If ITU treated their LD-events with equal attention, and gave it as much publicity, prizemoney and focus, as their World Cup-races you would a huge amount of pro´s racing these events instead of IM´s. Titles doesn´t mean anything if they´re not accompanied by prizemoney and ITU is really trying their “best” to kill its own LD-events by offering very low prizemoney…
In Europe anyway, a World or European title is very prestigous since it´s understood all across sports. A lot of normal people never heard of Ironman or even triathlon but everyone understands the concept of World Championships.
And ITU has the only official World Champs, that´s why it´s very important to have them run the right distances instead of some bogus half-assed long-distance.
And for what´s its worth, I want the ITU to be a strong organisation and to keep running these events. Otherwise we might just be like boxing and have whatever random event or organisation to have “World Champs” left and right. I just wish the ITU to ask the athletes before deciding…
And it doesn´t have to be about Hawaii or not. Obviously HIM has it´s followers and as the crownjewel of the sport it will always be legendary BUT it´s really a saunafest held on the same place every year, whereas a true World Champs is run on different courses/venues every year and is also organized by the highest officiating organ of the sport, being ITU in this case.
Like I´ve written before; the ITU is making a very dubious choice by basically only focusing on a very small aspect of the sport of triathlon, namely the World Cup drafting races. Doesn´t that seem odd to do by such an organisation?
I would argue that they are not yet getting the quality of field to warrant large prize money. In my opinion, the Olympics have really helped the sponsor and prize money situation. Prize money and sponsorship is a function of spectators. Look at all major sports - the bigger the fan base, the more the players make (from Baseball to football, down to hockey, then North American soccer, etc…). I would suggest it’s just as much the athlete’s responsibility to help sell their sport as it is the ITUs. If you want more prize money, make it a better show or get more visible. I love to watch short course racing but long course I’d never watch, only participate. My participation, however, doesn’t make it marketable to sponsors. Look at the attention that the post-Hawaii drama created. Not saying that’s the best way to sell the sport but it sure is a start. In my opinion, the long course racers need to start generating their own publicity, however best you think that is done.
As for your last comment, I don’t think that is odd at all. I haven’t followed other olympic sports as closely, but take swimming for example. Open Water swimming was always around but certainly not a big part of FINA’s agenda until it got into the Olympics. I’m sure similar arguments can be made for other federations (I’d bet that IAAF throws a lot more money into their Outdoor World Champs and Gran Prix Series then to Cross-Country or Indoor Track).
Anyways, we agree on many levels and it’s good that you are making a visible effort to improve the sport. You just need to get more athletes with the same agenda to make it happen.
Dan