Welcome to America.... You can buy ANYTHING here. I had a girlfriend once who didn't like the body she was born with. $8000 later she is a happy girl. I know some people who couldn't have children. A few thousand bucks later they have a little bundle of joy. Want to be an astronaut without a master's from MIT? Strike it rich in software and buy your way onto a Mir Russian space mission. Want to climb Everest? It's $65K but no guarantees you'll live. Remember the guy who offered Britney Spears several million dollars for her virginity? The only thing you can't buy is something that's already gone.... Like Britney Spears the Ironman spirit is now a business. My advice: Do the Marathon Des Sables. It's still a real race, not a sideshow to the highest bidder.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

It's not really a shortcut- there has been a lottery associated with Hawaii nearly as long (or as long?) as it has been the world championship. Getting in through the lottery just required money and luck- now they've eliminated the luck variable and gone straight to the money. I don't think anyone that knows anything at all about the sport would equate qualifying for the race and getting in through the lottery- they are two completely different achievements. For my part, I am going to keep bustin my ass triin to qualify. If I were handed a lottery slot free of charge, I don't think I would take it. Someday maybe I would take it, but not until I know I can't get in the hard way.

Also, I am pretty sure that the money raised is going towards building a new YMCA, which is a worthy cause in my mind. With opening bids starting at $10,000!! this auction alone might fund the building.

sweet

[reply]Welcome to America.... You can buy ANYTHING here. I had a girlfriend once who didn't like the body she was born with. $8000 later she is a happy girl.[/reply]

I know. But that doesn't make it less sick in my eyes. You work har on that bar to get that babe back home into your cosy room. You talk all night about stuff you have no idea about, you'd prefer to talk with your buddies about what gears to put on for IMC but no, you're working hard to get that girl. You finally do and then you touch plastic. Disappointed, no? Well for some it's still a keeper, not for me and it's the same with IM slots.
Very disapointing to me but I do know that this is part of the american lifestyle and I'm not trying to change it.

But with that kind of moves, the WTC move their event away from being a dream for a lot of people out there and events like Roth or the Great Floridian will emerge strong in the years to come!