Anyways!......you should watch this video (Thanks to Kevin @ IronmanByThirty for posting this via twitter yesterday). Its about the new changes to the Kona lottery. First, watch:
What do you think? Do you think this is good? Bad? Waters things down? Is a good idea?
Personally, it's still a lottery and it's still only 205 slots. The race is STILL the World Championships. If they had increased the number of lottery slots (taken away from overall entry slots), then yes, I think the lottery would water down the "caliber" of the race, but they aren't doing this. It is still a lottery.
Now the question is: Will you do 12 Ironman races (spread out hopefully!) to become eligble and will you in the meantime attempt the lottery now that each time you enter your chances are increased?
Well, I doubt I'll do 12 Ironmans in my lifetime, so I guess it's all up to luck. Maybe I'll just go and WATCH Kona rather than race it. :)
ReplyDeleteIts an improvement, if we want to talk about stop watering it down, then we need to talk about stop letting celebrities into this race with out earning it!!! There are plenty of other 140.6 races that WTC can send them off to for their PR. At least the people who put in for the lottery, the majority of them are already triathletes and get what the sport is about. When we watch the Kona special, we never talk about the celebrities, we all are sobbing tears of joy for the ag'ers, the ones that over came great odds to do that race and the midnight stories.
ReplyDeletei will probably do 12 IM in my lifetime, probably more actually. Like the new program but if I ever get go to Kona it will be via qualifying, that is how I would want it to be.
ReplyDelete12 IM's certainly sounds like a lot, but I can see myself doing one year for the next 12 years. However, I'd like to do some non WTC events so that means more than 12 IM's. Maybe someday I'll go to Kona. I can't see qualifying for Kona - at least not in the near future unless I strap a rocket to my ass.
ReplyDeleteThe argument that this is terrible because Kona should be reserved for the best athletes is silly. First, if that's the real problem, just get rid of the lottery.
ReplyDeleteSecond, anybody who finishes 12 IMs, even if every single one is in 16:59:59, is a badass athlete in my book.
I hope to do 12 IMs in my lifetime but I gotta do one first before I can be legitimate!
ReplyDeleteI'm just going to be ridiculously fast and qualify. And/or make up a really compelling story for an NBC special slot. The lottery isn't the only way....
ReplyDeleteFirst I'd like to comment on the video from the CEO. I really think they could pro it up a bit and have someone that can roll through the information in one take. If it's not the CEO, so be it. Heck, submit the text to those little animated characters and have them read it for you. I think it would go more smoothly.
ReplyDeleteAlright, as for the watering down of the event obviously the pro race isn't being watered down at all by this. (actually a discussion about the Pro Qualification Points system might be more interesting to hear points of view).
Age group being watered down. Not really. It would only be watered down if they started allowing more people to qualify right? Some of those roll downs roll down quite a ways before someone takes the slot. And what about qualifying for Kona via a 70.3. Is that right? Or is that already watering things down? (I know people that have qualified via 70.3, I don't think they watered anything down). To truly be a world champion event, shouldn't non-IM trademarked events count as points for the pros? (I believe multiple race organizations can only strengthen the sport, so it should be supported).
I think the 12 IM lottery is great. I'm never going to do 12. Chances are I'm never going to do one. I hope that they will do something like this for the 70.3 championship tho. Heck I'd even like to race the Vegas course the day after the Pros and the Elite AG's.
This is way too long... sorry.
My wife has said that I'm only allowed to do one. Ever.
ReplyDeleteEhhh-for me, the only way I'll do Kona is when I qualify.
ReplyDeletefee free to ask me again in 22 years when I've done 20+ IM's and still haven't earn that Kona slot though :)
Very good idea but as I pointed out on Kevin's slot I think this is more in reaction to HITS and Rev3 picking up steam than it is for the age grouper as the CEO speaks of.
ReplyDeleteThis is a business and they just landed people to do 12 events at $600 per event or $7200 plus all the stuff they will buy plus the cost of Kona, etc.
Very smart business move.
I will do 12 IMs but I believe that I will get to Kona on my ability before I get there on my lottery luck.
Having never done an IM, I think I only want to do one. Obviously this will not be kona. I would love to go and watch though.
ReplyDeletehey how are u, im nicolas from mexico, well after seeing your blog ive have now more inspiration for becoming a triathlete, but i need some advice, well im a short guy (5'6) im 19 years old and i really will like to do iron man competions and well my biggest dream is competing in the iron man kona, but well many friends and even family are telling me that i do not have a chance because of my height, and well i wanted to ask you if i have some chance to reaching my dream what do you think?
ReplyDelete12 huh? Not sure I want to do that. I think if I were to get into Kona it would have to be by lottery unless I lose like 30 lbs and get a whole lot faster.
ReplyDeleteit can't be too bad of a thing -- i haven't seen 900 of those "text to video" things complaining about it like after the last IM policy debacle...
ReplyDeleteI think the changes are good. I agree that they shouldn't make it a larger lottery pool, but by making the small amount of slots accessible in different ways it allows more people to have a shot at it. I'd love to say the only way I'd do Kona is by qualifying, but it's not going to happen, not with the feet I was born with. So if I could get in via the legacy program, I'd be thrilled. I'll have 5 completed (hopefully) by next year and have been known to do a few in a year :) I have a great friend who is one of the best athletes I know, but he's in such a competitive AG that he may not qualify for years. But he did Kona through the lottery and no one thinks any less of him for it.
ReplyDelete