Wow, you are quite the jerk. If you read my post maybe you would understand that the criteria are and have been posted for quite sometime.

Performances = points that could have been earned over the past 2 years. Fretta had enough points to get into Yokohama, he got on that start list and raced (as I'm sure Collins, Brown and Billington could have done). Was he lucky, maybe? Its not USAT's fault that athletes chose to not read the rules implemented by the ITU.

The ITU puts priority on the WCS list, just as they have done in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Its not new. WCS races are the pinnacle of the sport, and thus the WCS list is how the chose the majority of starters for the races, not the ITU points. The points list is for filling in the list after they take 8 gold group and 30 WCS list people.

This same situation has happened every year after Sydney when just one race got a start for the majority of people.

Northeast,

I think the problem is that USAT not only didn't know how the ITU was going to select the field for San Diego, they gave specifically bad and misinformed advice to many of the olympic hopefuls in how they should accumulate points ot get on the start line in San Diego (from what we have heard). That is the root of this problem.

Annnnnd... Brad Perry hits the nail on the head.

They knew last year - ITU emails all athletes and NF's.

Pretty sure we rec'd the email in August 2011.

---

http://www.sweat7.com
Facebook Page: Sweat7
Twitter: @sweat7coaching

I don't think anyone is telling Hunter he cannot race, everyone knew this could happen. My point is that Mark was the "only" one on the start list for whatever reason. He did what he needed to do to have enough points in whatever series or race to actually have his name put on that list. The others did not, that is plain and simple, no name on list, just waiting list. Now in my world, a guy on the real list vs a guy on a waiting list, it is a slam dunk who has priority. I tend to try and keep things simple in my world..

Now because of the cluster USAT has created, you are right in that everyone has their own little argument on why they should be in, that is the real problem. They should not have an argument at all. I feel bad for all the athletes involved, as this process is really about as bad as it could be. It is like they sought out the most complicated, cross over, gray area system to get folks to this race as they could. I hope they did, because then you will actually USAT have succeded in something that set out to do...(-;

Wow, you are quite the jerk. If you read my post maybe you would understand that the criteria are and have been posted for quite sometime.//

And once again you missed my whole point. I understand everything you wrote, but none of it addresses the USAT side of what they are doing to Mark by throwing him into a limbo, only to let wait list folks in before he has a chance. This is my issue, not all the stuff you keep posting, i get it.. Do you get this??

Yes... all of this would be A LOT simpler and more fair if USAT could convince the ITU to use one of their 5 invitational slots on Hunter Kemper. Then Kemper is in, Fretta won't be subbed out (presumably... but as we know, assuming anything with these trials is probably a mistake), Brown gets in via rolldown (which almost assuredly will happen), and Billington may also get a rolldown slot.

I'm still surprised by the women's side. Not sure how 2 top American Females could both forget to register for the WTS race.
It seems like a bit of a stupid system if an athlete could forget to register and then be allowed to get into the race by bumping someone else. Talk about being rewarded for making a mistake. Not only do you get in but you also eliminate one of your top competitors for an Olympic spot in the process.

It seems like a bit of a stupid system if an athlete could forget to register and then be allowed to get into the race by bumping someone else. //

Not seems, is a stupid system. I mean they spent 10's of thousands of dollars on just a small few women athletes, know which ones have a shot at the trials and games, and they do not make sure they have all the t's cross and i's dotted. What do we pay all their managers and national team coaches for? How can it be that one lonley email dooms a person's 4 year struggle to try and make the olympics? And i do not at all feel bad about calling them out on this, as it is mine and your dollars that are helping to fund the olympic side of the sport. To have this many(as is just about all) of the athletes involved in this fiasco caught blind sided, someone in management is to blame. Throwing it onto the athletes is a copout, and will not work anymore. We now have to the power to shine a light on the cock roaches, they can scatter, but we know where they are...

1) Monty, you are cool. Rage on.

2) This process makes selection for the Kenyan Olympic marathon team look straightforward. I don't blame athletes for being confused.

3) USAT stinks. That a governing body could simultaneously nuture its best athletes for Olympic bids, then not allow these athletes to compete for Olympic bids, is absurd. And that said body's own rolldown process screws the people who bothered to follow the confusing rules in the first place is just plain ricockulous.

Good luck to all involved.

mm

Problem is we've had this power and cockroaches already did scatter from the Libby Burrell regime...another set of cockroaches managed to move in and create what seems to be an even bigger mess.

