Tthere was an interest discussion on, if you got a hawaii slot rolldown to you, would you take it? What about a person who wins a slot, the real deal, and takes the slot, but for whatever reason does not go to the race? Not once, but twice, and for both world championships: Hawaii and Clearwater.
For “whatever reason” is too vague. I doubt anyone does this on purpose, and frankly if they do it’s their prerogative. Few would turn down a slot, but nobody has total control over injuries, health, etc.
Qualifying is half the battle. Showing up ready to race and healthy are key.
Hypothetically, if a slot ever rolled down far enough to reach me, I’d take it. Per the rules, that is still a qualifying slot. Of course, I’d also accept a lottery slot, which is also completely legal by the rules. And nope, I don’t care if you spend your time thinking I’m somehow less of a human because I didn’t earn a slot with a sub-10 IM.
“I doubt anyone does this on purpose”
Ditto.
DNSing multiple IMs and/or 70.3s can get to be a very expensive proposition…unfortunately I speak from experience on this matter 
Haim
I took a Clearwater spot (not rolldown) at Steelhead this year. I was not able to race Clearwater because of foot injuries and other health problems. I feel bad that I took a spot that another person could have used. It was only about 2 weeks before Clearwater that I realized I would not be able to race.
Before the problems that kept me from Steelhead, I was lucky enough to get a rolldown spot for Kona '08 in Wisconsin. My health problems have persisted for the last 3 months but I still hope to race in Kona. I will feel horrible if I took that spot and can’t race. I never intended to take a spot that I wasn’t going to use.
I hope that people would not take spots that they do not intend to use. I think the entry costs should keep people from doing that.
They paid the race fee (they have to when they accept the slot). So I doubt they would take the slot and pay the fee not planning to go - just to F people on the roll down.
True. I’m sure people would not take a slot, then blew it off. But if the person has a history of do this several times, maybe they should bag the idea of competing at that level and let the number two person have a shot. There is only a slot for this age group. and if doesn’t get used, there is one less woman in the 50-54 age group. I have been lucky enough to experience all combinations of methods to get to hawaii: winning that one slot, lottery, and rolldown.
Some people have already qualified and do not need it. Also, I know a person who knew they weren’t going to Kona so they turned it down. Not that uncommon.
I feel bad that I took a spot that another person could have used.
Look at it like this: You spared someone the clearwater experience. 
Axel
that person is probably pretty bummed they didn’t make it to the actual race, that’s what happens. I’ve been in this situation and taken a Kona slot but not raced. Often when you qualify it’s so far off from Kona (or Clearwater) that you really don’t know if you’ll be able to devote the time and effort to that future big day. I can honestly say that I did feel terrible that the person behind me couldn’t take the slot when I finally decided not to race. Right around the 30 day mark where the roll-down officially stops happening I was pretty pressured to give that slot back right then as i was only 50/50 racing at that point. But in the end you hold on to it hoping to be able to pull it out. Plus no offense to anyone who’s right behind me or right behind anyone, but qualifying is based on how fast you go and who shows up on that day. If you miss a slot you really can’t blame anyone but yourself and even then this is all for fun right so we just need to take a step back, have fun and relax a bit:)
Oh, and that person is also really bummed that they are out a few hundred bucks:(
Qualifying is half the battle. Showing up ready to race and healthy are key.
Indeed. More than a few get caught up in IMH fever and smoke themselves in training and never make it to the starting line for one reason or another. Most IM races have a 10% no-show rate - people that are entered, have paid and may even been issued a number and never show up at registration. IMH is a slightly different beast, but I am guessing that the no-show rate is a bit lower, but I am guessing there is still 100+ who never even make it to the starting line.
I qualified for for Hawaii in 05 and 06 took the slot and did not go to either race. At the time I was committed but injury prevented me from going. I felt really bummed for the guy who was 3rd because I know he really wanted to go.
I don’t think people pay the $500 entry fee if they don’t really intend going.
THe fact that plans have to be made as much as a year in advance is probably a big factor in someone not going. I signed up and paid for IMCDA a couple of years ago and was unable to go. I know several other people that have ended up in the same boat. All M-Dot races have far more people that want to get in than they can accomodate even though they over sell expecting some people to not show up. I’ll bet WTC would have to cut the number of available slots if everyone actually showed up.
It’s interesting that this seems to be a trend with the individual you mention. Do you really think it could be malicious or are you just disappointed when it works out this way?
Also, I don’t quite agree with the entry fee logic mentioned above. $500 means a lot more to some people than others. If money is not an issue anyone could grab a spot and sit on it to see how things go later without really being committed to going at that time. Probably a low percentage but possible I guess.
Living in europe and being a full time student It´s possible that if I would happen to qualify I would neither afford to go nor have the time. It costs a lot of money to go to hawaii and in my situation just qualifying would be hard on my finances.
I don’t think it’s malicious. I think it’s a person not in tune with themselves. And there is disappointment as well, for myself, missing the chance by 30 seconds. The triathlon world is small. And when it happened again, the woman bumped from clearwater nearly cried at the missed chance. But thank you to all those who responded to my issue. Everyone’s feedback will be very helpful in May. Who knows, anything is possible, maybe this year, I’ll find myself with the hawaii slot. thanks again too all.
My wife missed a spot to Kona by one place in 2007. After I signed up she was looking at the program and saw that the person who beat her was not there. Needless to say,she was very upset. There should be a method to contact the next person in line for a Kona slot when one person backs out. Hell, IM could collect another $500.00.
I love that idea. And we all know ironman’s quest for more and more money. So, why not notify the next person in line.
Ironman builds in a no show rate into the qualifying process, so those that qualify and pay, and then do not show up, are just part of their overall equation. I didn’t go to Clearwater the first year there after paying because of the set up of the race. It wasn’t announced until a couple months before the race, so I got sucked in and became part of the no show % they count on… I see that some people that have entered France are a bit pisssed off now that they announced that they are going to cram as many as they can into the race to break some record. I’ll tell you what world record they will break, the largest ever peletons in an Ironman, and knowing their enforcement there, they will go through the course hassle free. People that signed up for the marginal busy course, now have to decide if they want to go to the new format, and I bet a few will pass. But as others have said, having to sign up a year in advance, lots of things can go wrong on the path to race day, and I doubt very seriously that anyone is premediating to qualify, pay, and not show up just to be mean to the roll down folks…