A board member asked what would you like discussed on facebook.
Me, personally I want low race fees while quality still being high (safe courses, proper timing and distance, proper on course hydration and nutrition)
For what I seen to many people wanting AG testing. If someone is good enough then they will go elite where they will be testing, so I don’t want my money spent on double testing
If someone wants to accuse that person of doping, the accuser should pay for the test. If the test fails accuser gets their money back + some penalty paid by doper. If not the accuser loses their money.
At that matter there are too many divisions. A division should exist if there are 10 or more people OR we need more shallow divisions (youth = up to 18, adult 18-55, senior 55+) .
Mandatory Course cut off. People should fight for a finisher medal in a time. This should be 1.5 times of what the winner did, and for male and female. So if a female does a 2:00 Olympic, all females must finish under 3:00
post your thoughts here for board members to consider.
RDs need to be better about addressing swim starts. Don’t get me wrong, some RDs are good and really lecture everyone before the start (place yourself/pace yourself) but it needs to be universal. In general, I would like to see more safety on swim courses. At HITS Naples my biggest criticism was that there were only 3-4 lifeguards out there and none of them looked like they could do anything if a swimmer was in trouble (as an aside, a guy died in the water there but I think he had a heart attack).
Since USAT is an insurance provider (right?) perhaps they could only insure one race per week per state. For states like Florida many weeks there’s more than one race and that thins the fields out which, IMO, hurts the race.
Encourage more multi-loop courses to make the sport a bit more spectator friendly (and easier to support).
As a certification/sanctioning body there is real no way to be sure that rules are enforced. They should ponder a way to insure at least 1 draft official at every race. Maybe have a random USAT official travel around to races unannounced making sure that the sanctioning guidelines are being followed, a spot check system. There are some very sketchy USAT races out there.
They should look into doing away with the AG system and go to a category system. They already have the foundation built in. Ag and Elite. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure this out, USA cycling already has a framework they can look at for guidance. I’d suspect it would make events safer. 2 instances that pop to mind are the really slow people that get pummeled in the first 200-300m of the race by the wave behind them. Congested bike courses where you would have less people going 25mph passing those doing 22 passing those doing 17mph.
Since participation in triathlon is level at best or declining they should again look to USA Cycling to grow duathlon which in turn would grow triathlon. Trickle up economics. I’d say that ~ 30% of all bike racers run but < 2% have ever heard of a duathlon. Other sports poach athletes, USAT should go on an active poaching expedition. Bobsledding comes to mind as an excellent poacher.
It would be nice if they set up an advisory council and gave it some teeth. I know most the commissions they’ve had in the past were often an after thought.
As a certification/sanctioning body there is real no way to be sure that rules are enforced. They should ponder a way to insure at least 1 draft official at every race. Maybe have a random USAT official travel around to races unannounced making sure that the sanctioning guidelines are being followed, a spot check system. There are some very sketchy USAT races out there.
They should look into doing away with the AG system and go to a category system. They already have the foundation built in. Ag and Elite. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure this out, USA cycling already has a framework they can look at for guidance. I’d suspect it would make events safer. 2 instances that pop to mind are the really slow people that get pummeled in the first 200-300m of the race by the wave behind them. Congested bike courses where you would have less people going 25mph passing those doing 22 passing those doing 17mph.
Since participation in triathlon is level at best or declining they should again look to USA Cycling to grow duathlon which in turn would grow triathlon. Trickle up economics. I’d say that ~ 30% of all bike racers run but < 2% have ever heard of a duathlon. Other sports poach athletes, USAT should go on an active poaching expedition. Bobsledding comes to mind as an excellent poacher.
It would be nice if they set up an advisory council and gave it some teeth. I know most the commissions they’ve had in the past were often an after thought.
x2 on the category idea.
Also I think aquathlons should be promoted more, they are less expensive and equipment intensive. This makes it easier for people to travel to destination races.
Encourage RD’s to hold kids races. As a lot of them lose money - offer to offset some of the costs.
Have set limits on age of racers for each distance and enforce that all races are complying with the rule consistently. Some sprints allow younger kids into them, others do not. As an example, my 13 year old will be doing 2 sprints this year, but the 3’rd one he wanted to do would not let him register (its by far the easiest of the 3, but they said he was to young)
Only sanction races that have the resources to actual enforce drafting
Fix the ranking system. Winning should have an impact on your score.
