Certainly looks that way. Looked up his bib # and got his name. Then went to USAT Rankings. His scores don’t get him anywhere near Kona. And no Ironman race since 2016.

Wait Ventum had buy a bike and get a Kona Slot?? I missed that and its total BS

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Yellowfin Endurance Coaching and Bike Fits
USAT Level 1, USAC Level 3

Was that the deal they ran? I thought it was buy a bike and win a chance to go to an IM race...

I think your post is wrong...

Edit:
For a limited time, customers purchasing a new IRONMAN by Ventum bike will be eligible to receive a free IRONMAN race registration.
The race registration may be used for any race operated by IRONMAN in 2018 or 2019 (excluding championship races), even if the race is already sold out! After completing your purchase, a Ventum representative will contact you and ask you to select which race you like to enter, and provide additional information about completing the registration process. Some restrictions apply. For complete terms and conditions, please see here.

There appears to be an exception here for Kona

The free race registration may be used for select IRONMAN®-or IRONMAN 70.3®-branded races that meet the following criteria:

 Are not designated as championship races (including without limitation, the IRONMAN® World
Championship and the IRONMAN® 70.3® World Championship).
May not be combined with any other discount

They may have since changed it, but yes, for a while, it was for the right to buy an entry into the Kona race:

https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...F_P6714596/#p6714596

It is also entirely possible someone with the dough to buy one of those bikes has the dough to buy a corporate or charity slot. I think those still exist as well..

This ^^^. I know a couple of guys that went the corporate executive route in 2015 & 2016.

You can't "buy" an executive spot. You compete for them at qualifier events. Generally, the winners are sub 11.

Ventum is the bike sponsor right? We are talking a for profit race that has all kinds of entry pathways into this “world championship” race. It’s no more BS than half the other pathways.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Kona is a corporate series championship. Yeah the pros are impressive and it’s still an achievement to qualify blah blah. But ultimately it’s not a true “world championship” so I never get why people get all bothered by corporate/charity/etc slots.

Hmmm. I'll have to check with them. They're definitely not that fast and they didn't get in via the legacy program. Maybe they got in via the auction (Ironman Foundation) route.

Well, it's a true world championship for the pros...maybe not for you when your spot rolls down to 10th !

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

I actually think it's true world championship + "wanker" pathways. Meaning I think for the most part the fast as people in our sport are there, or atleast given an opportunity. Maybe the fastest 48 year old declines this year because he's been there 7 of last 9 years, etc. I just think it's a bunch of "races" all raced at the same time. So if you win your AG etc, you are damn well likely one of the fastest in the world. I just think it's a bunch of other ways that gets you in. So in that sense no it's not a "true" world championship, but I also dont think the "wanker" pathway takes away from "deserving" athletes who would make the podium etc. It simply takes out the "filler" AG athetes that while yes much faster than most of the charity slot athletes, the fast people are here in Kona 98% of the time.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

From the bike count thread 49 ventum how many have qualified? Let's be very optimistic and say 19... Which would mean 30 got it in by the sponsor door!

Honestly, I don't care how people enter the race. I qualified in past and that what really matters to me, good for them to get a chance to race in Hawaii. Legacy program is great even if 10% of the spots 250 out of 2500 were giving thru different programs it helps the race to get exposure and have better coverage.

More than 20 hours of live coverage coming up!!!

Agreed. The complaints are equivalent to griping that other people get to take fancier vacations than you. Sorry.

Call me when it rolls down to 80th LOL