Just got in from the live coverage of the Cap-Tex tri, and what a race. As I write this, Dan is digging into the finer details of what went on out there, and talking to some of the players involved, but here is what I saw out there and heard from folks. Tell me what you would have done??
So the men pros go off in the swim, and early in the race someone in a boat(unknown who at this time, perhaps official, perhaps race volunteer, perhaps none of those) comes up and yells at them to go this way and ignore the turn buoy. They all do except Potts and one other guy, who I believe is off the back already. So do you follow the course that you think you know, or follow what appears to be an officials order?? Looking at my notes now, it appears that it gave Andy a 2;50 lead on the others, and the one other guy managed to turn what would have been a 3 minute or so deficit in the swim, to a few second lead on the actual lead mens pack..What would you have done and why?
So now the women that leave 4 minutes after the men, all do the correct course, as it has been sorted out by now, and the fast girls are now right behind the men pros. The get all mixed in, and now the next little gray area emerges. I notice that Sara McLarty is running right on the shoulder of Dustin McLarty, hard to miss with both of them with names all over their suits. Could be a pass, but I watch them come from 200 yards away, and watch them go off a 1/4 mile, and it is apparent that he is jogging to break wind for her. 2k later same thing, and at the finish he sprints ahead of her with a 1/4 to go after doing the entire run with her, so what's up with that?? Dan will talk more later about other cases like this we have seen, where pacing among the women by spouses, sibilings, coaches, ect., who just happen to be in the race, has been around for quite some time. So what do you all think about this situation, ok or bending some rule to the breaking point???
Anyway great day out there, I wish I knew if Potts just soft raced to win, or was having a bad day with tremendous luck. As a former pro myself, I have been in similar situations, and just cannot tell if this was Hunters race stolen, or Andy's early X-mas present from the triathlon Santa. Quite a present too, over $12k and the new series leader, gonna be some mad boys out there...
So the men pros go off in the swim, and early in the race someone in a boat(unknown who at this time, perhaps official, perhaps race volunteer, perhaps none of those) comes up and yells at them to go this way and ignore the turn buoy. They all do except Potts and one other guy, who I believe is off the back already. So do you follow the course that you think you know, or follow what appears to be an officials order?? Looking at my notes now, it appears that it gave Andy a 2;50 lead on the others, and the one other guy managed to turn what would have been a 3 minute or so deficit in the swim, to a few second lead on the actual lead mens pack..What would you have done and why?
So now the women that leave 4 minutes after the men, all do the correct course, as it has been sorted out by now, and the fast girls are now right behind the men pros. The get all mixed in, and now the next little gray area emerges. I notice that Sara McLarty is running right on the shoulder of Dustin McLarty, hard to miss with both of them with names all over their suits. Could be a pass, but I watch them come from 200 yards away, and watch them go off a 1/4 mile, and it is apparent that he is jogging to break wind for her. 2k later same thing, and at the finish he sprints ahead of her with a 1/4 to go after doing the entire run with her, so what's up with that?? Dan will talk more later about other cases like this we have seen, where pacing among the women by spouses, sibilings, coaches, ect., who just happen to be in the race, has been around for quite some time. So what do you all think about this situation, ok or bending some rule to the breaking point???
Anyway great day out there, I wish I knew if Potts just soft raced to win, or was having a bad day with tremendous luck. As a former pro myself, I have been in similar situations, and just cannot tell if this was Hunters race stolen, or Andy's early X-mas present from the triathlon Santa. Quite a present too, over $12k and the new series leader, gonna be some mad boys out there...
