Saw this post that someone reposted on Facebook. I know someone posted about this a number of years ago but it appears people are still doing it if this post is real.
It can’t be that difficult (especially now that there are separate waves) to check each and every participant prior to the swim and catch the cheaters red handed? Wonder how many of these diaper wearers actually podiumed?
Ok Kona done and dusted , suprize in girls race and how good was Frodo ! I got 2 things to say about the race 1) I find it crazy sad how I walk in the toilets after the swim and find 5 pairs of neoprene shorts in there ! I mean what is wrong with people seriousely !! Cheats ! And I’m sure the other toilets had same …2) why would u give bottles out on the bike that’s are too small for anyone’s cages 🤷ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸plain dumb ! My race went pair shaped with heat stroke , what can I say it got me real good I was dizzy walking for 30km sat down 20 times talking to myself lol even 3km out didn’t think I’d finish …Kona gets us all at some point ! Aloha ! #fastgearaustralia#johnhillracing#konaheat#humid#triathlon
They gave out those slender Gatorade bottles? What is with those atrocities - I just ordered a 24 pack of the better thicker kind and they sent me the slim ones. I hope the other ones aren’t going away as it was the perfect design for cycling.
Saw this post that someone reposted on Facebook. I know someone posted about this a number of years ago but it appears people are still doing it if this post is real.
It can’t be that difficult (especially now that there are separate waves) to check each and every participant prior to the swim and catch the cheaters red handed? Wonder how many of these diaper wearers actually podiumed?
Ok Kona done and dusted , suprize in girls race and how good was Frodo ! I got 2 things to say about the race 1) I find it crazy sad how I walk in the toilets after the swim and find 5 pairs of neoprene shorts in there ! I mean what is wrong with people seriousely !! Cheats ! And I’m sure the other toilets had same …2) why would u give bottles out on the bike that’s are too small for anyone’s cages 🤷ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸plain dumb ! My race went pair shaped with heat stroke , what can I say it got me real good I was dizzy walking for 30km sat down 20 times talking to myself lol even 3km out didn’t think I’d finish …Kona gets us all at some point ! Aloha ! #fastgearaustralia#johnhillracing#konaheat#humid#triathlon
Insane. I didn’t see any neoprene shorts in the toilets but that’s pretty sad that people did that. — I suffered some heat exhaustion too. Jumped into the ocean and took some cold baths and that helped a ton!!
I really hope that deep down inside, cheaters feel
some remorse. I doubt it. Such is the state of our society, I’m afraid. Anyone who feels the need to use a crutch in swimming (that’s that neoprene shorts are), doesn’t deserve to be at a World Championship. Argue all you want about the minute true advantage of floaty pants, but those are specifically banned by the rules.
I’m a true fish. I may come off as dismissive of the struggle that non-swimmers face in OWS, taking my own comfort and background for granted. But I stand firmly by this statement. Swimming is the shortest component of the day, sure, but it’s still a part of a triathlon. Cheaters not only don’t earn their spots in officials results, they also potentially bump rules-followers who do everything right lower down the final classification. Cheaters hurt others.
I sometimes use floaty pants in the pool when my coach wants to make swims a little easier. I’d say they give me at least 5 seconds/100m as a strong swimmer, more I’d imagine for weaker swimmers. Definitely no minute advantage, that’s a free 3+ minutes. Hearing this makes me sad.
I’d say they give me at least 5 seconds/100m as a strong swimmer,//
That doesnt seem possible for a top swimmer, I figure I get about a second and a half a 100, so about that minute. 5 seconds is approaching full wetsuit gains for top guys, and these are a fraction of the floatation. Of course it is a lot more for MOP/BOP swimmers, so their incentive is a lot stronger. But of course it all goes to mindset, to me this is like course cutting, and worse than doping. At least the dopers are risking a serious consequence to cheat, these folks are risking nothing. It would be fun to have a camera in those port o potties, or someone checking after each use. I do remember hearing a few years ago about all the stuff left in there, thought that would have been taken care of by now. Guess we need floaty pants police now, like the new bike motor genderames…
I’d say they give me at least 5 seconds/100m as a strong swimmer,//
That doesnt seem possible for a top swimmer, I figure I get about a second and a half a 100, so about that minute. 5 seconds is approaching full wetsuit gains for top guys, and these are a fraction of the floatation. Of course it is a lot more for MOP/BOP swimmers, so their incentive is a lot stronger. But of course it all goes to mindset, to me this is like course cutting, and worse than doping. At least the dopers are risking a serious consequence to cheat, these folks are risking nothing. It would be fun to have a camera in those port o potties, or someone checking after each use. I do remember hearing a few years ago about all the stuff left in there, thought that would have been taken care of by now. Guess we need floaty pants police now, like the new bike motor genderames…
You have a very weird and perverted idea of what constitutes fun. :-/
You would think you would lose most of the “floaty pants benefit” by having to stop in the porta potty and take them off. Seems like a weird risk/reward ratio.
We do sets of 10x100m on the 1:20, and I’ll come in at 1:15 in these without too much effort. Maybe I’ll say 3 seconds, not 5 since I’m fudging a bit with my relative effort, but the advantage is pretty substantial, at least for me. Granted, I’m not on your swimming level, but I’m decent
You are right about one thing, we are not on the same level!! My days of 100’sLCM on the 1;20, crusing in at 1;15 are well in the rear view mirror. I could maybe do a set of 10 pulling them, but it would not be easy, or comfortable( I imagine I’m probably 30 years older than you too)… (-;
So have you swam in a proper swim skin, how much do you get out of that? I certainly got more out of the skins than floaty pants, about 3 seconds per 100 there.
Sad to hear. I raced and saw many instances of cheating. Many receiving water bottles from family/friends, a coach walking and talking with their athlete, numerous wheel sucks on the bike. I’m disappointed people don’t have the character to follow the rules.
The one thing that’s changed is you and other spectators have a full view of everyone walking through the corals to race start.
The cynical side of me sadly found myself looking for suspicious bulges under their swim skins.
Didn’t see anything, not that it couldn’t have happened. But at least athletes now know they will be subject to a few thousand eyeballs beforehand.
Yeah, it’s good to be in your early 20’s. That’s all I’m gonna say about that although I’m pretty sure back in your day you could blow me out of the water.
I’ve never actually swum in a swim skin, only non-wetsuit swims I’ve done were either draft legal races or back before I had any clue what any of that stuff was. Seems to me like the buoyancy of the shorts would be way more beneficial, but I don’t really know.
I’ve never been to Kona so I don’t know if they could change the transition, but what if they just out the ports potties after the change tents? That way anyone that leaves the change tent still wearing a swim skin can be easily ID’d as a likely cheater, since they can’t ditch it before.
for a slow swimmer like myself, the buoyancy helps quite a bit. To be fair, I have not swam in a race in the buoyancy shorts but a wetsuit legal swim i definitely move further in front of my typical MOP. But maybe I’m wrong and the buoyancy shorts wouldn’t have a huge impact for me.
During the later stages of the women’s pro race there was a helicopter shot of a top finisher being accompanied by a cyclist. It went on for a good bit.
During the later stages of the women’s pro race there was a helicopter shot of a top finisher being accompanied by a cyclist. It went on for a good bit.
She talked about that in post race interviews so don’t think there was anything against the rules going on
although I’m pretty sure back in your day you could blow me out of the water.