Think Brownlee minor has always been planning for 2024 to be his last SC season: just spoiled for him that he just wasn’t good enough (or compliant enough) to get selection for Paris. He has had a half hearted go at MD, most recently early 2022 in Gran Canaria (#9, 14 minutes down on Noodt).
Luis: different matter. He has podiumed at (I think) all his MD races, winning Bahrain two years ago (and see below). Clear he’d be an excellent addition and needed to fly French flag (with Margirier) if Laidlow doesn’t sign. Hot Shot offer for sure.
Brownlee minor: doubt it (not a hot shot). Needs to go and prove himself before maybe a wildcard (phase 2 of start list assembly, not from the waiting list) at Ibiza (say, with some IMWC men missing).
In ten days, 70.3 Bahrain seems set up to be a test for several SC athletes to show their metal, particularly the women.
Women: GTB, Van Coevorden, Learmonth, Waugh, Neubert, Betto. Pohle is top seed which should offer an excellent benchmark (if we see her Tallinn/Zell-am-See form).
Men: Luis (#1 in 22), Stapley (#3 in 23), Schoeman (#2 in 23, though recently see T100 Las Vegas). [Edit] Margirier and Keulen are racing which should offer a reasonable benchmark.
Fascinating interview, Jonny’s language is all wrong for me though, seems like he’s already semi retired in his head and the hunger to be the best at another distance isn’t there, just wants to ‘enjoy’ races.
We have seen that before with Jonny though, I think he just keeps his cards close to his chest until everything is confirmed.
I hope Vince, Hayden and Jonny all get T100 slots, that would be absolutely fantastic.
Although id love to see Wilde in T100, not if it means Yee going completely unchallanged in ITU.
We no more Alister Brownlee on the start line in 2025.
And i would like to see him fully focusing for the 4 yrs ready to win in LA and put a couple world champs to his name. The risk of slowing down while racing longer like what happened to the Norwegians is real. Maybe a wildcard here and there for fun, but its risky to take a contract and lose the short course edge.
The last cycle was quite strange because of Tokyo 2021 so it meant a far shorter turn around time between Oly games. I don’t think the impact would be quite as bad if short course athletes used 2025 to attempt some T100 racing. I also don’t see Wilde going up to the full distance so the come down from T100/70.3 back to Olympic distance won’t be such a shock to the system.
You are totally right.
In a normal 4 year Olympic cycle federations generally give their athletes a lot more flexibility in the 1st year post Olympics.
I’m not surprised at their schedule for next year, no one really wanted that series this year. It really was the 2nd tier series of the 3 big ones, so them pitching up will help legitimize it.
And of course they will likely take a wild card or two, so we will get to see them in action against the fastest boys and girls. I wonder if they got some under the table contracts from WTC, they are the perfect pair to bring that series up to par with the others…
Neither of them were in a position to get contracts and KB at best a hot shot contract but there are so many options to choose from. So not really surprising that they “picked” the pro series to focus on next year
It will be news if someone like LCB or Laidlow deciding to turn down a contract for the Pro Series
My bet is they turn them down, not for the Pro Series, but to focus on WC. They may do Pro Series along the way. Same for Kat, Chelsea, Laura, Magnus, Rudy…Some will take it, but not the majority.
There was an X+Y+Z formula mentionned. X up front, Y per race and Z at the end. Unless X and Y are significant, and there is no penalty for missing events, maybe some will take it. But I suspect PTO will go low on X, a bit higher on Y and make Z depedant on doing all required events, in which case the above list will bail from T100
If they wanted to do the T100 series they would have been welcomed with open arms.
Agreed, if T100 are turning down the likes of the Norwegians, Luis, Brownlee (any other big name triathletes) who want contracts, due to some weird ranking sytem they have, then good luck keeping the interest you’ve built up!
Who said they turning down Louis or Brownlee?
Honest question - does anyone really have interest in seeing Jonny Brownlee race T100? He’s really done nothing in his limited LC races. I just don’t see him nearly as interesting as Ali…
It could be me, but he wouldn’t be anywhere close to my top hot shot hopes…
More so than anyone else racing T100! World champ, Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist or…(I know these lads have earned contracts) Heemeryck, Margirier, Kaulen.
Who’s likely to pull in the casual viewer?
Aiui (interview in Dubai?) Laidlow has indicated he will concentrate on IMWC and not sign to race T100 in 2025. That’d be ‘news’ but no big deal: he couldn’t finish in the top 10 this year (he fulfilled the contract nevertheless, commentary in lieu of racing the GF).
I expect LCB to be offered a contract (11-16, on her PTO Ranking) having switched focus onto Nice after two #2s in the early T100s and then suffering various illnesses/injuries (not as a result of ‘too much racing’ btw). I have said upthread I think she will sign a T100 contract. If she doesn’t she’ll be concerned she’ll start losing relevance/visibility (till October). And then (without T100) Marbella for her, whereas all the best athletes will be racing the T100 Grand Final in November. Not robust enough to risk going for a 3+2 IM Pro Series.
Sodaro will not be offered a T100 contract: she managed to start two of 7 races this year.
Philipp will likely race T100 but with IMWC as the ‘A+’ race: schedule entirely doable (London early Aug, miss Ibiza and race Kona 11 October).
Matthews same but she’ll have to KQ whereas Philipp doesn’t have to .
Ditlev same but won’t need to miss Ibiza unless he so chooses.
RvB: will be offered a contract (11-16, on his PTO Ranking) but after his 2024 T100 experience I really wonder whether he’ll sign.
I’ll keep it simple.
If you were on the IMWC podium in the last 2 years, you won’t be doing T100
I get it…but I don’t see a world where he’s remotely competitive. And…T100 barely used Alistair for promotion - I can’t think that they would get much out of Jonny.
Maybe if he had some form in the last couple years, or…one good LC race? I was surprised he didn’t get a WC for London - I don’t know how much he actually wants to be good at LC. We shall see…