Set the calendar earlier - for example, the duathlon series was not announced until last month - lots of us plan our years well before then based on when races sell out.
Age group competition has been the cornerstone of triathlon almost from day one.
I don’t think there’ll be any real traction in changing that to the bike racing style category system.
There’s a lot of talk about it from time to time but nothing ever happens.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
would come down to how you present it. If you told voter who is one who typically podiums in their 3 person division, that this would help prevent swim deaths, not have a faster person yelling at them to move out of the way they would be for it. Its sad when people aspire to age in hopes that there are less people in their division so they can AG podium, rather than want to move up a category of performance level.
Age group competition has been the cornerstone of triathlon almost from day one.
I don’t think there’ll be any real traction in changing that to the bike racing style category system.
There’s a lot of talk about it from time to time but nothing ever happens.
I strongly agree with you, leave the AG stuff alone.
If I really look at the big picture, I think USAT is doing a great job with balance for all folks in our sport, just not the few vocal types on ST.
I love the new ranking database system!!!
I always wonder about the folks complaining about need more officials on how many of them have ever stepped up to the plate and try to be one. IT IS NOT EASY!!!
Looks like some folks here with strong opinions should be running for the USAT board.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
would come down to how you present it. If you told voter who is one who typically podiums in their 3 person division, that this would help prevent swim deaths, not have a faster person yelling at them to move out of the way they would be for it. Its sad when people aspire to age in hopes that there are less people in their division so they can AG podium, rather than want to move up a category of performance level.
Having a catagory system like cycling might be tough on some 30 year old’s egos.
Getting shelled by guys their own age is one thing, having their heads handed to
them by 60 year old fellow “cat 5” triathletes might be
harder to swallow.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
would come down to how you present it. If you told voter who is one who typically podiums in their 3 person division, that this would help prevent swim deaths, not have a faster person yelling at them to move out of the way they would be for it. Its sad when people aspire to age in hopes that there are less people in their division so they can AG podium, rather than want to move up a category of performance level.
Having a catagory system like cycling might be tough on some 30 year old’s egos. Getting shelled by guys their own age is one
thing, having their heads handed to them by 60 year old fellow “cat 5” triathletes might be
harder to swallow.
you think that is true with the 30-45 year age ranges? If anything as a 32 year old I compare my results to top 10 over all.
I see it worse in the womens divisions with AG ‘competition’
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
would come down to how you present it. If you told voter who is one who typically podiums in their 3 person division, that this would help prevent swim deaths, not have a faster person yelling at them to move out of the way they would be for it. Its sad when people aspire to age in hopes that there are less people in their division so they can AG podium, rather than want to move up a category of performance level.
Having a catagory system like cycling might be tough on some 30 year old’s egos. Getting shelled by guys their own age is one
thing, having their heads handed to them by 60 year old fellow “cat 5” triathletes might be
harder to swallow.
you think that is true with the 30-45 year age ranges? If anything as a 32 year old I compare my results to top 10 over all.
I see it worse in the womens divisions with AG ‘competition’
In cycling as I understand it a “cat 5” is a cat 5 regardless of how old he is. Is that not right? That means
they are slow and/or new to the sport. So if triathlon moves to that sort of thing 2:35 oly finishers who are 30
will be competing with 2:35 oly finishers who are 60 year old. Is that how it would work? If you as a 32 year
old guy who compares himself with top overall finishers you would not be in this catagory.
I think most triathletes are adaptable and i a year or two would be fine with the category system.
It’s give people a chance to place who would normally never get that chance. It’d put head to head those that are usually the top Agers. But also some top Agers might not medal as often. Quite frankly I’d rather get 6th in my cat and battle head to head with the other 5 than win my age group handily.
Unfortunately I think the NGB’s are a lot less adaptable than the athletes they represent. IMO that’s the real reason a lot of things that could grow the sport, make it better, safer do not get adopted or implemented.
Sounds good. Let’s see if we can get it up for a vote by all the USAT dues paying members.
would come down to how you present it. If you told voter who is one who typically podiums in their 3 person division, that this would help prevent swim deaths, not have a faster person yelling at them to move out of the way they would be for it. Its sad when people aspire to age in hopes that there are less people in their division so they can AG podium, rather than want to move up a category of performance level.
Having a catagory system like cycling might be tough on some 30 year old’s egos. Getting shelled by guys their own age is one
thing, having their heads handed to them by 60 year old fellow “cat 5” triathletes might be
harder to swallow.
you think that is true with the 30-45 year age ranges? If anything as a 32 year old I compare my results to top 10 over all.
