Anybody else doing Eireman?

tunney

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

Would TI who would have supplied the race director and sanctioned the race not have some say over the results? might be worth getting in touch wiith them. In saying that once when I had a query about a race result with them they were far from helpful and dismissive of my query to the point of being rude.

TI did not and do not supply race directors, they supply race referees and TDs for whom the primary overriding concern is safety. From all reports while the race may have lacked organisationally, safety wise it was okay.

tunney

JustTriIt wrote: »

911sc says that clubs aren't doing anything but I just had a look at the Ireman 226 Challenge website - it's run by the Triangle Club. They even ran an Ironman way back in 2000. Maybe they'll manage to get their triathletes involved and do a decent job this weekend. I think clubs stay away from these long events because they're not money spinners unless you really get the arm into the competitors which they won't do.

And at 140 quid Groomsport is a damn site cheaper. I did this race last year and it's a tough run, but at least you're told that before you enter. I felt it was value for money - and at least any profit made was going to a club and not into someone's pocket.

Emmm, emmmmmm, emmmmm.

copacetic

tunney wrote: »

TI did not and do not supply race directors, they supply race referees and TDs for whom the primary overriding concern is safety. From all reports while the race may have lacked organisationally, safety wise it was okay.

runners and cyclists crossing paths out of transition doesn't sound particularly safe.

Genghis

JustTriIt wrote: »

And speaking of jumping on bandwagons - where did the Eireman name come from? Given that Triangle's race nine years ago was called Ireman and that they already had an established race running, was it not a bit cheeky?

I know the guy from Triangle brought this up at an organisers meeting last year that I was at. He asked for the name to be changed in case it caused confusion.

I was at the same meeting and found that whole debate amusing. In my book, "Eireman" is at least as close to "Ireman" as "Ireman" is to "Ironman". I presume the guys in Triangle would object the way Eirman did if challenged by the mighty World Triathlon Corporation?

Besides, the idea of a race in Northern Ireland getting the name 'Eireman' is laughable. It would like deciding 'Uslterman' would be an appropriate name for a race in Wexford.

rapidoe

I don't blame the IREMAN people for complaining seems like a fair comment. As a Club Race Organiser, I'm aware of the things that can go wrong, but when a multitude of things go awry, it points to poor organisation. Like a few people have said, this whole tri was an enterprise designed to generate profit. One expects standards to be high. There was plenty of pre race hype which failed to materialise. Lots of entry money was taken, people expected to get value, did they? I did n't enter as I had entered for Barcelona in Oct prior to hearing about it. As a wexford native, I wont be going there next year, why would anyone even contemplate it?

tunney

rapidoe wrote: »

I don't blame the IREMAN people for complaining seems like a fair comment. As a Club Race Organiser, I'm aware of the things that can go wrong, but when a multitude of things go awry, it points to poor organisation. Like a few people have said, this whole tri was an enterprise designed to generate profit. One expects standards to be high. There was plenty of pre race hype which failed to materialise. Lots of entry money was taken, people expected to get value, did they? I did n't enter as I had entered for Barcelona in Oct prior to hearing about it. As a wexford native, I wont be going there next year, why would anyone even contemplate it?

Sorry this is really really pissing me off.

Show me one race in Ireland that is not a revenue generating operation. I don't really care if the money is paying for someones mortgage or the clubs swimming lessons and pi$$ ups for the members, I really don't give a sh!t, regardless of where the money is going to the expectations of quality should be the same.

ConalTri

This isn't my usual thing but it seems that both Ireman and Triangle Triathlon Club are getting dragged into somebody elses problem, so I have registered on Boards to clarify a few things.

I am race director for the event in Groomsport which is the second Ironman distance race run by our club. The first was indeed back in 2000 when only a handful of guys in the country knew what Ironman was. We subsequently organised a 3 day ironman event for seven years before we launched the races in Groomsport. It was always my intention to go full distance but the experience within the club suggested to get the event up and running first. We did announce after last year's race that 2009 would be going long. With about 20 Ironman finishers, we have a fair bit of experience. Peter Jack, the race director from 2000 has recently completed his 10th long distance race, I'll do mine in October. We've been about. None of us know everything and we never get everything right, but we always try to see things from the athletes point of view. The importance of making the athlete feel important.

