on the whole it could be a big cost savings to a pro. If elite entries are as expensive as AG entries, and you do 3-4 events between both the IM and 70.3 series, you could come out ahead, especially if you win some $.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

what I find more interesting is them instituting a time % to get prize money. On that front, I think in many races, especially the female races, there will be some elites going home empty handed when before they would get a check.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Looks like no woman will be able to qualify at any ironman wellington does

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Ride Scoozy Electric Bicycles
http://www.RideScoozy.com

Well... It's about time.

looks like they are cutting back on the # of pro slots at the IMs too. 5 at most next year, and some (IM Louisville) only have 4.

One of the interesting details is that world championship fees aren't included. It makes me try and imagine the financial realities for racers and organizers.

kinda glad i wont have worry about that... haha

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___________________________
I have probably helped you go faster.

Looks at least like it's a better organized system then that which was in place before. I wonder how they decided on the 5% time cut for Kona/Clearwater qualification.

This will be a HUGE discount for many pros. With IM registration fees at $600 and most (all?) 70.3 fees at $200-250, you can make up $750 in a hurry.

-C

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

Slightly off-topic:

Does this mean Cali 70.3 does not have any Kona slots anymore or did everyone already know that? (Just curious.)

I think on the surface it looks like a good idea, especially for the vets that are traveling the circuit and hitting 70.3 races every couple of weeks through the season.
It does kind of screw the short course pro's who might want to jump into an early season or late end of season 70.3 race though.
Do one race and the cost is $750. For the 70.3 races since the entry fees vary a bit, the break even point for a pro would be in the 4 or 5 race number.
So, great for the pro's that are racing Ironman's and 70.3's all season but it cuts off the new guys moving up from ITU that might only want to do one or two 70.3's.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

This would be huge for the guys that are scraping by as a 12th or 15th place pro. If your body could handle it, one could race 4-5 IM's a year and get alot of exposure for $750. The only thing that I see wrong with this is that the pro field would go from 20 to 100 at every race knowing that they aren't out any money if they don't finish. I do like the % rule though, some of the really fast age-groupers would get a slot for finishing ahead of the pros.

- i like it
- i especially like the standards for kona qualification and prize money
- not many real (or even pseudo) pros were generally paying entry fees, so it's probably an increased expense for most

check under the Qualifiers tab. It looks like CA 70.3 is the only 70.3 race in 2010 that will have Kona slots, 28 total slots for Kona.
Surely races like the Kona 70.3 race will still have slots, at least for Island residents. Maybe the list isn't complete yet?

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I saw this earlier. The one thing that really gets me is the Active.com registration. I had to laugh after throwing up in my mouth a little bit.

While this may save some Pros money on entry fees, some were already receiving appearance fees, and receiving free entry. I can certainly see the field possibly getting decimated for the Championship races. So lets say the only pros that finish within 5% have already qualified. Sounds like no rolldowns anymore.

I then laughed at the ENORMOUS list of 70.3 races.

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-- Aaron Davidson

I'm pretty sure that Monaco and St. Croix already announced Kona slots for 2010.

Maybe I misunderstood, but the new rules just affect pros.

There are no kona slots for pros at any 70.3's except for the winner of clearwater. the new rules don't change that.

The age group slots are unaffected by the new rules and do not factor into the pro slots. So if an AGer finishes in 3rd place overall behind 2 pros, and in front of the third place pro, the AGer would get his AG slot and the pro, if he is within 5% of the 1st place pro, would get the 3rd and final pro Kona slot.

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http://ianmikelsonracing.com/2013/

One clear winner here, Petr Vabrousek. At least I presume he does not get free entries into all of those races he does.

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

Slightly off-topic:

Does this mean Cali 70.3 does not have any Kona slots anymore or did everyone already know that? (Just curious.)

No. this has nothing to do with age group slots. if you look at the link below, it lists california. it doesn't list Hawaii or Rhode Island, but I don't think that means much, since there are also only 4 70.3 races listed for slots for clearwater.


http://www.ironmancenter.com/qualify/konaslots.php

How does he race so much? Seriously an IM almost every month. 11 by my count plus other ultra distance events. How do you plan a year like that.

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-- Aaron Davidson

wow


that is one BIG step back..... i dont get it at all?????

they are really trying to kill the sport at a professional level.

Unless they commit to rise the prize money at races... so far, it just mean that people like me will have to pay more to race than i use to...... with no rise in prize money.....

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

Not at all...... there is no organistation in this...just collection money

It s going to be a HUGE discount for the pros that dont deserve to be racing pros....

But for the real contender, it s simply one more expense with no positive coming from it..... unless they commit to rise prize purse and number of drug testing..... if i can make up for that memebership by a rise in prize money...i m all for it...

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

The Hawaii 70.3 website says there are still spots for residents and non-residents in 2010.

I agree with Jonnyo. Why not just make the pro 'license' the price of one 70.3 and then let the pros race as many times as they want. It's not like a handful of pros signing up at $750 each really changes the revenue profile of these races, but it hurts the pros already living hand to mouth. Instead, jack up the age group entry fee by $1 and it covers the incremental revenue from all these pros. Most engineers make more for writing 10-100 lines of code (spec'd, architected, designed, implemented, tested) than a pro can make in an Ironman race if they finish off the podium.

Note: There will be NO redistribution of the unearned prize money. Prize money will be paid exactly as advertised.

That’s rather hilarious. I wonder exactly what prize money they are talking about?

This is nothing but WTC trying to corner the market on long course triathlons and extort pro triathletes. If they offer ‘free’ entry to all of the 60+ Ironman branded events that run year round, why would a pro race anywhere else?

Shitty Ironman prize money is why.

They’re hoping that this little gimmick keeps pro triathletes of any notoriety from entering lesser non WTC branded long course triathlons.

All an event like Abu Dhabi Tri, Rev3 or others would have to do is offer free entry to all pros and kick the first place purse to about $500K per event with generous cash rolling down from 2-10 and this retarded scam would sink.

On the other hand, pre-paid race entries for age-groupers would be a fantastic way for WTC to make money. I would gladly write a check to the WTC today for $1000 if it guaranteed me entry to as many races of my choosing in 2010.

But the WTC caters to the elite and hammers the working man. $550 to enter an Ironman….. WTF!?!?

Get your boot off of my neck WTC!!

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**