Long-course/non-draft tri in the Olympics?

Triathlon Forum
1

I heard that the IAAF is pushing to have XC included under the T&F/Athletics banner at the Olympics: http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/summer/athletics/1017367-olympic-target-for-cross-country-still-the-aim-say-iaaf-after-top-level-summit-led-by-coe

I wonder if there’s similar support for a long-course/non-draft option for triathlon at the Olympics too? Discuss.

IMO: Ironman is of course the marquee format/distance for triathlon, although it has a corporate rather than federation-based structure, which would obviously hinder reach beyond the WTC events label. Our equivalent of the IAAF/UCI is the ITU, which has nothing to do with IM as far as I know. The ITU could push for a long-course event, albeit it wouldn’t be IM-distance. I would really like to see this come to being, however. Basically all of the triathlons us AGers (and even elite or sub-professional athletes) do are non-draft if not IM/half distance, so seeing that in the Olympics could be cool.
An interpolation on that idea: it might also break the stronghold of the WTC on long-course racing. It makes no sense to me why we have a corporate quasi-governing body (WTC) along with a regular governing body (ITU). Honestly, though. Obviously it affects the dynamics of the pro scene under WTC, but that’s another topic which has been discussed already on ST I know.

2
  1. There already is this thing called the ITU Long Distance World Championships, and you’re right; it’s not 2.4/112/26.2
  2. The Olympics are built largely around spectatorship at this point. Watching an 8-9 or even 4 hour race is painful. I don’t care who you are or what lies you tell yourself. Imagine for 98% of the Olympic spectators who are not triathletes. There’s actually somewhat of a sentiment to push it down and have it be a sprint distance instead, but also adding in the 4x Mixed Relay.
  3. Draft-legal triathlon didn’t used to be a thing. The ITU embraced that format in an effort to get triathlon into the Olympics. Although Ironman has it down a little bit with the penalty tents and such, drafting penalties were making triathlon excessively difficult to understand with drafting penalties, position fouls, and all that. There are still penalties in draft-legal racing, but it’s set up now that except in very unusual circumstances, the first across the line is the winner, which is simple and what everybody wants to see.
3
  1. Do a search. Topic has been cussed & discussed numerous times here.
  2. You have 2 hours to broadcast your sport (for most sports…we’ll see about golf).
  3. Sports are supposed to be TV AND spectator friendly. Long course boring.
  4. IM is a brand. Challenge is a brand. Rev 3 is a brand. ITU is the International Federation for the sport. At best they are in detente. ITU has its own long course championship.
  5. The IOC is not fond of “gruelathons” & would be hesitant to place such a distance on the Olympic program (also, long course tri then kills Olympic-distance tri; good luck with that).
  6. You are 1 person who thinks it would be cool. Need a few million more.
4

Been covered a zillion times. The general feeling is that long course tri is about as exciting to watch as paint drying on the wall. Just not spectator friendly on the boob tube.

If anything they should shorten the Oly tri to a sprint to make it more TV exciting. Consider the running races at the Olympics - the 100 m always gets the most attention.

5

Huh I guess you’re right. Although can anyone explain what race-walking is doing then, hahaha. It literally meets ALL of the criteria you & LazyEP mentioned: the 50K race walk takes about 4 hours, literally no one watches it or cares, not spectator or TV friendly at all, huge issues with penalties, etc.

And dude, beating the shit outta the dead horse is part of the ST tradition, no? I am guilty as charged.

6

I’m not sure why everything has to be in the Olympics. Let the sports that have no other major venues stay in the Olympics and par others down. The Olympics cost ridiculous amounts of money and have been filled continuously with expensive sports.