In 2007, we subsidised Half Ireman to the tune of about £3k. Last year we nearly broke even. This year - who knows? No decisions are based purely on finances because that's not how the club works. We have always put on races to offer athletes the opportunity to test themselves and hopefully have a good day out. Obviously some things are just too expensive, so we don't promise them. It does what it says on the entry form.

Like Kenmare, we operate on open roads. We stress to competitors that bike safety is always their responsibility. Having raced both The Longest Day and Forestman over the last couple of years, open roads are the norm at small non-branded long distance events. Was IMUK even on closed roads this year?

Yes I did request that the name Eireman be withdrawn. Our club felt that this was a blatant rip off of a name that we had been using for a decade. Even the .org web extension was questionable. We used this because of sensetivities in Northern Ireland. How may other races in the country feel the need to stay away from a .ie address. Nice marketing though, obviously every Google search for Ireman will find both. With reference to Ironman - we acknowledge them on our website and even provide a link!

I wasn't in Courtown on Sunday and therefore cannot comment on what took place. I felt gutted for those who were denied a swim but I'm sure that decision was the right one and taken with safety in mind. It has happened before and will happen again.

Like many other clubs around the country, we know how hard it is to organise a race. On Sunday, we have two races running simultaneously on pretty much the same course. This takes a lot of effort and a lot of volunteers. We will get things wrong. Hopefully these will be minor and we get everyone home safely.

My fear is that our event will be tarred with the same brush, particularly by those looking from abroad. Please judge us after Sunday.

tunney

ConalTri wrote: »

This isn't my usual thing but it seems that both Ireman and Triangle Triathlon Club are getting dragged into somebody elses problem, so I have registered on Boards to clarify a few things.

I am race director for the event in Groomsport which is the second Ironman distance race run by our club. The first was indeed back in 2000 when only a handful of guys in the country knew what Ironman was. We subsequently organised a 3 day ironman event for seven years before we launched the races in Groomsport. It was always my intention to go full distance but the experience within the club suggested to get the event up and running first. We did announce after last year's race that 2009 would be going long. With about 20 Ironman finishers, we have a fair bit of experience. Peter Jack, the race director from 2000 has recently completed his 10th long distance race, I'll do mine in October. We've been about. None of us know everything and we never get everything right, but we always try to see things from the athletes point of view. The importance of making the athlete feel important.

In 2007, we subsidised Half Ireman to the tune of about £3k. Last year we nearly broke even. This year - who knows? No decisions are based purely on finances because that's not how the club works. We have always put on races to offer athletes the opportunity to test themselves and hopefully have a good day out. Obviously some things are just too expensive, so we don't promise them. It does what it says on the entry form.

Like Kenmare, we operate on open roads. We stress to competitors that bike safety is always their responsibility. Having raced both The Longest Day and Forestman over the last couple of years, open roads are the norm at small non-branded long distance events. Was IMUK even on closed roads this year?

Yes I did request that the name Eireman be withdrawn. Our club felt that this was a blatant rip off of a name that we had been using for a decade. Even the .org web extension was questionable. We used this because of sensetivities in Northern Ireland. How may other races in the country feel the need to stay away from a .ie address. Nice marketing though, obviously every Google search for Ireman will find both. With reference to Ironman - we acknowledge them on our website and even provide a link!

I wasn't in Courtown on Sunday and therefore cannot comment on what took place. I felt gutted for those who were denied a swim but I'm sure that decision was the right one and taken with safety in mind. It has happened before and will happen again.

Like many other clubs around the country, we know how hard it is to organise a race. On Sunday, we have two races running simultaneously on pretty much the same course. This takes a lot of effort and a lot of volunteers. We will get things wrong. Hopefully these will be minor and we get everyone home safely.

