Newby-Fraser offered what she thinks is a simple solution to winning pros who felt sympathetic to those going home without money. “If Catriona is so offended that the men are making less money or that some of the girls didn’t make money, she is free to turn around to third and fourth place and say ‘you know I am so appalled by the system, I am going to give you your money.’ But I don’t see anyone doing that. Belinda Granger can talk a big story about how she would have slowed down in Malaysia after she sprinted to the finish line,” added an annoyed Newby-Fraser. “But then I didn’t see her cut a check to Hillary for third place. If they think it is so awful, then why are they not supporting their fellow pros?”
In general, I think PNF has the interest of the athletes in mind.
However, in this case, she’s not thinking about the tier 2 pros…that being said, she has no clue how to relate to tier 2 pros. She was the queen bee pretty well from her first few races…well her along with Eri Baker on the frontside of her career and her and Natasha Badmann on the back end of her career, with a brief concession to Karen Smyers at Kona 1995
You certainly wouldn’t expect to see her bite the hand that signs her paycheck, so her comments don’t surprise me. Not to say this isn’t really how she feels, but this does not surprise me the least.
She has for some time. Remember the controversy about drafting distance? She announced that WTC had tested in wind tunnel and ‘found out’ that 7m was perfect (without ever showing the data, but strangely nobody challenged them) … only to change the rule to 10m the year after. On top of being corporate, she also train some top pros. Is organising the race in which your athletes are competing a healthy thing to do?
I’d be interested to know how many ‘extra’ drugs tests have been conducted as a direct result of the pro membership thus far - this year?
My wife has podiumed in her last 3 events (granted one was Rev3 and so I guess doesn’t come under WTC) and is yet to be tested, either in competition or out of competition. In the event she didn’t podium (Cali 70.3) apparently there was no testing either.
That quote is quite telling, but the one that struck me was the one after that, about toeing the company line.
“There were 12 people from every corner of the planet sitting at that table,” added Newby-Fraser. "The fact that it is where it is now is based on a vote. Whether I voted for it or if Heather (Fuhr) voted for it is not important… the majority voted for it. I work for WTC, so if that is the policy, I support it unconditionally. Because that is what I have to do."
Funny, I’ve never *totally *supported every single thing done by the people who sign my paychecks, and at times I have been quite vocal about it. Didn’t change the policy, but the powers that be knew I wasn’t a team player. Probably hurt my chances for advancement, too.
Funny, I’ve never *totally *supported every single thing done by the people who sign my paychecks, and at times I have been quite vocal about it. Didn’t change the policy, but the powers that be knew I wasn’t a team player. Probably hurt my chances for advancement, too.
Which is pretty stupid if you ask me. Who the heck wants a bunch of “yes men” working under them. I would much rather have a vocal free thinker on my team.
“…Which is pretty stupid if you ask me. Who the heck wants a bunch of “yes men” working under them. I would much rather have a vocal free thinker on my team…”
I actually had this discussion with my VP last week, when we were talking about some product strategy. One of my peers (in a meeting) said, “Well, that seals it…the VP wants this so I guess we’re doing it”…The VP was in the room and I replied, “Hang on for a second. Just cause he says something does not mean we follow like sheep and do it. He may or may not have the best solution. Let’s have some discussion here and come up with something better”…the VP supported me and said, he certainly wants to hear our analysis and opinions and wants us to challenge him if we feel strongly about anything. That’s why he’s a successful guy!!!
Of course, working in a tech company you’d expect that, because we are stronger when we maximize the collective intellect of the entire team, rather than making business and technology decisions based exclusively on the tunnel vision of one man (or at best a small group of people).
The difference is that the guys working for my VP can walk out the door and find an equivalent or better job elsewhere, sometimes literally next door (or not). Where does Paula Newby Fraser go for equivalent employment options? Seriously as a multiple time Kona finisher, being a floater at WTC is likely leveraging her background to a reasonably good employment scenario. It probably does not get much better for PNF in the sports management world. There are only so many options.
Finally those of you who have worked on the PR side, note that company spokespeople usually have to support the company line publicly even though personally they may or may not agree with it and in this case PNF IS a WTC spokesperson and likely needs to support the program “externally”.
Newby-Fraser offered what she thinks is a simple solution to winning pros who felt sympathetic to those going home without money. “If Catriona is so offended that the men are making less money or that some of the girls didn’t make money, she is free to turn around to third and fourth place and say ‘you know I am so appalled by the system, I am going to give you your money.’ But I don’t see anyone doing that. Belinda Granger can talk a big story about how she would have slowed down in Malaysia after she sprinted to the finish line,” added an annoyed Newby-Fraser. “But then I didn’t see her cut a check to Hillary for third place. If they think it is so awful, then why are they not supporting their fellow pros?”
By that rationale it would be so much easier for WTC to just give a men’s payout and a woman’s payout and the winner gets all the money and then gets to decide who else in the field deserves money too. This way the top athletes could show how much they support their fellow pros.
Finally those of you who have worked on the PR side, note that company spokespeople usually have to support the company line publicly even though personally they may or may not agree with it and in this case PNF IS a WTC spokesperson and likely needs to support the program “externally”.
I’d be interested to know how many ‘extra’ drugs tests have been conducted as a direct result of the pro membership thus far - this year?
My wife has podiumed in her last 3 events (granted one was Rev3 and so I guess doesn’t come under WTC) and is yet to be tested, either in competition or out of competition. In the event she didn’t podium (Cali 70.3) apparently there was no testing either.
Top finishing Age groupers were tested along with pros at Cal 70.3 and at IM St. George. They haven’t gotten to all the age groups yet, but its a start.
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Top finishing Age groupers were tested along with pros at Cal 70.3 and at IM St. George. They haven’t gotten to all the age groups yet, but its a start.
Who did the testing? Who administered it? Was it done with full WADA/USADA protocol?
These are important things to know.
I applaud the WTC for moving forward with this, as their were HUGE loopholes that needed to be closed up( Many athletes, pros included, winning and placing in WTC events for years, and never being tested anywhere), but there is a process and a procedure that needs to be followed, and if it is not, well, the testing is not that useful. You would not believe how detailed these things need to be.
Does WTC publicize these results anywhere? Or is this on a WADA or USADA site you know of? In this day & age of hi-tech dope it would be hard to catch someone using a designer anything since you basically have to know about it before you can develop a test for it. Unless there is a magic test they came up with recently…I know, digressing from the OP. But it does raise some interesting questions (Gary Mc’s comment)
in the end this whole silly payment scheme crap is just a niche, non mainstream sport trying to fight the reality that it is in fact…a niche, non mainstream sport.
you can play with prize money however you want that isn’t going to make ironman a good spectator sport that attracts money, supporting huge prize money, supporting tons of awesome pros
I don’t know about going corporate, but I’m surprised that such an icon and public promoter of the sport would say something so catty and petty on the record.
