what is the definition of MOP? middle third overall? middle 80% of your age group?
some associated questions, what are the difinitions of FOP and BOP?
FOP - 1st place
BOP - last place
MOP - everywhere else.
FOP and BOP designations are valid for a 1 year period, no automatic renewals. So if you win one race during the year, you are FOP for the next 12 months. Same with BOP.
Age group awards do count, so technically it is possible to be both FOP and BOP at the same time, particularly in the older age groups. DNF’s do not count toward BOP status.
wow, i’ll have to print your answer to keep all of that straight. that’s funny stuff tho.
Why is it funny?? I’m being serious. 
I doubt there is a “definition” but I use a third, a third, a third to designate front (top one third), middle and back (bottom one third)…logic? There is none, just equal slices/divide by three…
When designating an athlete as FOP, MOP, or BOP, the age-group or other modifier must be appended to the athletes designation when not speaking about whether the athlete is FOP MOP or BOP in relation to the entire field.
For example, I am MOP, and also MOPM35-39. Steve Larsen is MOP, FOPM35-39 (or whatever age group he is in). Joe Bonness (MOP, FOPMDinosaur). Faris al-Sultan is FOP, FOP MPro.
I doubt there is a “definition” but I use a third, a third, a third to designate front (top one third), middle and back (bottom one third)…logic? There is none, just equal slices/divide by three…
This is generally what I follow. I could be wrong though.
Definetely multiple rankings possible… However, where as I normally do look at the 1/3 ratio, my 593 overall at LP DOESN’T rank me FOP for anything. I’d take Top of MOP at BEST and even that my 160/410 M35-39 AG ranking puts me flat at MOP.
However, does it really matter?
I go by the definitions:
FOP - everyone that finishes ahead of me
MOP - me
BOP - everyone that finishes behind me 
.
of course it matters. The USAT rankings committee will be including this critical information in the next set of national ranks. Then everyone will truly know who is FOP, MOP and BOP.
Due to the size of the MOP category, that will be subdivided further into FMOP, MMOP, and BMOP. MMOP will be divided into FMMOP, MMMOP and BMMOP. And so forth.
I somewhere around: FMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM-MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMOP
I say FOP is top 10%. MOP is the next 70%. BOP is the last 20%.
But there are two levels… For example, since MOP is 70% of the field, you need to consider that there are FOP MOP and MOP MOP and BOP MOP finishers. And then that needs to be cut my age group. So, it’s possible to be FOP MOP in age group and MOP BOP overall.
I commonly use the “thirds” definition where the top third is FOP, the middle third is MOP, and then the last third is BOP.
If you go by another poster’s definition of FOP, then Cameron Brown is only a MOP pro triathlete and everyone knows that MOP is nothing to brag about.
It’s all about thirds.
Top third finishers = Front of the Packer = Winner to 10:59 ironman
Middle third finishers = Middle of the Packer= (11:00-13:59 ironman)
Bottom third finishers = Back of the Packer = (14:00-17:00 ironman)
Beyond that, it has to do with attitude and classification/age group.
I say FOP is top 10%. MOP is the next 70%. BOP is the last 20%.
But there are two levels… For example, since MOP is 70% of the field, you need to consider that there are FOP MOP and MOP MOP and BOP MOP finishers. And then that needs to be cut my age group. So, it’s possible to be FOP MOP in age group and MOP BOP overall.
Not sure about that paul0578. I thought it was FMOP, MMOP, and BMOP. There are also FFOP, MFOP, BFOP, FBOP, MBOP, and BBOP. One must be particulary careful not to confuse BFOP and FBOP. Now, for further clarification, you can also add your race classification to that: for example FMOPF35AG, FBOPMCLYD, MMOPMMTB.
But I’ve heard the nomenclature may change to include your month of birth due to USAT’s age up rule…
I get the impression that people aren’t taking this seriously. It is really important stuff.
The nomenclature is NOT changing because of the age-up rule. That was a nasty rumour started by IMNA, who are working on their own, independent POP (Place of Pack) rankings. Details of the IMNA ranking system are expected to be released later today.
Is that POP in the draft legal IMNA/70.3 races or clean IMNA/ 70.3 races? Then are they going to sub divide into those who are FOP and have little chance for drafting in large packs and those who are in large packs.
fwiw I define FOP as those who are in contention for the top 20-30 places OV in a large race, unless there are a few who are wotf (way off the front) then those people become first pack in my mind. I break it down into near the fop, mop, near the back of the mop (lets face it MOP is a huge group and we need to discuss if you are going to use mean or medium), bop and those who are wotb (way off the back)
Everyone is forgeting DFL. Dead F’ing Last. For example, I do a lot of mile swims in the ocean. While triathlons are full of middle of the pack types and mid-life crises types, ocean miles are filled with high school swimmers, college swimmers, former college swimmers and life guards. I always finish back of the pack and worry about pulling a DFL. Haven’t done it yet tho.
The competing IMNA rankings will use DFL, OTB, OTF, WTFOTB and WTFOTF, and other terms, in addition to the FOP, MOP and BOP designations, as I have just learned from my source inside the IMNA organisation, who would only speak on condition of anonymity. A full description of the new ranking system will be released later today.
yeah, so it was kind of a dumb question, but people reference it all the time. how can we collectively use a term that has no definition?
You can use whatever definition you want to make yourself look better.