My fear is that our event will be tarred with the same brush, particularly by those looking from abroad. Please judge us after Sunday.

Good first post

I agree with most of what you say except for "We stress to competitors that bike safety is always their responsibility".
Competitor safety, I feel, is shared between organiser and athlete.

Personally I'd like to see this thread locked as I can't see anything constructive coming out of this. Anyone who can remember back to the hassle I caused with carrick and midlands in 2004 will know why.

Genghis

tunney wrote: »

Sorry this is really really pissing me off.

Show me one race in Ireland that is not a revenue generating operation. I don't really care if the money is paying for someones mortgage or the clubs swimming lessons and pi$$ ups for the members, I really don't give a sh!t, regardless of where the money is going to the expectations of quality should be the same.

+1 for this post.

In fairness, I expect Eoin lost money on this venture. Why? Because he was trying to replicate what a very large company do profitably, but do so with 2,000 entrants. Eoin had 2% of an Ironman-size field, charged substantially less but still had many of the same expenses, challenges, etc.

That absolutely does not excuse the quality issue.

My point is that the characterisation of Eoin as merely a 'penny piching profit-taker' is unfair and irrelevant. The race didn't meet expectations because certain things weren't organised, it was certainly underresourced and was also hit by bad luck (weather) on the day. But the fact it was a commercial race changes none of that.

potsy11

tunney wrote: »

I really don't give a sh!t, regardless of where the money is going to the expectations of quality should be the same.

An excellent point Tunney but lets call a spade a spade here.

Athlone and Eireman are business ventures with minimal club backing. Both events were a joke this year.


Athlone: where do I start
Eireman: It just doesn’t get any worse than this.

Look at the great races of the year:

Hell of the west
Beast of the East
Hook or by Crook
DCt is next week and is always a well run event
Caroline Kearney
Crooked Lake
Fastnet


Q: What is the common denominator here....????

A: Established Tri Clubs running the events. They know what they are doing.

TI have a role to play in this as well. They sanction the races in Ireland. There now exists a trend where commercial ventures are endangering athletes and are finishing well below the bar in terms of standard.

TI should make it compulsory that all races are run directly through an established club. The athletes of that club should not be allowed to race that event thus allowing that club access for its members to do marshall / volunteer. You then have experienced marshalls on the course and experienced people organising the event.

The proof speaks volumns.

snack_ie

Ehh Potsy?

Athy had the backing of two clubs, with race directors from both (at least one, who has probably organised more races than most others) as far as I know, and every marshall provided from each respective club received a substantial subsidy towards the clubs coffers per head.

Was it it profit making? - Yes, but so what? Someone had the initiative and the foresight to see that there was a market for this type of race, and the balls to carry it out.

It was exactly what it said on the tin:
No one said it wasnt a fast course, everyone knew it was a downstream swim, the bike course was spot on (look at the times) and maybe the run was a *tad* short (which is the case in most races).
At least the organisation was second to non.

The comments after the race, on this site alone, speak for the success of the race.

Genghis

potsy11 wrote: »

Athy, Athlone and Eireman are all business ventures with minimal club backing.

One club provided over 120 marshalls to the Athy event, and that was just on race day. Race day organisation was shared entirely between represtatives of both clubs. What more club backing do you want?

the2nd007babe

The HIM was my first HIM and I had trained all year for it. I booked a holiday cottage for myself and my children to come down for the "festival" from Thursday. We were not able to find any festivities on Thursday or Friday but Saturday was a bit better as the kids race was on. They all got a medal when they finished which made them very happy indeed.

I felt sorry for the organisers when they had to suggest "Plan C" (duathlon) may be an option. It was quite annoying to have to wait around for them to make the announcement on the morning of the race, and had it not been for one of the full distance athletes suggesting letting the IM folks go at 30 second intervals, they would have been doing a duathlon with the rest of us.

