I’m wondering if there has been any discussion regarding the 70.3 Ironman World Championships in Clearwater undermining the ITU World Long Distance Championship. The Ironman 70.3 series seems to have tremendous penetration on the world stage now, and I’m curious if the ITU Long Distance events and World Championship is going to falter and die off. USAT seems to be invested in the ITU world events at both the Olympic and Half Iron distances (though the ITU LD distances have always been longer than a half historically, but this year are close to that distance). I wonder if what feels to be a growing supremacy on the part of the 70.3 series will affect USAT’s support of ITU events, and sending Team USA to such events. Any rumblings on this topic?
I would suspect that deep down the ITU doesn’t really care about LC racing. It lost that fight to IM a looong time ago.
I can’t see anyone at the ITU with the balls or ability to take on the 70.3 or IM races and get something sustainable going.
To the average AGer the ITU isn’t very relevant where as the 70.3 series and IM are.
Could be you’re right on that -at least insofar as the LC or IM distances go. They do seem to have a decent thing going, with no real high-profile competitor, in the Olympic Distance World event they hold (this year in Gold Coast, Australia). With the strong development of the IM 70.3 and its World Championship, seems like the ITU World LD race my be on its way out eventually.
I’m hoping to go to LC Worlds this year, and at the same time you couldn’t pay me to go to Clearwater.
The World might seem 70.3 centric in the US, but that’s probably as a result of the number of 70.3 races you have available to you. If you’re looking at non 70.3 branded races outside the US, assuming they are the equivalent feeder into LC Worlds, they remain very popular.
I also think the premise is a sound one; I’m struggling to see me representing myself giving me more of a buzz than representing my country
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Ditto… Who wants to race in Clearwater when you can race in the Netherlands, Perth, etc…
That is what makes ITU World’s special…
I’m hoping to go to LC Worlds this year, and at the same time you couldn’t pay me to go to Clearwater.
Which race is your qualifier?
Dunno yet, the one I perform best in between now and Alpa d’Huez at end july. Bizzarely however, considering what I said earlier in the thread, it might be at a 70.3.
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The ITU races still have cache. I went to the AG nationals in Portland last year, and there were a lot of people there who were hoping to qualify for the WC, and I spoke to many who did not meet that goal. The first duathlon qualifier has already sold out, likely due to the fact that the World Duathlon Championships are in the US this year. All that said, Long Course WC does not come close to comparing to Clearwater. The Clearwater field is deeper, faster and more talented across all age groups. Also, to earn a slot to Clearwater is quite a bit tougher…basically a podium finish at a 70.3. You have to be a pretty good triathlete to do that.
I did both ITU LD and Clearwater in 2007, and ITU is a much ‘smaller’ race on all accounts- much less competitive field, less ‘bling’, probably overall fewer countries represented (most AG were filled with Canadians and US competitors- and not their most competitive athletes either!), registration and awards more low key than most small US races. The ITU LD never actually took off in the AG, and the pro ranks are certainly less deep than at Clearwater. As for the US situation- the most competitive athletes already chose not to compete at LD worlds in past years (they mostly went to Kona), not sure the 70.3 series influences this that much more.
Great to hear from someone who was at both. I don’t know about 2007 ITU LD (which looks to have been in France), but the results from the 2008 version in Almere, Netherlands show a heavy representation of European countries (not surprisingly dominated by the host country), and not dominated by US and Canadian athletes, so maybe there was a shift in 2008. I heard good things about the look and feel of the race in Almere in some print articles about the race. I’m sure the local organization makes a difference. Makes sense about your comment on the conflict with Kona - I was looking at how close they were and wondering if you could really pull off Kona and then go do the LD World’s a couple of weeks later (I wouldn’t know!). It looks like the AG Olympic distance ITU World’s are a bigger race (at least this year).
. It looks like the AG Olympic distance ITU World’s are a bigger race (at least this year).
Too big in my personal opinion and i got there just because someone droped out from the race. Lucky and unluckly the course for the guys got delayed because of weather. But there master plan was to have basically everyone on the 10km bike course at the same time.
I’m glad they didn’t there were two wrecks in front of me and thats without the guys trying to run over the ladies. It would have been a mess if we went right after the last womens wave.
I did Clearwater 07 and Long Course Worlds in Almere last year and given the choice I would choose LC Worlds. Clearwater was definitely great (and you cannot beat Florida in November coming from NYC) but representing your country at LC Worlds is a real trip - the whole team concept is great for meeting alot of really cool (and some highly strung) triathletes from all over the USA. Athletes village, opening ceremony/pre-race parade it was fun, too. AND I sat next to Chrissy Wellington for like a half hour before the race waiting for our waves (she even looks fast). Only down side was the swim was wayyyy too long. Still, for me it was a great experience - having done it, I’d like to go for Duathlon Worlds some time down the road.
ITU LD has nice courses. I’ll be at the race in Bavaria in 2010.
Clearwater is shit.
Without checking, I’m fairly sure the prize purse for Clearwater is much larger. That pretty much makes the decision for the better pros. Plus, you can race 70.3 a lot more often than 4K/130K/30K, if the ITU is still sticking with that distance.
Chad
I’m surprised that nowhere in the thread (unless I’m totally blind, which is possible) did anyone mention that ITU LD worlds is not happening this year because no city bid on the race. I was very surprised. Maybe I shouldn’t have been…
I’ll be at the race in Bavaria in 2010. \\
Took this line from someone else… Are they skipping a year??? It is too bad that the ITU has screwed up ALL their world champs for the AG’ers, and many of the pros… It did not have to be that way, oh well, maybe the new management will have some new ideas…
I guess he is saying they are not going to have the race in Perth Australia this year after all.
Mussleman is still saying they are a qualifier for Long Course Triathlon World Championships, to be held in Perth, Australia, on October 24-25, 2009
Maybe rapper ought to tell them.
I would never bother to go to Clearwater. The fact that they put a large field on a course designed to clog up and be a pack ride makes its status as a “World Championship” laughable. I have a few friends that really want to go and I just don’t get it. Kona makes sense to me but Clearwater is just a stupid venue. I have said before that the 70.3 series should be moving all around the world … Monaco, Muskoka, South Africa etc. would make it really cool. Leave the IM championships in Kona for historic reasons and move the 70.3 all around to showcase the championship and make it truly a “world” championship.
No one (or very few anyway) in North America cares about the ITU races. Most of the qualifiers that I have raced will give you a slot if you finish the race so I’m sure how big a draw they are either.
I’m surprised that nowhere in the thread (unless I’m totally blind, which is possible) did anyone mention that ITU LD worlds is not happening this year because no city bid on the race. I was very surprised. Maybe I shouldn’t have been…
http://www.ldworlds.org.au/en/default.htm
Sure looks like they are still having it.
the ITU website says its going to be a 3km, 80km, 20km though
Perth is the city in 2009. I would be there… but life happened.
ITU LD worlds… been to Fredericia 2005 and Canberra 2006. Both FANTASTIC races, good org, great atmosphere.
The Bavarian course sounds incredible… I don’t know why anyone would want to go to Clearwater… for fried chicken maybe?