This has probably been proposed before but given I read almost all of the drafting threads here I thought maybe, just maybe, it hadn't, so here goes.
The problem:
1) Too many athletes coming out of T1 together creating packs
2) Not enough motos and/or willingness to enforce from the officials (and enforcement is difficult, generally)
3) Penalties AND the chance of being caught are low, so the overall risk of a penalty is certainly very low and the reward for drafting is potentially very high
Solution:
Create "No Passing" zones where athletes are required to space out to legal distance or face an instantaneous penalty.
The details: You let athletes come out of T1 normally, because holding people up at the mount line would be chaotic. But after a few miles (or whatever is safe) you create a semi-narrow "no pass" zone with 2 sets of RFID sensors set up 12m apart. These are VERY clearly marked and warnings are given in intervals leading up to the sensors, so there are no surprises. If you cross the back sensor before the athlete in front of you passes the front sensor, you get an instant penalty and your name/number is displayed on an LED board to notify you of that penalty. There would be penalty tents at the end of these zones.
There could also be an RFID sensor at the beginning and end of the "no pass" zone and you would be penalized if you pass an athlete in the zone.
This can be set up a few times on the course, maybe 2 times on a HIM course and 3-4 on an IM course. The immediate effect would be the spacing out of the field. Packs may still form but the forced spacing will make it a lot harder.
This also doesn't cost a billion dollars like drones and/or monitoring by police aircraft and is pinpoint accurate, unlike GPS.
Now, there is probably zero incentive for WTC to implement this, but maybe a local race director or two could try it to win over athletes who are tired of the rampant bending of the rules at the bigger races.
Convince me I'm wrong.
Strava
The problem:
1) Too many athletes coming out of T1 together creating packs
2) Not enough motos and/or willingness to enforce from the officials (and enforcement is difficult, generally)
3) Penalties AND the chance of being caught are low, so the overall risk of a penalty is certainly very low and the reward for drafting is potentially very high
Solution:
Create "No Passing" zones where athletes are required to space out to legal distance or face an instantaneous penalty.
The details: You let athletes come out of T1 normally, because holding people up at the mount line would be chaotic. But after a few miles (or whatever is safe) you create a semi-narrow "no pass" zone with 2 sets of RFID sensors set up 12m apart. These are VERY clearly marked and warnings are given in intervals leading up to the sensors, so there are no surprises. If you cross the back sensor before the athlete in front of you passes the front sensor, you get an instant penalty and your name/number is displayed on an LED board to notify you of that penalty. There would be penalty tents at the end of these zones.
There could also be an RFID sensor at the beginning and end of the "no pass" zone and you would be penalized if you pass an athlete in the zone.
This can be set up a few times on the course, maybe 2 times on a HIM course and 3-4 on an IM course. The immediate effect would be the spacing out of the field. Packs may still form but the forced spacing will make it a lot harder.
This also doesn't cost a billion dollars like drones and/or monitoring by police aircraft and is pinpoint accurate, unlike GPS.
Now, there is probably zero incentive for WTC to implement this, but maybe a local race director or two could try it to win over athletes who are tired of the rampant bending of the rules at the bigger races.
Convince me I'm wrong.
Strava