The bike was tough, and registered 96.5km on my garmin. I was shocked that they were unable to mark out a 90km cycle giving that they had a loop on the motorway that was marked with cones. It can't have been hard to move one of them in by 3.25km. It was a pleasure heading northbound on the lovely smooth motorway with the wind in my back, but not so much fun with the strong head winds going southbound. Still, it was a tough and challenging cycle so happy days. I was a bit dissapointed that there were no markers anywhere to show how many Km's had been covered. This wasn't so bad on the bike as I had my bike computer to tell me how far I had gone, however, on the run, I had no idea how far I had run until I got to the half way mark, at which point I dropped a gear and gave it everything I had. There were plenty of aid stations on the run, but likewise, the people at them had no idea how far out they were. I know it said on the website where the aid stations would be (at what KM I mean) but I coudln't remember during the race what had been said. I heard the first 40 runners went the wrong way when they got back from the run. That should not have happened as there should have been someone there telling them the right way to go.

When I got back from the run, I was dissapointed to see that the finish hadn't been "dickied up" from when the kids did their race the previous day. Crossing the line, I wasn't met with a foil blanket, bottle of water, medal or banana. I wasn't offered any comfort aside from the hugs from my family. They were a bit dissapointed that they had not been guided to a spot where they could cheer me on when cycling and running. One of them had flown in from USA especially to watch the race.

Like everyone else, I'm still waiting for my results. I've been to sprint races this year and received my splits via text before I even got to my car, so I'm just stunned that I'm still waiting for my splits now.

DustyBin

Hi Lads
I've never posted on this forum before, but that's because I've never done a triathlon before
The interest generated in Eireman in the builup to Sunday grabbed my attention and I'm delighted to say that I managed to compete in the Sprint, and am now absolutely hooked
I've already signed up for the off-road Eireman X at the end of September, and am seriously considering heading to Ashford for their Duathlon the week before

I can only imagine the level of dedication and training that it took for both Half and Full Iron man competitors to enter the race, and I'm really shocked that so many of the leaders in the HIM got misdirected and maybe now will be disqualified
There is no excuse for this, and saying that these things happen is just not good enough, not when someone has put in so much effort to be capable of entering such an enormous contest
Eireman organisers need to ensure that there is absolutely no way any marshall will ever shrug their shoulders at a competitior again

However, from my own perspective I am just so chuffed that I managed to do it, and I really hope that Eireman persevere and deliver an absolute knockout competition next year

Maybe you think I have no place posting here, but I never knew there were so many triathlon type competitions in Ireland before I started training for Eireman

Rubycube

Dustybin - Fareplay... we all start somewhere and boards.ie is a great place to find out about races.... now back to the Eireman

Please dont close down this thread. It for "opinions" and makes me feel better reading this knowing that other feel like I do. AGHHHHHHH.....

This was my first HIM and hopefully wont be my last. I do have a few comments on the weekend race...

1. FARCE
2. FARCE
3. FARCE

The rest of my comments have been covered by the previous posted I dont want to rant and cover old ground.

To the IREMAN people - I feel your pain.

To all other club races - I now realise how good some of your races really are. Thanks. Most notable BOTE. When is the open date for 2010... cant wait.... (but I'm sure my legs can..)

Question ?.... Under TI rules, do the 16km (HIM) and the 17km (OL) runners HAVE to be Dq'ed ?

Can the times be adjusted... thats what I heard as I came over the line... some stuff about the guys in front,that thier times will be adjusted up and thier placings held ? Is this allowed ?

Anyway, 1 bad one that should be never run again. Think of all the good ones and remember why we do this sport.

Signed,
A boards browser,

SucCes09

agreed with most of the postings - my first HIM and was left a little disappointed with the lack of organisation, especially at the finish line...

One point\question - if the HIM Triathlon was turned into a Duathlon, would it have made more sense to have split the run-cycle-run a little more evenly? Something like 10km-95km-10km or something close to that?

IMO the 40+ first finishers should not be DQF - times should be adjusted.

mloc123

Out of interest... what route did the HIM people take to make it short? As far as I knew it was an out and back course? Out through the forest, and back through the forest? The 'winner' however cam back in through transition

trinewbie

mloc123 wrote: »

Out of interest... what route did the HIM people take to make it short? As far as I knew it was an out and back course? Out through the forest, and back through the forest? The 'winner' however cam back in through transition

All the top guys came back through transition.After the turnaround at tesco we should have been directed left back the way we came from the back roads and forest.Instead the Marshall sent us straight on,continuing on the main road all the way back to Courtown.