Monty, I agree that USAT should be paying attention to who does/doesn't sign up for these races (on the WTS level where it's only a handful of athletes), but I do think some of the blame needs to fall on the athletes on that specific topic. USAT overly communicates the process of submitting your intent to race directly to their Elite mailing list. For whatever reason, it seems like a few athletes missed that, ignored or forgot about it - for the BIGGEST race of the year (sans Olympics). I'm not saying USAT shouldn't take some of the onus for their few top elites, but the athletes and their coaches are partially responsible.

Has the roll down started yet...any idea which people are getting in?

This is a point I have seen mentioned a couple of times. I don't believe the roll down slots are in USAT's control. It creates a very sticky situation for USAT because it completely eliminates Fretta from the race, but it is not "their own process."

I agree 100% that the best scenario is USAT petitioning ITU to use a wildcard spot on Hunter, and maybe Billington, and then hoping Brown gets a roll down. Or would this put USAT over the men's allowed total for the race?

And I don't know exactly how the wildcard selection works, but I think a multiple Olympian who missed out on qualifying because of an injury would have a fairly strong case for earning the spot.

---

Hoka One One - Field Service Rep

The USA as host country has a maximum quota of 8 athletes. The ITU will name 5 Wildcard athletes on Tuesday/ It will be interesting to see who is on this list. Often they just take the first 5 people off the wait list but are not required to do so. Once the Wildcards are named the field will be up to 70 athletes. As athletes on the start list withdraw they get replaced by athletes on the waitlist. Currently there are 39 female and 60 male athletes on the waitlist for this event.

Like I've said on another post, ITU doesn't care whether it's the US Olympic qualifier or the Khazakstan Olympic qualifier. Everyone has to play by the same rules. It's up to USAT to communicate what was required to get onto the start list for San Diego. It seems USAT messed up here, so be it. That's the bed they made, gotta live with it.

rules are rules. Bring on London!

This reply addresses one thing, and one thing only. That is, the level of communication from USAT, or at least the level of communication of USAT to elites the last part of 2011 and up to this point in 2012.

In the past USAT elites, long and short course, have (to my knowledge) pretty much received the same emails. They included topics from...
- ITU race sign ups
- Prize money lists for various races
- Special requests from races with prize money for pros to race
- Entry processes for races like the Tri-California series
- USAT Elite membership renewal and verification process
- and a lot of others.

We did not receive any information this year about elite renewals. We contacted USAT in early March to renew our licenses. I 'think' that there was an email months ago outline some of the race sign ups, etc.

My point is that the communication to USAT elites FROM USAT has essentially fallen off the face of the earth. Maybe it is different for those athletes with an ITU focus or those athletes with coaches more closely tied in with USAT, but it does not sound like it from reading Mark's (Fretta) replies. But, with our experience of the lack of communication for something as seemingly simple as renewing our USAT elite license, it is no wonder that the topics on this thread have fallen through the cracks. It's a bit ridiculous as mentioned and very unfortunate, but not too surprising. Some of the onus does fall on the athletes, but in this case, there should be little to no guesswork in what needs to be done to get on a start list or signed up for an ITU WTS race!

Edit to Add: Probably a bit of both ends, but I believe that I let my membership lapse and there was an incorrect email address...hence the lack of communication to me!

---

Brandon Marsh - Website | @BrandonMarshTX | RokaSports | 1stEndurance | ATC Bikeshop |

Seriously. Where's the guy who was calling USADA and USAT to get the scoop on the lack of drug testing in Panama. Hello??? This is a little more relevant (at least to me).

Start lists look to have been updated.

http://wts.triathlon.org/...tart_list/1790/7748/

brown, kemper in. doesn't look like anyone from the US was sub'ed out to let these guys in.

was macca on the list before? he's on it now.

I don't think they gave "all their guys and girls wild card spots". Where is Jillian Petersen? She's ranked 52nd on the ITU Olympic ranking list.
Where is Margaret Shapiro ( the next highest ranked American at 91st?

There are 7 men from GB, yet only 6 from the USA.
There are 7 women from GB, yet only 4 from USA.
Hell, there are 5 women from NED on the start list, and only 4 from USA.

Really, you're telling me the Netherlands should have more athletes on the start line at an event the Americans are using as a "qualifier" for their Olympic team, that is on home soil??

I'm not saying the process is perfect, but certainly ITU didn't "give" wild cards just to Americans because it is one of their qualifying events.

Hasn't the ITU always favored the "host" country with it's events?

---

------------------
@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

Where are the wildcard awards posted? is there an updated starting list?

---

Hoka One One - Field Service Rep