Just stumbled across this blog. Sad times in Australia. Can imagine if Cam Brown got up, it would be all over NZ.
How can Triathlon Australia not care about Macca and Carfrae winning The World Championships in Kona?
http://wwwtascommentary.blogspot.com/2010/10/triathlon-australia-snub-aussie.html
Interesting. Good that they mentioned the age group podium people also.
Maybe something to do with the ITU versus WTC conflict, but I am just guessing.
He didn’t mention in his blog the new 5i50 series which looks like the beginning of a new world olympic distance series. Looks like WTC have taken Hyvee away from ITU but I could be wrong. Hyvee was a nice addition to the ITU series.
Here is an article written which I also found interesting, which includes a small mention of the ITU versus WTC issue :
http://www.triathlonshots.com/Ironman70.3.html
It is interesting to see TriathlonNZ working in with Challenge Wanaka in NZ(which looks to me to be mutually beneficial).
G.
Just stumbled across this blog. Sad times in Australia. Can imagine if Cam Brown got up, it would be all over NZ.
How can Triathlon Australia not care about Macca and Carfrae winning The World Championships in Kona?
http://wwwtascommentary.blogspot.com/2010/10/triathlon-australia-snub-aussie.html
You’re right - it would be all over the NZ medi -. But I don’t think Tri NZ’s position would be that different.
They’d put something up on the site, and I’m sure Cam would get invited to the end of year function, but ultimately the Sparc funds would still go towards the ITU athletes finishing 15th at a Grand Final.
That’s just the way it is, Sparc are focussed on the Olympics, as is the case in USAT, Aussie etc.
But on this occassion it does seem the Australians really didn’t think their response through particularly well.
I thought TriNZ does a bit more than just invite the long course guys to the end of year dinner.
TriNZ has some training bases in Europe where the long and short course guys do get together. And I thought they provided some other help as some of them are included in a long distance programme, well Gina Crawford and Terenzo Bozonne were part of it last time I looked and no doubt others.
Just exactly what help they get from triNZ I am not so sure. SPARC(a government one as far as I gather) is only one of the sponsors/funders.
G.
Interesting. Good that they mentioned the age group podium people also.
O’rly?
What about Damien Angus?
The guy won his age group (M35-39) and not so much as a word about him!
Guess he isnt a paid up member…and neither will I be after my current membership runs out.
Triathlon Australia does give a crap about anything except elite ITU racers
Age groupers dont rate a mention, yet we are the people that pay for TA.
Im over it and wont be wasting my money “supporting” my national body anymore…
I thought TriNZ does a bit more than just invite the long course guys to the end of year dinner.
TriNZ has some training bases in Europe where the long and short course guys do get together. And I thought they provided some other help as some of them are included in a long distance programme, well Gina Crawford and Terenzo Bozonne were part of it last time I looked and no doubt others.
Just exactly what help they get from triNZ I am not so sure. SPARC(a government one as far as I gather) is only one of the sponsors/funders.
G.
Can you let me know what this long distance programme is - I’d be keen to find out more details?
The mentioned 2 or more agers who got on the podium so I just figured they got them all. Maybe they missed some.
Anyway how come Australia Triathlon officials don’t get a good series up and running ? Can they not work in with supersprint and USM etc?
Australia should have more awesome triathlon I reckon. have made the trip myself on several occasions. The only IM I want to do in the world is IMWA, so if the cash comes my way I will be there.
G.
Quote from Traithlon Australias media release.
“Mary Mitchell, the new President of Triathlon South Australia, finished the race in the 50-54 age group category and Robyn Stanley, the Executive Officer of Triathlon Northern Territory, completed the race in the 55-59 age group category”
So they talked up two age groupers that are affiliated with them. Im not having a go at the age groupers, but how do they get a mention for FINISHING, when an age group winner cant?
As far as actual triathlons are concerned, we have heaps of great races that thankfully have very little to do with TA other than coughing up their cash to be sanctioned.
Oh and while we are calling out organizations, hey WTC, how about giving us Aussies back our Kona qualifiying slots at IMWA and IMOZ?
I think our results at Kona this year would warrant that!
*Can you let me know what this long distance programme is - I’d be keen to find out more details? *
**
I assumed the members of these squads get some form of financial support…I could be wrong:
I think hy-vee going to wtc instead of itu is itu’s own dumb fault. The biggest prize purse in the world and they wouldn’t make it a wcs race. If I was hy-vee and was offered the chance to make it a series championship race there no doubt which option I would go with. Although I do question their timing of the race, a week before worlds isn’t a good time for any of the pros who want to make the olympic squads for their country.
How can Triathlon Australia not care about Macca and Carfrae winning The World Championships in Kona?
No surprise. You need to understand the history and the politics, but it short:
The likely do and the don’t care. They have to be careful how much a big deal they make out of it. The reasons are wholly political and rather simple. The Ironman Hawaii World Championships is run by a private business entity - the WTC. Their “world championships” as great and legendary as it is, is self declared. The ITU and Triathlon Australia are like most other Sports Feds, non-profit organizations whose almost soul purpose is producing athletes and talent for the ITU circuit and the Olympic Games. All of their funding, coaching and admin is directed in that direction.
It was the same here in Canada when Peter Reid and Lori Bowden were winning in Hawaii, Tri Can would acknowledge that they had won, with a short press-release, but that was about it. Compare to when Simon Whitfield, was winning Olympic medals - for that TriCan was going over-the-top!
He didn’t mention in his blog the new 5i50 series which looks like the beginning of a new world olympic distance series.
5150 has nothing to do with ITU, IOC, or the Olympics. ITU pros will only race 5150 for the prize purse.
It’s all politics. Any organization connected to the IOC is not going to care about a sporting organization without ties to the Olympics, and why should it?
yes my wording was of poor choice.
It should say :
"‘He didn’t mention in his blog the new 5i50 series which looks like the beginning of a new world standard distance series.’’
Well I don’t think the 5i50 will take away any top olympic contenders. But it could easilly be on the minds of some of the 3rd, 4th and 5th ranked athletes in some countries. Some of the 3rd and 4th ranked athletes are only a min off the pace on the run only. ITU could loose some of them, but am guessing that will take a few years to happen.
G.
I’d wager that the 3-5 guys in each country are not going to be solely dedicated to doing this for a couple reasons. The Olympics trump most other sporting events. The NGBs help pay the bills in a much more stable way than a WTC short-course series.