hey Big J...

yes it will be applied apparently...but at least you're a good swimmer.

Will that help?

well, if you want to break away no. if you want to save your legs for the run yes.

One thing that it's being forgotten in all this discussion about the stagger rule enforcement in IMF is that, even though it's a large field pro field (with very few elite athletes), it won't be nearly as competitive as IMH.

So I'm not sure a group will form, and if it does, I'm not sure it will be difficult to break away from it.

Also as an off-topic rant, I could never understand why the guys that bike off the front are always the heroes and the guys that stay back, stay clean and end up running down everybody are the vilains. Because usually those are the guys that win the race.



Paulo

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

"I could never understand why the guys that bike off the front are always the heroes and the guys that stay back, stay clean and end up running down everybody are the vilains. Because usually those are the guys that win the race. "


umm I think the word is Integrity. There are rules, and any smartass can work within the rules - but against the intent of the rules. The intent of drafting/stagger rules is to ensure that the athlete with the best combined swim-bike-run wins the race. Quite clearly this does not always happen. Sure you can ride in a pack and 'stay clean' and it may be the smartass thing to do - but most folks recognise the integrity that some athletes have in refusing to pack ride in triathlon, don't forget that whilst some athltes choose to go off the front (and get hero status) there are those that simply drop back behind these loose bunches and refuse to pack ride, or those that are positioned from the swim such that they work their butts off but just can't seem to match those guys riding in what looks like a large number of athletes in a very small space.

I've never read anyone on this board begrudge an athlete who wins from behind with a killer run - unless they point out the clear lack of integrity that athlete displayed by riding against the intent of rules and spirit of the sport.

Having said that I don't lay blame on athletes - it is the fault of race directors, officials, governing bodies who bury their head in the sand and ignore the facts that the sport as a whole lacks that golden word: Integrity!

What I meant with "stay clean" was within the rules. If a competitor is in a "legal pack" like the ones allowed by the stagger rule, then I think that his/her integrity cannot and should not be questioned.



Paulo

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Does anyone know if the stagger rule is just for the pros or will the AG'ers be allowed to do it as well.



Best of luck Jonas, kick some butt out there!!

The stagger rule is for pros only - AGers go by the standard ride right, pass left. It's one thing to have 2 or 3 dozen pros stagger; having AGers stagger would be pandemonium.