrants either. And over the top drug testing just might.

Is testing the Kona/Vegas qualifiers over the top. Maybe not. Do we test the guy who got in on the roll down 30 spots in?

Just food for thoguht.

Cycling, track and field, american football. Those are 3 right there where there's at minimum anecdotal evidence that there's a major drug problem. In cycling the evidence is more than anecdotal.

Some very good thoughts and points made. I absolutely agree that "long" distance isnt the only distance in triathlon, im a huge fan of ITU, brownlees, gomez, frodeno, etc... And also join in on the olympic and sprint race action occasionally, so my apologies. I also agree that we absolutely dont need another price increase on entries! Thats for sure, I have no problem saying that Im def not one of the 80% (or whatever the figure is) that brings home over $100,000/annually. But (and not sure this is the answer either) but maybe athlete that finishes on podium or takes "slot" pays for 25% of the test, I dont know..? Some how some way "I" believe this needs to happen.
Also you say some guys/gals dope and are clean (or could be) at time of testing, do these drugs not stay in the body very long or are athletes "micro-dosing"? Anyhow not saying testing would stop all cheats but maybe keep some honest. Last ?. Do any of the series (mdot, rev3, lifetime, etc) test age group athletes? That may be the series I wanna spend my $ with... Just thinking out loud

Anybody who thinks AG testing is a reasonable idea places way too much importance on what is a hobby. Who the f cares? So I race against guys who are doping. So be it. I'll train and race the best I can. It's recreation, not livelihood. Not to mention, the cost of any effective testing program would be exorbitant. As already mentioned, any in competition testing is only going to catch the rare idiot.

If you guys spent as much time training as you did worrying about cheating you'd all be top 3 age groupers!

So you don't care about drafting or cutting the course either. Then why do you compete at all? There's plenty of free water and earth out there.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

1. Many here are that good.

2. Many others care for their sport beyond their own little plate.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

Let me ask you a question, since you do drug testing. Do you actually do "random" AG testing or is it all result based? I find "random" AG testing pretty stupid and sorta missing the picture of what drug testing is about. I'd hope for a system that says, "this is the group of athletes that are successful and need to be tested", not just an general threat of "well you signed up for a race, so you can be tested". I'd like to see a system setup (and maybe it's already there) that puts qualifiers on events/results. If you want to go for X qualifying race, you enter this program and your in the testing pool. But the idea that anyone who signs up for races can get tested, just seems like a lack of focus and waste of resource. If testing is truly limited, let's put it to the best use possible, and I'd love to have an WTC "racing" wave where your in the running for awards but also eligible for testing. The 48 year old soccer mom who doesnt care one bit, can still do her race and have all her bucket list moments and sorta be left alone. But I think we currently have a system where anyone that signs up for a race is eligible for testing. That just seems to be too generalized, and to me a waste of a limited resource.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

We work with USADA to use the very limited funds as smart as possible which means focusing on the most relevant groups without completely neglecting anyone. Of course it is not perfect but it's a start. All it takes is more events doing the same.

As a direct consequence from our testing, Battenkill and CRCA test this year. And - if I understood correctly - our testing has helped REV3 in their decision to test AGers from 2013 on.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

I wonder if Floyd's fondo is going to test as well?

i think your approach is the one that most races should be taking. Target the key demographics with focus on podium finishes while still random testing the rest. The reason I think the randoming the rest is still so important is because from that group is where the next batch of podium contenders will come.

I doubt the funds will allow that in year one but hopefully next year.

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CAMPAGNOLO GRAN FONDO NEW YORK

Will be interesting to see. Im just trying to figure out if I can do 2 gran fondos inside a month (yours and his).