Triathlon teams,distances and anything else you might know about our sport

Triathlon Forum
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So after some discussions on R10C’s Team TBB thread is occured to me that there are so many different facets to our sport that,unless you are a real triathlon geek with too much time on your hands,a lot of what is great or new or crazy about our sport gets missed.With that is mind I thought it might be cool for everyone to pitch in some info or trivia about triathlons that might be lost on the masses here who tend to get mired in the M-Dot mud.

I am going to start with Teams in Triathlon.I bet many of you do not know that the ITU has been experimenting with this team concept for some time and that there will be a Triathlon Team event in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a view to adding it to the Olympic program.

www.triathlon.org/triathlon_mixed_relay

There have been organised teams in Europe for years with many our our Aussie pros attaching themselves to French teams in particular to get the best out of the European racing circuit and earn some money outside of the big events.

Our club system in Oz has been racing team events for years with State and National titles for “Club Champion” up for grabs.Our high school school system has State and National Team Championships and is the breeding ground for our future international champions.

So even though we don’t hear so much about the team coaching,team training and team racing here on ST,it is out there and for my mind a great part of our sport…What other aspects of triathlon can you guys come up with that you think people might be missing out on?..Unheralded events,crazy athletes,amazing locations or weird adaptations to our traditional veiw of the sport,tell us all about it.

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This race exists, and it looks awesome - http://www.inferno.ch/
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This race exists, and it looks awesome - http://www.inferno.ch/]

Wow,put that one in the “favourites” list!

4

So, if there is an “Ironman” this weekend at my local YMCA pool, can I wear my wetsuit in the pool? Will it help to wear my speed suit under my wetsuit? I would presume that I should be okay with just seventeen gels for the event right? Starts at 7am and I need to be to Zumba by noon…

5

So, if there is an “Ironman” this weekend at my local YMCA pool, can I wear my wetsuit in the pool? Will it help to wear my speed suit under my wetsuit? I would presume that I should be okay with just seventeen gels for the event right? Starts at 7am and I need to be to Zumba by noon…

Lollipops to all finishers…but hey, even though we get a bit cranky at the “everyone is a winner thing”,we old cynics have to be impressed with what they are doing at the Weet Bix Try-A-Tri series down here…

www.tryathlon.weetbix.com.au

here is a videos of one of the events

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-DtnJ2fqTU&feature=related

How big are these events for kids? Holy crap!!

Same thing happens in Kiwiland

6

That is cool. Not since Bruce Jenner was on the Wheaties box were kids so interested in Multisport events in the US. Our children are currently in some serious competition in REAL sports for the new millennium.

For instance, here is a photo of near the finish line of a very competitive US child in a bike race.

http://wiimedia.gamespy.com/wii/image/article/100/1005319/wii-sports-resort-20090720074408759.jpg

7

So after some discussions on R10C’s Team TBB thread is occured to me that there are so many different facets to our sport that,unless you are a real triathlon geek with too much time on your hands,a lot of what is great or new or crazy about our sport gets missed.With that is mind I thought it might be cool for everyone to pitch in some info or trivia about triathlons that might be lost on the masses here who tend to get mired in the M-Dot mud.

I am going to start with Teams in Triathlon.I bet many of you do not know that the ITU has been experimenting with this team concept for some time and that there will be a Triathlon Team event in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a view to adding it to the Olympic program.

www.triathlon.org/triathlon_mixed_relay

There have been organised teams in Europe for years with many our our Aussie pros attaching themselves to French teams in particular to get the best out of the European racing circuit and earn some money outside of the big events.

Our club system in Oz has been racing team events for years with State and National titles for “Club Champion” up for grabs.Our high school school system has State and National Team Championships and is the breeding ground for our future international champions.

So even though we don’t hear so much about the team coaching,team training and team racing here on ST,it is out there and for my mind a great part of our sport…What other aspects of triathlon can you guys come up with that you think people might be missing out on?..Unheralded events,crazy athletes,amazing locations or weird adaptations to our traditional veiw of the sport,tell us all about it.

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See now that concept I like as far as teams and excitement goes.

Here’s my offering. Many old timers will know this. Back in the day, even as late as the late 90’s, there were 10-15 KQ’s in the US and most were less than 1/2 IM distance. I remember seeing the same guys at 3-5 races in a season all of us gunning for Kona. Then it was always a roll down drama. Desiree FIcker’s 1st season, we met at Memphis in May, and gave her some guidance on how to get to Kona, and she tried at 3 more until she qualified at Mrs T’s (Chicago) olympic distance! She was eventually 2nd at Kona to Michellie Jones.

Unfortunately, you would see many 1:55-2:05 studs that would walk themselves to a 12hr+ IM at Kona. It now makes much more sense to have to do at least a 1/2 if not full IM to qualify for Kona.