I see it worse in the womens divisions with AG ‘competition’
In cycling as I understand it a “cat 5” is a cat 5 regardless of how old he is. Is that not right? That means
they are slow and/or new to the sport. So if triathlon moves to that sort of thing 2:35 oly finishers who are 30
will be competing with 2:35 oly finishers who are 60 year old. Is that how it would work? If you as a 32 year
old guy who compares himself with top overall finishers you would not be in this catagory.
That is correct, but for my personal reasons I will still look at top 10. The categories are more for safe course flow.
Not directed to you specifically, but wouldn’t a category system create MORE problems.
You would have all the same “level” of people in the same group - so the swim would not spread out and there would be even more contact, the bike would be a serious draft fest and then you would have the run.
Looking at bigger events most RD’s already put the “perceived” slower age groups 1’st. If they have categories, it would be even easier to put the slow ones 1’st so they can clear the roads quicker creating a lot of passing as the faster people catch the slower ones.
If they are going to continue with the AG system (I’m in favor of the ranking system- btw), I’d like to see something to address the RDs penchant for putting the fastest AG waves near the end of a race. Preferably, I’d like to see the fastest AG be the first send off, not the M/F 65+.
Further, I’d like to see some actual value to my USAT membership. I’ve never used supplemental insurance, don’t care about the AG ranking system, and don’t believe that my membership fees should be supporting elite development. Therefore, I feel that the USAT gives me very little in return for my investment. I have no idea what the USAT can provide for me but their current ideas aren’t cutting it.
How about having a qualification standard for ALL multisport national championships? Currently an AG athlete can enter sprint distance tri nationals, or any distance du, aquathlon, aquabike without having to qualify or even compete a single race before the championship. If OD (“standard” distance in the new parlance) has a qualification requirement, why not the other distances/variations?
The way I envision it might make it easier. You’ll always have leaders and laggards in each category. But instead of having people in say wave 2 that can go 1:54- 3:08 for an oly you might have eave 2 be the group going 2:05-2:20. Next group 2:21-2:45 and so forth. It’ll keep people of like ability in close(r) proximity to each other. But with a few officials you can bust that up, if they are willing. The other thing it’ll help avoid is overtaking someone going 15mph from an earlier wave while you are doing 26mph. I think you might be able to compress waves from say 5 down to 3 minute gaps.
I envision categories keeping the field from spreading out so much. Instead of a long line from wave 1 until the last person, you’d have shorter lines but higher density
Maybe you run the fastest Cat first, then the slowest on a 2 min gap. then you give it a 5 min gap and run the rest of the categories in order.
Right now though, all the races I do, there seems to be a ton of really slow people ahead of me. The closing speed in pretty high. The last race i did 3 loop 20k bike + 2 loop 5k run, I lapped people on the bike then lapped them again on the run. The RD (pool swim) had the rest of the field going then a 10 min gap then the fastest 50 or so people. Everyone in the entire race left at :15 intervals, TT start. Sure everyone got off the bike course fairly early, but there were times where you’d go to pass and that person then would go to pass. But with that final group of 50, it sort of was like racing everyone in your category. we all knew the top 3 M&F + all the top 3 or so from 50-55 & under where in that final group.
I’m just spit balling ideas, stealing a lot from my bike racing days where they’d run at 2 or 3 min gaps M5,M4, M3, M35+ M,45+ W,3/4, W35+ W 50+. We’d never see anyone else on a 15k loop course doing it 5x.
either keeping it as is or going to a Cat system I doubt there is a perfect solution, especially as the race increases in density. it’s then often too many people for too little road or too little road to accommodate the number of racers.
Maybe having USAT think about solving that issue would be a better solution.
If they are going to continue with the AG system (I’m in favor of the ranking system- btw), I’d like to see something to address the RDs penchant for putting the fastest AG waves near the end of a race. Preferably, I’d like to see the fastest AG be the first send off, not the M/F 65+.
It seems Lifetime tri finally figured that out. In Miami this weekend they’re sending off the pros, then elite amateurs, then age groupers youngest to oldest. At Chicago last year it was the opposite. I was on my second loop on LSD when I saw Hunter Kemper blow by. Honestly, I felt bad for him and the other pros because the course was packed with slow age groupers. He had to weave in and out just to make forward progress. A situation like that is just an accident waiting to happen.