I’ve been doing triathlons for many many years and I am, what most triathletes would consider, an excellent swimmer. (But by swimmer standards I am average) However I am older in my late 40’s and most races do not have an elite wave. So I get to start somewhere around the 8th or 10th swim wave and I have to swim around or sometimes, accidently, swim over floaters in the previous waves. First off, this is not safe for other swimmers and time wasting for myself.
I get the whole competing against your AG and starting with them thing. But, for strong swimmers that elite triathletes that are older that have to swim over the group of 4 women breast stroking together talking, going around the swerving mountain bikers or so called “triathletes” that are way to fat to be on a light weight carbon bike with disc wheels looking down at their Garmin GPS not paying attention that they are all over the road and nothing close to an aero position. It makes it dangerous for me and others when I finally swim through the obsticle course and weave around the slower bikers, sometimes weaving wide into the lane of auto traffic to get around these some of these people that are riding side by side or weaving all over.
This whole swim wave thing sucks for everyone and is dangerous for everyone. Whoever thought of this concept of “swim waves” is an idiot! Why not start them all at once like the Ironman races, if you cannot handle it, learn to swim!! Even for small beach starts, have them seed themselves accordingly based on swim times and when they cross the timing mat on the beach their time starts. Easy and fair for everyone.
What makes it worse, is that some race directors like to get the race over ASAP so they start the elderly first and the mountain bikes second, thus the slowest first. Even some races that could have an Elite Wave choose not to, I don’t understand why? Extra work for them? It’s one swim wave. I wish wish wish wish these race directors and race organizers could get a clue!!
Triathlons in general have become less of a race and more of a fun Kumbuya event. Some races even have you “WALK” your bike in transition during the race. What’s next bike speed limits.
I know what most will say, “do only the races with Elite Swim waves” however, there is only 2 triathlons like this in my area out of over 100 triathlons. The rest I’ve have to travel for. This is silly.
I was in the Tower tri on Sunday. there were people in the first two waves that were claimimg 4:00 flat swim times for a 450 meter swim. It has happened in every race I have ever done. Until those people start to get meaningful penalties they will keep doing it.
Age group swim waves, well, there is nothing to be done about that except trying to make the slower swimmer’s time under water while you pound over them as short as possible.
I think it simply comes down to numbers. If they do things the way you would like them to do it, then only a handful of people will be pleased. However, if they do things like they currently are, all of the non-elite people will be happier. Mass starts for non-IM triathlons are a really bad idea though. The general level of fitness of these events are much lower and people will certainly get hurt/die since the local medics will be oversubscribed.
I would normally agree with a statement like this, however, I would not personally want to be involved in a mass beach start with 1500 racers trying to squeeze through a beach access point that is maybe 20 yards wide. Very likely someone will trip and get trampled and drown in 6 inches of water. What a way to go. As it is now, it is extremely hectic with a 50-person wave start.
I hear where you are coming from and that is why I am a big advocate for elite age group waves. Very easy for race directors to incorporate such a thing into their races and it will really make their races a great thing as elite age groupers are more likely to get other age groupers to do the race especially if they are sponsored, involved in coaching, or local training clubs, etc.
Pro Male → Pro Female - > Age Group Elite Male - > Age Group Elite Female - > Everyone else in waves.
Solves almost every problem caused by sending “slower” races in front of “faster” races.
Most swim venues don’t allow for a mass start. Waves are necessary.
Race Directors don’t start the slowest first simply because they ‘want’ to get the race over ASAP. Permits to use the roads and stop traffic expire, so sometimes the only way to get agreement to hold the race is to minimize the impact on the community. If the alternative is to not hold a race at all, I’ll put up with swimming over people and working my way through the crowd on the bike.
If I were you, I’d just be excited that there are “over 100” races in your vicinity and that the sport is so available to you.
Has it ever occurred to you that swim waves are there for safety reasons? Too many people in the water makes it hectic for those there to protect the swimmers (I.e. the lifeguards and people on kayaks, etc)
I think it simply comes down to numbers. If they do things the way you would like them to do it, then only a handful of people will be pleased. However, if they do things like they currently are, all of the non-elite people will be happier. Mass starts for non-IM triathlons are a really bad idea though. The general level of fitness of these events are much lower and people will certainly get hurt/die since the local medics will be oversubscribed.
Exactly… so then they should LEARN how to swim and not rely on the kayaks and lifeguards to hang onto. They don’t belong in the race. They do however belong in a pool learning to swim before hand. Certain races should be Kumbuya races, like the Danskin races or indoor triathlons or kid races.
You want to play with the big dogs, learn to run with them or get out the water.
Swimming over people is annoying, but I don’t see a better solution. Starting everyone at once is not realistic in a lot of situations, and IMO it’s unacceptable to start people who are competing against each other at different times.
Until you name a better solution, it seems to me this is just complaining that life isn’t perfect.
I do agree that starting the slower folks in early waves is BS. Putting the faster age groups first isn’t perfect but at least it minimizes the amount of suffering.
. Very easy for race directors to incorporate such a thing into their races and it will really make their races a great thing as elite age groupers are more likely to get other age groupers to do the race especially if they are sponsored, involved in coaching, or local training clubs, etc.
Pro Male → Pro Female - > Age Group Elite Male - > Age Group Elite Female - > Everyone else in waves.
Solves almost every problem caused by sending “slower” races in front of “faster” races.
So why don’t more race directors do this? Even when they do they cancel it the next year.
Maybe there is something notably different about the races you’ve done, but I feel like I’ve been in roughly the same scenario and have never found it to be as bad as you describe. Due to injury I only do relays where I swim and bike or aquavelo. Until my most recent race, I have always been in the very last wave (I was in the 9th wave this time). I’ve never had particular bad problems navigating around people in the swim or bike. Perhaps a little issue with “on your left” being ignored (or not well understood), but I’ve generally had worse issues with cars blocking the way than bikers. I’m not sure if I’m as “elite” as you, but I’m generally FOP for both the swim and bike, so I’m passing people the entire time on both legs that I do. I’ve always found that as the person coming up faster from behind on either the swim or bike that I have no problem picking a line that will avoid any trouble.
It’s not that these people don’t know how to swim at all. Sometimes people just try to do a little more than their bodies are capable of handling. Your response will probably be something akin to “Well, they shouldn’t even try!” to which I’d heartily disagree. Motivating people to work hard to push their boundaries is generally a good thing in my experience.
Swimming in triathlons is a contact sport. As a stronger swimmer this should actually help you generate a bigger gap against weaker swimmers as you are better equiped to handle the extra pressure and congestion. Otherwise, sign up for local swim meets were you can show off your speed in your own protected lane.
Swimming over people is annoying, but I don’t see a better solution. Starting everyone at once is not realistic in a lot of situations, and IMO it’s unacceptable to start people who are competing against each other at different times.
Until you name a better solution, it seems to me this is just complaining that life isn’t perfect.
I do agree that starting the slower folks in early waves is BS. Putting the faster folks first at least minimizes the amount of suffering.
Has anyone else noticed that in almost every race, few (if any) racers swim the shortest distance around the course? It really isn’t that hard to pass entire waves of people without even getting near anyone. Just swim the inside track of the course - its no man’s land. I look at some people and I say to myself, hmm, you are swimming the wrong way dude. While its comical, its true, and its why I am a big advocate against fancy swim GPS devices and fancy wetsuits. etc. Get out in the water, swim the shortest distance and/or draft off someone who is faster than you and who gets this concept of swimming the shortest distance and you will save time.
