Kona Swim Start Change

Triathlon Forum
1

Is this old news? Didn’t see a thread on it.

https://www.triathlete.com/...ip-swim-start_378670

ETA:

See the new start times below.
6:25 MPRO
6:30 FPRO
6:35 PC OPEN / HC
6:55 M18-39
7:00 M40-44
7:05 M45-49
7:10 M50+
7:15 F18-39
7:20 F40-54
7:25 F55+
7:30 Legacy

2

This is a step in the right direction.

3

Only thing I don’t like is that M50+ starts before F18-39. I know there are still some fast M50-59 but that really should be flipped.

4

So the whole men’s AG field other than legacies start within 15 minutes of each other? I can see that breaking up some of the early bike course congestion, but not by much.

Now good swimmers from later start groups have to navigate through slower swimmers. In light of current swimming mortality issues, is adding more passing in the swim better than congestion on the bike?

I would just keep the mass start as it is. The draft packs suck, so just give out more penalties.

Interesting to see legacies treated as their own sub-group. How about tossing the XC racers, corporate sponsors, Ventum buyers, middle eastern military division winners in there too? I think the legacy racers have more validity than many of those others.

5

Only thing I don’t like is that M50+ starts before F18-39. I know there are still some fast M50-59 but that really should be flipped.

Or just put an extra 5 minute gap in there

6

And there you have it… They pussied up Kona, just call it Muddy Buddy now. Plus, an old fashion AG start no less, not even a rolling start or seed yourself. What a crock of S#!T. Please change the name from Ironman to something like a Tinman or Aluminum Man.

7

It’s old news to anyone who has ever done Challenge Roth.

8

Plus, an old fashion AG start no less, not even a rolling start or seed yourself.

At least everyone (beside legacy) is racing heads up. It is a World Championship afterall…

9

wow some hostility on this thread. Maybe some yoga followed by a relaxation class for those people!

I see this being good for a few reasons based on conversations I’ve had with my numerous Kona athletes

  1. for the fastest swimmers (54-56) it’s going to be less of a boxing match. In a normal IM if you swim in that time frame it’s pretty lonely. At Kona it’s not.
  2. If you’re on a rescue board this makes saving a life a lot easier. Hopefully some of you high strung individuals won’t need saving.
  3. if you’re a pretty decent swimmer <57 and can only ride 4:50 it’s probably going to reduce the # of people you’re riding with. Now it’s not going to eliminate drafting completely, there are too many racers & not enough course or not enough course for the # of athletes, you choose. We should see smaller draft packs

Drawbacks:
The older/more vulnerable athletes, older women, back 30% of the race it’s not uncommon for them to shove everyone into the bike lane, not uncommon to run out of stuff at the last few bike aid stations and those athletes are also least able to handle heat yet they are going to be out there in the heat a bit longer.

Finally for those who hate change, it’s inevitable. This race will look different in 10 years then it did last year or will look this year. Change is like time, you can’t stop it.

10

I do find it appalling if its correct that they run out at aid stations - FFS It’s the world champs, and they take a shhiitoad of money off people. And its been run for several decades. They need to over-stock not under stock.

I’ve been involved in running a feed station on an independent full distance race for the past 3 or 4 years, where the station is not immediately accessed by car, and gets ‘hit’ 4 times in the race by each athlete.
We have NEVER run out of what is promised to athletes.

11

I can imagine the negative energy you bring into transition on race mornings.

12

11 cannon shots!

Is this old news? Didn’t see a thread on it.

https://www.triathlete.com/...ip-swim-start_378670

ETA:

See the new start times below.
6:25 MPRO
6:30 FPRO
6:35 PC OPEN / HC
6:55 M18-39
7:00 M40-44
7:05 M45-49
7:10 M50+
7:15 F18-39
7:20 F40-54
7:25 F55+
7:30 Legacy

13

and those athletes are also least able to handle heat yet they are going to be out there in the heat a bit longer. //

Actually when you think about it, the will be out there less in the heat. All those folks already spend all day on the course, and then into the night. This will just extend their night time hours when it is much cooler. If it were a 70.3 I would agree, but it is not, and beating the sunset is not in the cards for most of those older folks…

14

I understand they’re trying to go fastest to slowest, but they’ve still got well over half the entire field starting within 10 minutes. If the ambition is to break up the bike packs, as surely it is, you’d think they would separate M18-49 more.

15

I wonder how this will affect swim warm-ups.

Also, no more wide left!!! That was my go-to move every year. May it rest in peace.

16

Good change. It won’t solve everything but I look forward to see how this turns out!
Sam

17

LOL the Middle East Military winner/KING will go on the MPRO start so he can have a fair race behind his motorcycle crew on the bike. The rumor was that last year he was afraid for his safety. Off course if he does not win the military division he will be awarded with the XC World Championship division. Am I mixing the fake news from last year with the predictions from this year? Sorry mate

18

Well the strong 50+ bikers need to focus on improving their slingshotting skills. Will change the dynamics on the bike course but not the drafting. I will miss you Sam flying by me at mile 15 on the bike 4 mph faster with 10 other guys grabbing your wheel trying to hang on😉

19

I’d be upset at a regular IM if they ran out at an aid station let alone Kona.

20

Only thing I don’t like is that M50+ starts before F18-39. I know there are still some fast M50-59 but that really should be flipped.

At least they are TRYING to do something new. Just like the run course when we had T2 at the Kona Surf and the legendary “Pitt” to climb out of. It’s a change and they’re trying to make it more fair. Although, it does put older athletes in a position of getting in a slightly hotter or windier part of the day, and especially for the older athletes, that can be an issue. However, the break up of packs is hopefully the driving force. Solve one issue, create another. But it isn’t necessarily a “forever” thing. Apt to change depending on how successful it is, just like everything else.

If you complain about everything (which is your choice, if you demand the best product and have issues with that product), you may as well throw in the old…Kona used to be $100 entry, now it’s no longer the Ironman World Championship–it’s the Ironman RICH MAN’s World Championship." The best are not necessarily there…it’s the best RICH athletes who are racing it. Not a good slant on it? Well…that’s sorta what you’re doing–not a fair assessment of something that hasn’t even really taken place yet in Kona. Let’s at least wait a year to see how it affects results, safety, etc. before we pass a judgment on it.