I’m getting ready to go into off season - and just rethinking my motivation for 2006 - I was thinking of putting a goal together… qualifying for USAT Nationals for Longcourse - 1/2 IM, but now with the WTC -70.3 having it’s own ‘championship’ - which one do I go for? As a USAT member and all the issues with sanctioning - should I stick with USAT and snub the WTC… or train towards a goal of 70.3 ‘world championships’ in Fla (with slots for Kona on the line)
I’m not a great triathlete - but do like the motivation of something to work towards.
First of all, you don’t have to qualify for the USAT long-course championship. USAT only runs one championship per year to which it is worth paying attention and that is the Olympic Distance race. Racers make special trips and you do have too qualify, though it is not that hard.
The other “championships” are simple existing races that “host” the championship at their race. The RD submits some kind of request/package and USAT picks a race. I believe the Long Course championship has been at the DeGray something-or-other Half Ironman for the last couple years. I doubt many people make a special trip just for the race.
A number of long-standing half-IM races got together and created the US Half Championships in Missouri, but that has not really received a huge turnout.
However, the WTG in creating the 70.3 Championship has the marketing muscle to create a legitimate Half-Ironman championship race. Half-Ironman qualifiers for Hawaii are traditionally some of the most competitive fields you can race and I would be very surprised if the 70.3 championship next year does not draw an even more competitive field. The timing is good as well, because the IMers from Hawaii will have three weeks to recover and you will see quite a few of them as well as the others who qualified at the various other half-IM’s.
Of course, there is also the money, which is easily the highest amount paid out for an Half-IM distance race anywhere.
I’m not a big fan of IM–I’ve never done one, nor do I wish to–or WTG, but I think they have done a big favor to the Half-IMers out there who really wanted to test their mettle against tough competition. I’m in.
Doesn’t USAT sanction the US HIM Championships in Kansas City?? After all, everyone west of the rockies is dying to go to a USAT championship in Kansas or Louisiana or Hammond, Indiana. Go with WTC (Triglobal?).
If you race USAT long course championships…you’d have qualifed for ITU World Long Course Championships ( a true world championships with representatives sent from countries etc… Before I pulled the trigger on 70.3 I’d wait a month or so because there may be some very interesting new developments as to USAT and championships in 2006.