Many Pros, myself included, have wanted this for a long time. I think the main thing is that they want to keep the rules the same for the AG athlete as well as the Pro athletes. They can't change the AG race to 20m and continue to hold 2000-2500 participant events. The courses just won't allow that from a math perspective. There is also a logistical issue. The women's race typically goes off 5-10 minutes before the first AG hit the water. Many of the top AG males will get mixed in to the back and middle of the Women's race. If the AGers have different rules than the Pros, they could slot in on any female pro forcing them to drop back 20 m. So if they continue to host the pro races on the same day as the AG race, it just isn't possible (at least for a full Ironman. There isn't enough sunlight to back the AG race off enough to still allow 17 hours and finish before midnight. They could do it at 70.3s, especially now that they are doing the Championships as a 2 day event. But I doubt they will make a change. It is much easier for them to have the same set of rules for all races, which I guess is understandable.

To be completely fair, I'd much rather see this rule change because it would benefit me and other people with my style of racing. But I don't see that happen so I've had to try to learn to adjust my training and prepare for a more tactical race than a pure engine race. That's part of the game.

I can see the issue at the tip of the spear but for the avg AG who is trying to guess that they are 6 bike lengths behind someone now jack that guess work up to 12. I can just see the officials trying to guess too. "Hey dude pull over you are only 11 bike lengths away"

Ironman has and always will be a draft "legal" race.

You can't maximize profit and fairness at the same time.

1. They have no interest in doing so.
2. Boots on the ground, Too few trained officials to work events. Too few motorcycles.
3. Increased officiating means increased expenses.
4. 50 professionals means a kilometer of road.
5. Dead horse. Dead horse. Dead horse.

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

One simple word.
'Will'

I.e. not having it.

Shouldn't it be x seconds minimum spacing? Much easier to measure & fairer at different speeds, as 20m at 40mph is not the same as 20m at 10mph.

problem with that is that you're constantly shifting the measurement, and your violation is depending on a variable that is ever-changing and hard to measure.

A fixed length is easier to determine. IMO, "X bike lengths" always helps me.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

I’d settle for better enforcement of the existing rules

I actually like the idea of a time gap vs. a distance gap. It's more relevant to the advantage of the draft, and it allows for the adjustments to spacing that are impossible to avoid at the bottom of climbs, on sharp turns, etc. I think it's also easier for the rider to judge. Look down at your clock to remind yourself of the length of a second. Then watch the rider ahead - when he passes that bush, count 2 seconds before you pass it. Easy-peasy.

As to the OP - a 12m draft zone is already near impossible to achieve for the AG's at Kona. 20M would be a complete race re-start and make swimming fast perhaps the most important part of the race. You would have to have a marshal doing a time-trial start out of T1 and you might find yourself standing in line there for 10 minutes waiting for your turn.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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How about changing the draft zone distance to 20 meters at halfway. for pros only Isnt there usually a tailwind coming back

You nit the nail on the head!

On the other hand, the pro race is completely different form the AG races, maybe it's time separating the sport by professionalize the pros like the do with golf and tennis, and figure out a way to make that product entertaining and watchable.

As long as triathlon is being managed by the various organizations as a pure participating sports, it will remain a niche in the overall sports landscape (and tiny share of the sports money).

The race usually breaks up after the turnaround at Hawi. If there's a specific part of the course that needs improved rules and better enforcement, its the first half of the bike as the race is pretty bunched up.

However, having a different set of rules based on different part of the course is really going to be confusing to folks (athletes and the refs). You need to find a solution that fits the masses and that includes the AG'ers.

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blog

This could work, I think

Ruff math

2500 people + 65 feet draft zone (20m) + 6 feet'ish bike length = 34 miles of bikes strung out at a minimum.

IMO the more it "works" for events like Challenge, the more dug in the sand a organization like WTC will be about changing....

IE "no way are we going to follow Challenge and do their draft zone".....even if it's at the expense of a better/fairer races for the pro's.

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

What would you feel about the race becoming draft legal instead. Yes with TT bikes, pros only? What do you think outcome would be for you?

Not having 9012 orange traffic cones...?

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"I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10, and I don't know why!"

Same issue I mentioned before applies. You have AG males mixed in with the Female Pros. So that would really screw the women over if the AGers had different rules than the Pros. There would be literally nothing they could do to prevent being slotted in on.

This is the goal of the PTO. They put their money where their mouth is this weekend and showed how to make a fantastic event. Looking forward to seeing what changes this makes moving forward.

Ha, I'd need to stop training on the bike and live in the pool.

Meanwhile at World Triathlon (ITU)...

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

As far as the AG slotting into the Pro Woman's Race, someone, slowman maybe, proposed a moto at the back of the Pro Woman's Race.
If an AG goes past that moto, they have to use the Pro Rules, behind that Moto its AG rules.
Puts the burden on the AG'ers.

The best part about all of this post race analysis about 20m vs 12m, did Luis get robbed, Ask Me Anything Thread from Matt Hansen, talk about spring board running shoes, Alistair Brownlee crippling over from not following Lionel's training plan to practice 60min bolted at 51.3kph at the velodrome in the aero positions......is...... that it feel like we're not living in a world with Covid19 and we're having completely normal regular random debates and whining on ST.....the way the world used to be!!!!!

OK back to the question, I don't know why all the responders are pulling age groupers into the discussion. Pros already have a different set of rules at Kona (starting with anti doping and pro whereabouts).

There is ZERO reason why Jimmy Riccitello and his crew cannot force 20m draft distance after a 3.8km swim when at Daytona, they were able to enforce it after a 1.9km swim. You don't need cones, there are already road makings on the QueenK

This could work, but at what increments? For instance, it would have to be pretty simple for me to calculate in a race in real time.

20mph - 2 seconds?
25 mph - 2.5 seconds?
30 mph - 3 seconds?

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri