As in, if the ref doesn’t see it- it is a viable tactic?
I hope not. I sincerely hope not. I don’t want drafting in triathlons.
However- it’s a different sport now than it was when I started in 1984.
So, I wonder, among the rank n’ file age grouper has drafting become a “no harm, no foul” situation? Do people regard it as an unavoidable reality- is that the reality, the rationalization?
A lot has changed in the sport. Is this a change of collective mindset?
However- it’s a different sport now than it was when I started in 1984.
Yes it is. It is the gym-crowds new favorite outdoor activity.
Only my 3rd season and I come from MTB where drafting is technicaly legal, but more like foolish unless it’s a flat XC drag.
I don’t think it’s that common and I hope to not see it increase.
It’s only unavoidable if the course is over-crowded, it’s still a foul though.
jaretj
I think there’s a very small portion that care about it. Triathlon to me can be divided into several demographics
So basically 90% of the field, and depending on how many fast youngsters, a decent portion of the fast people, don’t care about drafting rules.
It’s really an easy problem to fix. In the words of Peter Tosh, Legalize it!
You got something against hockey fights?
personally I’d like to see some more ITU style sprint & olympic tri’s, some courses it’s simply logistically impossible not to draft.
All triathlons allow swim and run drafting
I get the analogy, although for the time being hockey allows fighting (but there’s a penalty for it), whereas drafting is completely against the rules of (most) tris. That and fighting is crucial to the integrity of hockey…but that’s a different discussion.
That being said…I don’t think it has to be. I think more rule enforcement would be beneficial. I’d kill for a couple of officials to be cycling, find some of the packs, attach with them, and then assess penalties at T2. I’d like the penalty to be a bit stiffer for drafting as well.
I have been racing since 1988. I have been a USAT Cerified Official since 1991. For long time racers like myself, I have not seen the attitudes toward drafting change. It is still viewed as cheating and a dishonest race. I have seen the attitudes towards drafting change over the years as new people of all ages enter the sport. As new people come into the sport, some of them have an attitude of “it’s all about me” and they feel “entitled.” By “entitled,” I mean they think the rules do not apply to them (“I can draft because it is not hurting anyone”), that they do not have to stand in line like everyone else, that they can park their car wherever they want, that they can rack their bike and equipment where it suits them, and that their entire family (with dog) can accompy them into the transition area marked “Athletes Only.” It is just a microcosm of our entire society, really. Everybody thinks they are special. I think is goes back to the idea of not having winners and losers, but giving everyone a trophy for participation! That is not how it works in real life!!! Sorry for the rant. I am continually trying to educate athletes on the rules. It is one of my passions. Good thread Tom.
Tom–I have a number of triathlon rules that I live by. It makes me feel so much more comfortable with my life–especially with my involvement with triathlon. One of those rules is to NEVER CHEAT. NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRSUMSTANCES.
I don’t care if it costs me. I don’t draft. i don’t cut the course. i don’t do drugs. I don’t use illegal equipment.
I know I’m a pretty average triathlete but I love the sport and i sleep well at night.
Good points about the difference between hockey and triathlon.
In hockey fighting is sometimes used as a tactic to manipulate the outcome. The same may be true in triathlon, to a sophisticated degree in professional triathlon.
Heading into my 26th year of Tri’s.
“Back in the Day” there was a code of honor that you wouldn’t draft and very few did.
And if you did you were pretty much labeled as cheater, and a label that never really
went away…and yes you got called out after the race including the podium.
There is no excuse for drafting…yes a course may be too crowded…but drafting is an
option. I’ve not entered races that have a rep. for being a draftfest.
Drafting - you’re either legal or not legal! You’re a cheater or you’re not!
As in, if the ref doesn’t see it- it is a viable tactic?
I hope not. I sincerely hope not. I don’t want drafting in triathlons.
However- it’s a different sport now than it was when I started in 1984.
So, I wonder, among the rank n’ file age grouper has drafting become a “no harm, no foul” situation? Do people regard it as an unavoidable reality- is that the reality, the rationalization?
A lot has changed in the sport. Is this a change of collective mindset?
I don’t go to races intending to draft but there are many courses where the density of athletes makes it impossible not to draft. I have been on loop courses where there is not enough linear space to accomodate everyone when you account for the draft zone, meaning enforcement is only targeted at those who overtly wheel suck.
