In the June issue of Triathlete Magazine a writer called out Ironman Chris Hauth and said he is not an Ironman, and neither is anybody else who didn’t qualify and finish Kona.
Check out Chris response to this growing controversy at www.tdottriathlon.com.
You have got to be kidding. Make sure you read Charlie Yu’s letter. It’s one of the most idiotic letters I have ever read.
I would kind of agree. No one deserves an mdot if they can’t break 10:30 either.
Amen to that!
I think Chris did a great job of responding with fact and dignity.
Why doesn’t he say that only Lanzarote is a real Mdot, since it is considered by many to be even tougher. How about Silverman?
Does he really mean that mean that Lottery winners who go to Kona and finish are more ‘iron’ than those who might have had a better, but non-qualifying performance elsewhere aren’t?
Even women?
No I’m not getting a tat, just curious on your thoughts. Is that an arbitrary time?
Jodi
So now we know where swimfan went… 
Yep, which is why I did not bite.
Dave
it’s assholes like that Yu guy that make me want to quit racing Ironman…for every 10 great people, there is at least one asshole out there that does more to harm the sport than the 10 great ones do to help it.
if people would stop using triathlon as a way to measure their penises and just start enjoying the sport, it would be a much better place.
leave the dick measuring to the morons driving the rice rockets with loud stereos
That was so over the top bullshit that I actually was compelled to respond to Charlie Yu’s letter…we’ll see if it gets published. Just for grins, I did a search for any Kona results for a Charlie Yu, and couldn’t find squat on him actually finishing IM-H for as far back as they had records on their internet site. What a load of crap…I am so sick of jackasses that self-servingly declare who should or shouldn’t be an Ironman. If you do 140.6 in less than 17:00, then you are a frickin’ Ironman. Why people get so wrapped up in that is completely beyond me…
Spot
I’m guessing that Mr. Yu isn’t ahem swinging it where it counts. Sounds like he’s trying to er aggrandize something…
Seriously, you do the distance, you’re an Ironman.
Talk about a tempest in a teapot…good grief. Who friggin cares wtf “Charlie Yu” thinks, anyway?
Does Charlie know the Ironman didn’t start in Kona? Ithink that invalidates Kona as well! As a matter of fact if you didn’t finish the first one your all posers! I’m just kidding, IMs are IMs.
Just for grins, I did a search for any Kona results for a Charlie Yu, and couldn’t find squat on him actually finishing IM-H for as far back as they had records on their internet site.<<
Nope, nothing comes up for anyone by that name.
What’s even more idiotic is that Triathlete Mag published it. What’s up with that? Just becasue someone sends in a op-ed doesn’t mean they have to print it.
It was worth reading that first idiotic letter to get to Hauth’s response, in which he points out that he’s actually finished Kona eight times, last year under under 9 hours. And the part about him being able to quote the Olympic creed because he took part in those, too- classic.
Even women?
Women can’t be Ironman, otherwise they would have called the race Ironwomen, and not Ironman.
I have a hard time figuring out their motivation for printing that letter too.
What’s even more idiotic is that Triathlete Mag published it. What’s up with that? Just becasue someone sends in a op-ed doesn’t mean they have to print it.
I wouldn’t put it past Triathlete Mag having made up the letter to increase its readership.
Man, woman, who cares?
Competing in and finishing an Ironman is a great accomplishment and should be marginalized. You do an Ironman, you get the hallowed M-Dot. I look forward to having the honor of donning one.