I heard there were “…a number of severe accidents during yesterday’s Big Kahuna half-ironman…”, but no details.
clm
The Railroad tracks at Davenport bit a few competitors. There were signs and volunteers at the crossings but…
The tracks cross the road at a 30-40 degree angle and I guess a lot of people tried to ride across without adjusting their angle of approach to be closer to 90 degrees and some stayed on the areobars…caught their front wheels and went over the bars. Lots of road rash one or two broken collarbones, one very mild concussion
we also had runners fall down and get some cuts out on the trail section of the run.
Eric Drew
Head Referee: Big Kahuna
Actually, it’s more than the railroad tracks. Sounds like quite a bit of dodgy riding (unable to hold a line, swerving around), drafting on aerobars and passing on the right and thus taking out yourself and the person you were illegally passing. Glad I missed it.
clm
Actually, it’s more than the railroad tracks. Sounds like quite a bit of dodgy riding (unable to hold a line, swerving around), drafting on aerobars and passing on the right and thus taking out yourself and the person you were illegally passing. Glad I missed it.
clm
Cathy, why exactly are you bashing a race in a public forum that you did not even attend. The things you mentioned above “a bit of dodgy riding (unable to hold a line, swerving around), drafting on aerobars and passing on the right” actually happen in every race that I have ever attended.
I didn’t get the impression she was bashing the race…
I’m not bashing the race. Just asking if anyone else saw all the crashes I’d heard about. I got a very lengthy email this morning from someone who WAS there and who gave some very specific instances of things that happened, including riders riding all over the place and two riders being taken out when one was passing another legally and the rider being passed swerved into the faster rider (the passing on the right and then taking someone out happened at IM WI–got all the crashed mixed up; that guy broke ribs and had to DNF).
If that kind of riding happens in every race (to a very large extent), then I don’t want to be part of a race like that. And from the email I received, it sounds like it was way more than “normal”.
clm
I didn’t think the tracks were that big a deal. I noticed some racers in front of me bunny hoping their front wheels over the track so that is what I did and not worries. I think riding over these tracks in aerobars would be just plain stupid. I did see a few crash victims there on the way up and an ambulance stationed there on the way back. Guess it just proves the point that many triathletes are not very good riders.
Overall I saw no more “dodgy” riding that at any other race. The head wind was pretty nasty on the first leg but it sure felt nice coming home (it was an up and back on Highway 1). Funny that there was more drafting in headwind than tailwind…hmm? It was my first time doing this race and I thought it was pretty nice…really a beautiful course. Ocean was dead calm…kinda missed swimming back through the swells.
Hardest part was running in the loose sand sections with very tired legs. That RD is a sick dude ;-). My only complaint/suggestion would be to offer cold water at the end. Being handed a bottle of hot water was sorta cruel. How hard would it be to have some ice at the finish which is 50yrds from the Boardwalk? Overall, I enjoyed it.
Mike
Good to hear a different perspective. Thanks!
Did they have that cool tiki head medal again?
clm
Kathy, my point is “that type of riding” happens to some extent in every race due to the fact that there are many first time riders, who may or may not have been properly schooled in bike handling and racing etiquette. This is not a bad thing, given that tris keep attracting new blood who will learn over time. Rather than judge people for their ability to ride, we’re better off nurturing them and welcoming them into tris. Ideally though, there would be some basic “learn to race” clinic that USAT/Triathlon Canada can put on. I have offered to do this in my local area, but its a bit late this year and we hope to have these clinics for new members next year.
The whole attitude that triathletes cannot handle bikes is overblown and largely an attitude of tri cyclists who hang out with roadies and for reason feel they need to judge the handling capabilities of other triathletes. How much “skill” does it take to mount and dismount , ride in a straight line in your legal draft zone and obey the drafting and blocking rules ? After a few races, most people get the hang of it. How is it then that there would be such a predominance of poor riding and one event ?
I don’t know what last years looked like but these were ceramic tiki figures. They had a big (approx 6 foot) tiki at the turn around as well. Also some hawaiin music at the end but even with all that it was still the boardwalk in Santa Cruz! Kind of an interesting mix of people between the race and the park.
Too bad they had to schedule same day as the T-Mobile race…would to have loved to go down and seen that.
there were gusty cross winds at times. combined with some narrow road shouders and deep wheels, you definitely felt it. less experienced riders probably could have been blown off the side off the road or into other riders.
what else happened? check the results. that pete jacobs is legit. he spanked the field.
Your sample size is too small clm. It seems there’s always someone claiming that others weren’t riding cleanly or straight. I say “whatever”; that’s racing, that’s being human, that’s why we wear helmets. I’d bet anything the person who told you about that has at somepoint strayed from his/her line during a race.
For what it’s worth things seemed pretty clean to me. The course + police/volunteers at every intersection + small field + modest referee presence made for what I perceived as a great bike leg. (And the tailwind coming back to Santa Cruz was VERY fun) I’ve done a bunch of racing around California & a couple of Ironmans and in my opinion this race has one of the best bike legs I’ve ever seen: the least chaos, fewest people, and easiest route. Although now that I write that I’d have to put Vineman up there too. The two races are pretty close.
Yes, the tracks in Davenport (? I think that’s the town) were a little sketchy. But if you went to the pre-race talk then you knew to be careful there. Unfortunately there were only ~10 people at the meeting. Maybe that info could be put into the race packet or told to everyone when they picked up their packet.
BTW - The major bad-ass award should go to Meyers. She ate it on the tracks then went on to run down the rest of the women.
I noticed no problems at the 5hr and below end of things but I can imagine it being a trickier ride for many of the slower folks. The railroad tracks weren’t too bad but for an inexperienced rider who didn’t get off their aerobars they could be bad news. Also, there seemed to be a sizeable contingent of TnT’rs there. I was thinking that for the two sets of RR tracks, the RD should consider stationing a volunteer there with a cover of some sort that could be removed quickly if needed.
