from page 23 of the athlete guide:
4. Friends and/or family members are not permitted to cross the finish line or enter the finish chute with participating athletes.For safety, ABSOLUTELY NO FAMILY, CHILDREN, SPOUSES, FRIENDS, FANS, ETC. ARE ALLOWED INTO THE FINISH AREA.
I think last year they allowed 1 “kid” per athlete. Now they say no one.
It does not say no strollers, I might wheel an empty stroller through the chute for excitement.
That’s been the finish line policy for all Ironman and 70.3 races since the spring…
thanks, I missed that change.
Are they enforcing it or are there “tag-a-longs”? despite the new policy?
What about an imaginary friend, or spirit guide???
I heard the Evil Matlock was there to slap the little kidides if they got out of hand.
Screw them…this seals the deal. I AM NOT GOING TO RACE MADISON. This is just IT for me, I cant bring kids, dogs, fat girlfriends and my neighbors kids roommate - I am just not going to race.
So much for triathlons being a family friendly sport …, just another example of what makes this sport look like any other selfish sport out there.
Do the rules say what the penalty is? Do they have Terry Tate, Office Linebacker, come sprinting out of the crowd to spear your kid if you run through the chute with them?
I’m not a fan of this rule.
So much for triathlons being a family friendly sport …, just another example of what makes this sport look like any other selfish sport out there.
Yeah, this is horrible news. The entire point of triathlon is being able to cross the finish line with an entourage…
So much for triathlons being a family friendly sport …, just another example of what makes this sport look like any other selfish sport out there.
Classic. Attend the mandatory athlete’s meeting at IMWI and you will hear why this change was made.
I think it’s the other way around. Selfish, “me and MY family only” oriented athletes abusing the finish chute. It created a lot of chaos and creates a mess for the race organizers. Get the hugs and kisses before and after, from a safe distance. Don’t muck it up for every one else. As cute as yur kids might be, I don’t know them and I don’t care.
Thanks Ironman NA for finally getting control of this ongoing fiasco.
ABSOLUTELY NO FAMILY, CHILDREN, SPOUSES, FRIENDS, FANS, ARE ALLOWED INTO THE FINISH AREA.
Excellent … dogs are back in! 
Dave
And ruining someone else’s photo op by hauling your whole family through the finishers chute is’nt selfish?
This is good news.
They are only high-lighting an enforcing a rule( and some common-sense) that has been there all along. It’s really straight-forward: Racers on the course, fans, family members, and all others on the side-lines. It seemed for some this was particularly hard to understand. Now it seems to be clear.
I would be more ok with it if they enforced other rules as well.
And I am tired of hearing about people pictures getting ruined. If it is that important wait until there is a big enough gap or have some one else take one for you.
I think it is legal if you carry your kid the entire 140.6 miles
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I’ve seen it enforced at Steelhead and IMLOU - the chute was long and they had someone standing at the beginning of it while I was at both races.
I don’t know who gets really uptight about the photos but it seems like the greater concern to me SHOULD be the fact that it’s a safety thing.
Whether I have my toddler, my dog, my gramma, my boyfriend or my parakeet…it’s far more of a safety hazard to them (who haven’t signed a waiver) as the half-dazed athlete comes barreling down the finish chute to get to the finish line. They are a liability when they are on the race course - both to other athletes and to themselves.
It’s a huge accomplishment and families should be there to celebrate with you taking pictures as you finish and pictures with you after you finish, but for everyone’s safety the line should be clear for the athletes coming in. Hell, the athletes finishing are dangerous enough to each other…ever seen the dazed & confused wobble coming down the chute, hell-bent on getting to that line before the clock rolls over one more minute??
What was funny is last week at IMC there was a guy who crossed the finish line with a poster board on a stick with photos of his wife and kids on it as a protest. I laughed pretty hard at that one. I think he even made the offical race highlights video too.
I have seen idiots carrying weeks old infants with their heads bouncing all over the place across the finish line at past races so for that reason alone I’m all for the rule change. It did ruin a ton of atrhlete photos in the process as well.
Dave
No kids/family/anyone at IM Lou. It was awesome…! They said that the penalty would be DQ.
What was funny is last week at IMC there was a guy who crossed the finish line with a poster board on a stick with photos of his wife and kids on it as a protest. I laughed pretty hard at that one.
Now that is funny! LMAO