Anyone know what the story was last weekend at Gulf Coast? He was as the Pro meeting, but his bike sat alone in the transition area during the race…as if he never showed up to race in the morning?
I saw his bike sitting alone in the transition area too and wondered what happened too. I wish I would have taken a picture of that super trick looking Planet X bike.
H
Well here is a pic of his bike and I will soon interview Spencer too.
Herbert
Charlie Crawford called his hotel room at 9pm on Friday night and asked him about his Federation card and something about it being not up to date…I can not remember exactly what SS said but SS didn’t have any problem picking up his packet/race # at the EXPO, so sounds like things may have not been buttoned up on the PRO male side. This all came up at 9pm and SS could not do anything w/ the UK being 5-6 hours ahead. He is racing Disney this weekend.
I have a somewhat related question. I have heard that some European pros had their helmets taken away in transition at some races because these helmets were seemingly not US certified. Is there any truth to that? Can anyone confirm?
H
Oh Absolutely! Now, my helmet was not taken AWAY per se…but it was deemed “illegal” per USAT rules…and when I was at St. Anthony’s some of the UK PROS had the same problem - their HELMETS are OK in the UK, but as soon as they step foot on US SOIL their helmets are void…and the poor Europeans have NO clue…it is only an USAT RULE…so it throws them for a loop. Rightfully so. Charlie was the USAT Head official at St. Anthony’s.
I have a somewhat related question. I have heard that some European pros had their helmets taken away in transition at some races because these helmets were seemingly not US certified. Is there any truth to that? Can anyone confirm?
H
I witnessed this at St.Anthony’s last year. They looked for a “volunteer” to give helmet to Spencer Smith. I think his helmet was LAS, which is sold in US as well, I am not sure about the brand but I am sure about the situation because they announced it race morning asking for helmets.
Also I’ve seen an age grouper “forced” to purchase a Giro Advantage 2 where he had the same helmet but it was a Euro model. they have looked at the stickers while nobody was there and marked the ones without stickers. he was from Mexico. If you want the name of the race PM me, which I thought it was a little bit “sales” driven inspection. Come to think about it the retailer of the expo had various sizes of Aerohelmets ready for sale at 6 AM.
I was at a race last year and the same thing happened. Although in the pro meeting the day before they clearly told everyone that the helmet needed to have the US certification sticker in it or you would not be able to race. Come race morning when officials checked the helmet a couple of Foreign pro’s helmets had no stickers and the official said they couldn’t race. I didn’t stick around to hear what the conclusion was but I believe all of them raced with their helmets. Personally I feel they shouldn’t have been able to race. The officials gave them plenty of warning. Also it clearly states in the USAT rule book that all helmets must be US certified. Are these the same pros who get busted for drafting and who don’t know it is illegal to draft?
Mike
I think a similar problem was looming at Kona a few years back. It was an insurance issue and it just slipped through everyone’s mind that there are indeed some triathletes that are not US citizens or based in the US and that these athletes might just be used to different brands of equipment. The potential was identified and resolved before the start thus enabling 55% of the field to compete in the race.
Mike,
So you are telling me that it would be cool by you if you were to race an event in Germany, and at 4pm on Friday in the pro meeting you are told that you need a Germany certified helmet. What are you going to do next? I wasn’t aware that triathlon pros are making so much money that they can just go out and buy a different helmet? The same is actually true for age groupers too.
What about other country specific rules such as “no bar end shifters” or “front brake needs to be on the right side not on the left”, Would you go out on that friday night to find a shop to get other bars and/or swap your brakes around?
H
I would review the rules before I raced in another country. Most of these pros are not just racing one race in the US but a multiply races. This is rule has been a fairly “hot” top recently so this shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise.
The USAT official said in the meeting if your helmet didn’t have a sticker “go to the local Wal-Mart and buy a helmet”. How much does a helmet from Wal-Mart cost, less than than $50 I would assume.
Mike
It’s somewhat refreshing that USAT is enforcing a policy. Last year was a joke as I could point toward several USAT podiums with CEN helmets (but don’t want a trial by internet).
But…at the same time, USAT stance is rather silly and they should take the stance of USCF.
Get real.that ruling is simply ridiculous and gets me pretty mad.I’m a european and was told I basically needed to buy a new helmet to race ironman in the us.I have an atmos and advantage 2 and even though the helmets are identical to US ones I was told I can’t wear it just because its only got a euro sticker.
I did protest and they eventually relented but its just common sense.euro races accept the US helmets and why not as they are the SAME helmets!!!
Sorry rant over.just does my head in that one.
"Get real.that ruling is simply ridiculous and gets me pretty mad.I’m a european and was told I basically needed to buy a new helmet to race ironman in the us.I have an atmos and advantage 2 and even though the helmets are identical to US ones I was told I can’t wear it just because its only got a euro sticker.
I did protest and they eventually relented but its just common sense.euro races accept the US helmets and why not as they are the SAME helmets!!!"
I agree…reminds me of a movie quote:
"Tommy: Here’s the way I see it, Ted. Guy puts a fancy guarantee on a box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside.
Ted Nelson, Customer: Yeah, makes a man feel good.
Tommy: 'Course it does. Why shouldn’t it? Ya figure you put that little box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter, am I right, Ted?
Ted Nelson, Customer: What’s your point?
Tommy: The point is, how do you know the fairy isn’t a crazy glue sniffer? “Building model airplanes” says the little fairy; well, we’re not buying it. He sneaks into your house once, that’s all it takes. The next thing you know, there’s money missing off the dresser, and your daughter’s knocked up. I seen it a hundred times.
Ted Nelson, Customer: But why do they put a guarantee on the box?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of shit. That’s all it is, isn’t it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer’s sake, for your daughter’s sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me."
That was a blatant mis-enforcement of the rule. The rule requires that the helmet meets the CPSC standard. The sticker check is BS. The officials are SUPPOSED to have the printout from http://www.helmets.org/ that lists which helmets are CPSC certified. Obviously a CPSC certified helmet purchased in Europe won’t have the sticker, since the CPSC has no jurisdiction.
The sticker check is also stupid because I could buy a $20 WalMart helmet, take the sticker out and put it my Uvex or Briko TT helmet, and I’d be good to go.
If you are going to race a lot, print out a copy of the CPSC list from helmets.org.
Bottom line, the rule is being enforced incorrectly at a ton of races.
…
I did protest and they eventually relented but its just common sense.euro races accept the US helmets and why not as they are the SAME helmets!!!"
…
Wasn’t the Giro II being sold in Europe way before it was certified in the US? If that is the case, then no, they are not the same helmets.
Thanks Rapstar. Seems strange that so many are going to Kona each year and unless they were to have a US helmet, they couldn’t race. Didn’t seem right to me.
If the helmet was purchased in Europe, but is certified in the US then it should be allowed. The problem I have is when people use helmets that are not US certified and claim they didn’t know the rule. Like what Jordan said the USAT officials should have a list of acceptable helmets and/or unacceptable helmets to do the check.
Mike
I think that at each race, USAT should appoint a Helmet Official, solely in charge of checking all helmets and DQ those that don’t have a helmet according to the rules.
I agree with you completely on that one. But to avoid any confusion there should be a global standard for helmets and especially when they are identical. My Atmos was not allowed in a US race yet was identical to a friend’s who purchased his in the US, minus the US standard sticker of course.
As Rappstar says the sticker thing is BS as I could have peeled it from his and put it in my helmet and all would be cool. Since we all go to different countries racing why not just have a global standard.
Any helmets then not meeting those standards should quite rightly be unacceptable.