Does the expense and logistics of the world championship in Austria make you less likely to accept a slot?
Yes
.
No.
Does the expense and logistics of the world championship in Austria make you less likely to accept a slot?
Not really. I’d go if I had the chance.
In a perfect world I’d like to snag a roll down at one of the three 70.3 races I’m doing this year but that’s extremely unlikely with only 30 slots available at the North American races. It also doesn’t help that I’m in the M45-49 AG where slots will more than likely not roll or barely roll as us “older” folks can afford a trip to Europe more easily than say someone in the 18-24 AG. My guess is M45-49 gets only two or three slots at North American races. Maybe I can pull a top-20 in the AG. I’d need a semi-miracle to see a slot roll 15-18 spots.
My slowness will take care of that perfectly fine.
Does the expense and logistics of the world championship in Austria make you less likely to accept a slot?
Yes, for sure.
I signed up for three 70.3 races this year in order to qualify… Then I started to look at the logistics of the trip to Zell, and decided to SCREW IT… I will race worlds in Chicago, and Worlds in OKC next year… But I will pass on Austria. Just too much pain in the ass for this World Class Pack Fodder AG athlete. Perhaps if I could ride and run with Stubby and Colom I would think differently.
Ironically. I am still travelling to Austria over the same time frame as the race. .But it will be a hiking and casual biking trip (renting bikes in each town)… I might even go to Zell Am’ See, because it looks like an incredible spot to vacation.
Yes! Too difficult to travel to, imo. Plus, I personally dont want to do a vacation in Austria. I figured if I am going to travel that far for a race, might as well add on a few days to enjoy the trip after.
That being said, my wife and I do want to go to Australia. So we are going to race in Lake Stevens 2015 to try to grab spots for Australia 2016. If we miss them there, then New Orleans 70.3 in April 2016 will be another qualifying chance.
I am really hoping people do not want to travel that far, which makes it easier for us to qualify. Then we can tack on a week after the race to sight see and be tourists.
It has. It’s the reason I decided to do the Challenge event rather than a 70.3 next year. Their so called ‘championship’ is much more manageable logistically. I try to have my time racing somewhat similar to the time needed for travel (outside Kona).
Not at all. I’m taking 2 attempts this spring and will go if I snag a slot…a big IF. I can see folks passing on Austria because of the expense, but I am rolling my eyes at the supposed logistics difficulty. The race is further away, but not more logistically difficult.
not at all…ticket punched. I’m all booked to go! Easy as that.
With a location in Europe the race will be much more of a world championship instead of the typical American world championship flim-flam so I expect a lot of Americans to stay home so they don’t have to face real compeition.
Complaining about Austria as a vactation spot? Really. Yeah, going to a commercialized shit hole like Vegas is much better.
With a location in Europe the race will be much more of a world championship instead of the typical American world championship flim-flam so I expect a lot of Americans to stay home so they don’t have to face real compeition.
Complaining about Austria as a vactation spot? Really. Yeah, going to a commercialized shit hole like Vegas is much better.
I agree with your second paragraph.
Your first paragraph is ridiculously idiotic though.
With a location in Europe the race will be much more of a world championship instead of the typical American world championship flim-flam so I expect a lot of Americans to stay home so they don’t have to face real compeition.
Complaining about Austria as a vactation spot? Really. Yeah, going to a commercialized shit hole like Vegas is much better.
I think your second paragraph stands correct, your first needs a bit tweaking. No we don’t need to go race hordes of dopers and drafters there. So we opt to stay here. You can take it from someone who was born and raised not very far from there (on that side of the World). If they were to really start drug testing AGers at European races, it would be a truly eye opening experience.
Both paragraphs are idiotic. Anyone who managed to go to Vegas realized the course was WC level. But this year I switched to Challenge and independents as there is no way I want to go to Austria for the $$. Other places in the world, but those costs are crazy high. At least Vegas and Clearwater (while not a good course) were much more coast effective for all.
Yes, for me it did. I won my AG at Steelhead but turned down the slot. Well mainly because I had hoped I would be in Kona next fall but that didn’t work as planned! As cool as it would be something like that would have to be a vacation for me and I am a teacher so it’s hard to take off more than a few days let alone time off the first week of school.
Yes. I could have had a roll-down to Austria this summer but turned it down.
Son starting freshman year of college, daughter going to middle school. Being on another continent during their first month at their respective new schools seemed like a bad plan to me.
Take the kids out of the equation and I would have been all over this (or make it three weeks earlier so it doesn’t interfere with the first couple weeks of school…)
Does the expense and logistics of the world championship in Austria make you less likely to accept a slot?
Not really. I’d go if I had the chance.
In a perfect world I’d like to snag a roll down at one of the three 70.3 races I’m doing this year but that’s extremely unlikely with only 30 slots available at the North American races. It also doesn’t help that I’m in the M45-49 AG where slots will more than likely not roll or barely roll as us “older” folks can afford a trip to Europe more easily than say someone in the 18-24 AG. My guess is M45-49 gets only two or three slots at North American races. Maybe I can pull a top-20 in the AG. I’d need a semi-miracle to see a slot roll 15-18 spots.
I think the closer the races get to Austria, the more they will roll…just not enough time for people to plan the trip. I was 6th in M45-49 at Silverman and got the final rolldown slot to Austria. Of the top 8, 5 were there specifically to get slots as it gave “us” a year to plan. 3 guys were using it as a prep race for fall IM’s and were not interested in Austria…they just wanted to test their pre IM fitness on a tough course.
I’d say if you can finish top 15 in a June or July race, you have a chance at a roll down.
My reason for asking is to get a handle on how much harder it will be to qualify this year. In my AG, 35-39, I think we will usually have about 3 slots if the race has 30. In the past, with races with closer to 50 slots we have had around 5. I wonder if they will typically roll down about as far as normal if more people don’t want to spend the money or take the time to race in Europe. I suspect that they will not roll down as far, and if you are not on the podium, slots may be elusive.
As for Austria as a vacation spot, It is amazingly beautiful. You guys are crazy if you think it is not worth a trip!
I’d say if you can finish top 15 in a June or July race, you have a chance at a roll down.
Really? even if there are only 3 slots in the big AGs? I’m racing April (NOLA) and May (HONU), so still early season - people will still likely be looking for slots then I think. In Austin, which is one of the first chances to qualify, there was no rolldown in 35-39.
You don’t think Europeans don’t have discussions about whether it is worth going to an American centric “world” championship in the U.S.? The difference is that complaints about vacationing in Vegas are legit.