After doing a couple of I Dot races I really wanted to do some Iron Distance events. Was going to do Ultramax,found out due to lack of participation,no Iron Distance for 2005.Bummer. So decided to do Pineman in Ohio where I have family. In 2005 no full only a half. This is vey disappointing.I Dots fill in days. So many complain about IMNA,so why no support for Iron Distance races. May look into the Grand Columbion,but nothing there for my wife. Anyone familiar with the Iron Horse in BC? Any IM distance close to Cleveland?
I heard through the grape vine that California Man will not take place in 2005! Anyone else hear this info? Z
Wasn’t there another thread about it moving from Folsom to Davis in 2005?
Yes, it’s confirmed that CaliMan is moving from Folsom to Davis. Race is last weekend of September.
clm
Check out the list of “largest” IM races at Xtri.com (http://www.xtri.com/RESULTS/IM-BIGGEST.ASP). With only 56 finishers at Pineman, it’s pretty easy to see why they don’t want to face all the difficulties of keeping the course open for a full IM. I was a big fan of the Pineman race, with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full iron distances.
There seems to be a real divide between I Dot and “other” iron distance races. I Dots get all the entries, all the sponsorship, while decent races like Pineman are basically local events that are a labor of love by the promoter. All the multi-day excitement associated with I Dots is great, but so is the low key atmosphere of races like Pineman. I don’t know what to do to keep the non-I Dots in business, but I’ll be doing Pineman as a 1/2 this year.
Redman in Oklahoma City is a first year non-mdot Iron-distance triathlon for 2005. Since it is a stones throw away for us, we are considering it, but I have no idea about the logistics, race director, etc. The location west of OKC is pretty darn flat, for those that like that sort of thing.
Francois…
Would you be available to answer logistical ???'s about Roth in a few months? Many…<<
Actually, Amy White, former columnist for this site, is probaby your best bet as she is the US coordinator (or whatver her official title is) for the Quelle Challenge race. She’s done the race the past two years and like Francois, very highly recommends it.
I’ve had first hand reports from a number of people that Roth is one very fun time and it’s on my “to do” list. Here’s the info, with Amy’s contacts.
http://www.xtri.com/headline-v.asp?offset=15
clm
As one of the other posts mentioned, there is a new iron-distance race in Ottawa on the first weekend in Sept. I raced the half there in 2003 and it is a fast course with a lot of places for your support crew to see you. The half was a two-loop swim, 6-loop bike and two-loop run and I didn’t find the multiple loops too mentally draining … double that may be frustrating to some 
There is also a mega-loop Esprit iron-distance race in Montrel (2nd or 3rd weekend of Sept) which is a super-fast course. The ride is 40 loops of the F1 race car course and the swim is in the Olympic rowing basin so it is like a big outdoor pool. I raced there in 1999 at the age group worlds for Olympic distance and the swim was cool since there are cables on the bottom to anchor the lane markers for rowing so you can just follow them like the line in a pool. It is amazing how much faster you swim when you don’t have to sight anything
I raced Roth in 2001 and will join Francois in recommending it highly. The ride up Solar Berg with thousands of spectators screaming and shaking cow bells at you is like nothing that I’ve ever encountered in any other race.
Two words: Brand Identification.
The race director is the same one who does the OKC marathon, so he has a lot of exerience. Also, the mayor pushed for this event, so it will have a ton of support by the city.
how about Great Floridian?
ChesapeakeMan will be back for a second go-round this year in the ever beautiful (and completely flat) Cambridge, Md area. Columbia’s races are first rate in every respect, as their best-known races for 2005 (Columbia and EagleMan) are already closed to general entry.
Considering Columbia’s relationship with WTC (Eagleman is a long-time M-dot qualifier) I am more than a bit surprised that WTC has NOT attempted to put an M-dot race in the Chesapeake region with Columbia running it. Considering that my home town of Washington, DC has possibly the highest concentration of type A, acheivement-freaks on Earth, an M-dot race here in Sept-Oct would sell out in a K Street heartbeat. As it is, ChessieMan had I think fewer than 200 finishers in their maiden voyage. Hat’s off to Columbia for bringing it back and building an ultra-distance (I don’t think WTC has trademarked that, yet) race in the mid-Atlantic.
Paul
Duke Blue Devil puts on a nice low key IM too and most of the entry fee goes to cancer research.
I just looked at this race. Anyone boohooing about WTC actions should check it out. Relatively low entry fee. I’m going to take the plunge if not selected in the IMH lottery. A good possibility as a sub for dearly departed ultramax.
For people looking for an alternative to WTC yet with world championship and travle potentials. The 2005 Grand Columbian, Chesepeakeman, the Great Floridian are all USAT Regional or National Iron Distacnce Championships. Top finishers qualify for Team USA and the 2006 world Long Course Championships in Canberra Australia.
They did…
Not exactly close, but WTC wanted a race in Williamsburg, VA. Or…perhaps it’s backward…Williamsburg wanted in IM, I forget.
16th Annual Full Vineman August 13th 2005 … www.vineman.com … Oldest ironman distance race in the country, we’ll have 300+ on the start line. Read David Glovers race report here - http://www.xtri.com/article.asp?id=1266
Exactly.
What we are witnessing is that tipping point when brand recognition takes over. Most people don’t even think about the other non WTC ironman distance events. Yes, they are on some peoples radar screens, but when the word “ironman” is mentioned people think of Hawaii or another WTC sanctioned event.
Also, the WTC events, particularly those run by IMNA, are extraordinarily well run. These are big logistical events and despite what people say, there is an extraordinary amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to pull off a 2000 person plus Ironman race.
Fleck
I agree Fleck.
I’ve seen it here in the store many times. A customer tells another customer, “Oh, I did the Great Floridian Ironman distance race last year…”
The other customer says, “Oh, but that isn’t an Ironman race…”
It’s the difference between climbing K2 and Everest. Tell people you climbed K2 and they say, “Oh, what?” Tell people you climbed Everest and they say, “Where’s your book?”.