As in, if the ref doesn’t see it- it is a viable tactic?
I hope not. I sincerely hope not. I don’t want drafting in triathlons.
However- it’s a different sport now than it was when I started in 1984.
So, I wonder, among the rank n’ file age grouper has drafting become a “no harm, no foul” situation? Do people regard it as an unavoidable reality- is that the reality, the rationalization?
A lot has changed in the sport. Is this a change of collective mindset?
Back in the 80’s when I started as well, triathlon was VERY much a niche sport. Additionally, there was a big push to get it into the Olympics starting back then. People respected the rules, and fields were much much smaller. A huge triathlon might get 600 people.
Now, it’s a bucket list thing. I have a bunch of friends that have checked off the whole “one and done” thing. They could care less if they get penalties, they aren’t in it to win, anything like that. Do I think it’s destroying some of the sports integrity? Most definitely. However, the bucket listers won’t last forever. Let them all go ruin WTC races, and let us have the rest.
John
There is a difference between doing your best to avoid drafting and wheel sucking. I spent the entire bike at 70.3 Calgary moving through people as I was the fastest swim & swim/bike for my AG which was the last wave that year, so I passed about 700 people on the bike. For the most part I was moving through draft zones as per the letter of the rules, but there were a few posers that tried to attack me (seemingly clueless that I had started 10, 20, 30 or so minutes behind them). Was I going to drop back because some poser sprints ahead of me? No I rode beside them for the 20 seconds or so that it took for them to realize my pace was unrealistic for them. In fact it was so packed on the one hill the draft marshall was more concerned about blocking than drafting.
I get the analogy, although for the time being hockey allows fighting (but there’s a penalty for it), whereas drafting is completely against the rules of (most) tris.
???
Fighting is a penalty in hockey. A player can be ejected from the game after a fight at the ref’s discretion.
Drafting is a penalty in triathlon. You don’t get ejected for a single drafting penalty.
Please tell me how ‘hockey allows fighting’ but ‘drafting is completely against the rules’
Drafting is way more a part of tri than fighting in hockey. You can draft and get away with it. There are no hockey fights without penalties being called.
Drafting is way more a part of tri than fighting in hockey. You can draft and get away with it.
And this attitude is why drafting is a problem. Drafting was NEVER a part of triathlon. It was assiduously avoided when I was first starting, and DQ was the normal penalty (At least in the triathlons I was in).
Just because you “can get away with it” doesn’t make it ok to do it.
John
I’m relatively new to triathlon (3rd season underway).
I hate drafting. With a passion. Drafters have messed with my results more than once. I don’t like it.
I’m not sure whether this sentiment has been expressed, in this thread, but the notion that it’s ‘OK’ for ‘one-and-doners’ (or anyone else for that matter) to draft because they don’t care (a notion that I’ve heard more than once) cuts no ice with me. If you don’t care about the rules, then you aren’t participating in the event. A triathlete who drafts because ‘it’s not that important to me’ is no different from a chess player who decides that it’s OK to move pawns 4 spaces when the the other player isn’t looking. If you aren’t playing by the rules, then you aren’t playing, and you are wrecking the event for everyone else. Go find something else to do.
Sorry. Rant over.
I think a better analogy would be pass interference in American football. There are clear rules about PI, but if you watch the players technically it happens on virtually every play.
In Hockey fighting is a form of self policing in my opinion.
Its not the same. They give penalties in Hockey - I rarely see them in triathlon. Drafting is much worse. It only benefits the guys doing the drafting. Fighting hurts both teams. I sent an email to an RD last year about the blatant drafting. I’m looking forward to see if anything changes this year (it was a sprint).
I think some MOP/BOP’ers may do it by “accident” (still wrong), but the FOP’ers definitely know what they are doing.
I’d suggest drafting is more like doping in bike racing.
Most drafting problems in triathlon are largely due to limited road space, too many entrants, or poor courses (i.e., race organizers doing a poor job, or just trying to make ends meet). So in that sense, it’s hard to compare it to hockey, which has a standardized “course” and rules that are the same every game.
As for whether drafting really matters…I’d say not for the age grouper. Nothing to gain for age groupers but bragging rights. Doesn’t bother me if someone drafts and beats me. My time is my time, regardless of what anyone else does.