As Brent (nice race BTW) pointed out the wind was pretty stiff and gusty at times and the shoulder wasn’t particularly wide (at least the part you’d want to ride on). I’m 193lbs and a very ‘stable’ rider and a couple gusts slapped me pretty good.
It was an outstanding race (once again) but I’m sorry to hear there were a number of accidents (although this is the first I’ve heard of it). I saw a LOT more accidents at IMCDA.
OT
Re Meyers:
I talked to her Post race: left arm bandaged above the elbow to the wrist, left leg bandaged from below the knee up to the waist band of her speedo…
major road rash
Second the Hard Core award
Kathy, my point is “that type of riding” happens to some extent in every race due to the fact that there are many first time riders, who may or may not have been properly schooled in bike handling and racing etiquette. This is not a bad thing, given that tris keep attracting new blood who will learn over time. Rather than judge people for their ability to ride, we’re better off nurturing them and welcoming them into tris.
As a newbie, I’d like to respond to this.
I just raced the Pacific Grove sprint and I can’t tell you how many team-in-training people were riding all over the road and in groups. No big deal you say? Well, I trained really hard for that race and I worked my butt off on that course and every time I had to slow down to avoid running into someone, it just killed me.
I’m a poor cyclist. Never ridden in a paceline or anything like that. In fact, I had a pretty bad crash several weeks ago. Now imagine me going 21 mph coming up on a gaggle of team-in-training folks doing 15 mph and riding in a group that’s taken over the entire road. As a newbie, I’d really appreciate it if people followed the rules. Actually, I’m counting on them to do so.
BTW, I’m a member of a number of communities and the folks I’ve met involved in triathlon are among the nicest and most inviting. Try hanging out with software engineers. That’s tough.
Objectivous, I hear your point, but the reality is that there will always be new people entering the sport and they need some time to get accustomed to racing. We in the “sport shoud welcome them” and make them feel at home.
A month ago I was in an Olympic tri racing for an overall podium position. The accompanying sprint tri started halfway into the Olympic tri, which consisted of 2x20K loops on the bike. Well, I was on my second loop, riding at 30 mph+ (with a tailwind) and there were first timers, often riding two or three abreast on Mountain bikes going 12 mph. This is a substantial speed differential. I just stated “on your left” in a firm but polite voice, slowed down a bit and as I passed them I gave them a “way to go…keep it up” and went on with my so called “race”. In the end, I did not get on the podium, but was more glad to encourage the folks in the sprint than to worry about my own self absord random goals. 20 years ago, I was that first timer finishing 100th overall, not the guy trying to podium. If people were rude to me back then and felt so entitled to “their own race” I would have never got into this sport (which is why I quit road cycling after a couple of events in 1985).
Let’s accept it for what its worth. New people, learning our sport as they “race” are a good “problem” to have. If the sport was filled with a bunch of hard core guys like myself who live and breath endurance sport, it would be little or no fun.
Next time you see someone weaving all over the road, offer them some guidance politely but don’t write them off as some inferior tri specimen interfering with your own “performance”. We are all trying to perform at our own level of capability. In each person’s mind they are Hamish Carter winning an Olympic gold medal.
I appreciate the slack you cut for us newbies. The point I was trying to make is that we newbies have a responsibility too; yours is to be nice and ours is to listen and learn. 
I really did expect more from the tnt folks. Being fast or slow is of no concern to me but ignoring the rules is simply not okay.
This thread reminds me of a time when I was in my 20s and playing mens league basketball. There was this ‘old’ guy that was always in my face and calling fouls. I thought the guy was just a jerk until one of my team mates (another ‘old’ guy) pointed out that the ‘jerk’ only had a few more seasons in him and if I were to hurt him by playing too rough that might just end his season or career.
"I really did expect more from the tnt folks. Being fast or slow is of no concern to me but ignoring the rules is simply not okay. "
My only problem with the TNT folks is they can’t get the acronym right. Its Team In Training isn’t it???
I thought the Big Kahuna was a bit better this year. The swim was close to accurate (at least my time seemed about right - what was up with Jacobs time? I can’t imagine someone going 22:30 on that course). The swim is nice - I like the lack of buoys every 25 yards - you actually have to know how to sight well or at least trust the people in front of you. Water was warmer and nice and smooth.
Bike - couple railroad tracks were a little rough - but you slow down and come off the bars…I thought the head wind was worse this year - but I didn’t feel the crosswinds were ever that bad - I started in the 2nd wave and was about a 5 hour pace. I did not see any drafting or bad riding where I was. Other riders were nice and courteous around me…
Run - nice course - miles seemed accurate this year - last year a couple were way off. The sand was brutal but its short…
Meyer’s road rash was pretty minor - at least the part on her butt cheek didn’t look too bad as she ran by me. I never saw the elbow. It looked much more impressive after they wrapped it up with all sorts of gauze…
There are only a few half IM’s around. This one is relatively uncrowded still - there is definitely not a lot of bells and whistles - not a lot of food at the end - fewer aid stations on the run - fewer buoys on the swim…but I think its a great race. I’ll be back.
Dave
My sister-in-law saw a guy lose control on the bike and go over a cliff. She thought he was dead. It turns out it wasn’t a very high cliff and the guy wasn’t badly hurt. The crosswinds weren’t that bad. I was riding a disk and a Reynolds Stratus and I didn’t have any problems at all. I saw Meyer’s crash and it wasn’t pretty, but even with a road rash her butt cheek still looked mighty fine.
I love this race! You’re not going to find many races that are more scenic.