Iron Enthusiast

I'm just thinking, after all the confusion is over what splits should we get? (when we get them):)

I think for the HIM it'll be:

i)start of the run/race
ii) none going into transition off the run, but instead when we crossed the timing mats leaving transition on the bike.
iii) none at the bike turnaround points, but instead when we returned to transition afte the bike.
iv)then one at the start of the half Marathon
v) and another at the end of the Half M? (Am I missing one?)

They've added a poll on the link below, on whether people will return to do Eireman agin, doesn't look that negative so far?

http://www.endurancesource.com/#/eireman-race-report/4535320515

Hard Worker

I wasn't at the event, so I cannot comment on it. However, judging by the comments of so many people, it is clear that a few changes need to be made in the way triathlons and athletic road races operate. We have seen other races this year with short courses, lack of medical back up, inadequate stewarding etc.
The FAI, GAA and IRFU have courses for Event Controllers, Safety Officers and FETAC courses for stewards. A major event cannot take place without all those qualified people in place. I think it's about time that the AAI and Triathlon Ireland ( ? ) begin courses for Race Directors. No event should be given a race permit unless it has a qualified Race Director.
It's only a matter of time before there's a major accident due to an inadequate race set up. There are too many races taking place operated by inexperienced people who think that this is a handy way to make a buck for themselves or some charity.

OuterBombie

Hard Worker wrote: »

I wasn't at the event, so I cannot comment on it. However, judging by the comments of so many people, it is clear that a few changes need to be made in the way triathlons and athletic road races operate. We have seen other races this year with short courses, lack of medical back up, inadequate stewarding etc.
The FAI, GAA and IRFU have courses for Event Controllers, Safety Officers and FETAC courses for stewards. A major event cannot take place without all those qualified people in place. I think it's about time that the AAI and Triathlon Ireland ( ? ) begin courses for Race Directors. No event should be given a race permit unless it has a qualified Race Director.
It's only a matter of time before there's a major accident due to an inadequate race set up. There are too many races taking place operated by inexperienced people who think that this is a handy way to make a buck for themselves or some charity.

I agree with Tunney, lock this thread as its going nowhere fast.

As far as I know, TI does have a process in place for safety at events. However 80% of competitors are first-timers (esp at charity tri;s) and have no concept of a quality event, let alone what it means for TI to sanction a race.

IMO, voting by not racing is the best we can do.

ChampionChip

I was responsible for the chip timing at the races on Sunday. All the systems we employed worked perfectly and I had the splits done on Sunday night at about 11pm, just as soon as I got back from seeing the last chap home at 9.50pm.

Biggest headache was sorting out who was in which race as some people swopped races on the day and did not inform anyone. Means we had HIM going in the Olympic etc etc.

Eoin has the data but quite rightly is going through it carefully to see how he can take account of the wrong turns taken by runners etc. He will publish the splits when he is happy to do so.

Those who did the correct course and have seen the splits said they are correct for them eg Peter Coughlan, Elena Maslova. I met them as I was down in Courtown on Monday morning about to head back home.

I try to text out splits, did it on Saturday at Carlingford, when possible but on this occasion it was not right to do it with so many issues to be resolved post race.

jollybean

Tnx Mr. Champion Chip !

TriBar

Thanks for the update ChampionChips. Some information will go a long way to calming a lot of understandably disappointed people.

I only did the Sprint and enjoyed the "race", but I was more worried about enjoying the challenge in prep for my first Olympic in two weeks. You've gotta love those "flat" trails and gale force winds.

I read an article recently on Midlands Tri website about the first IronMan challenges from Sports Illustrated. Just Guys and Gals out to see what their bodies and minds could take. Well done to all you IM & HIM people that did something brilliant for you - I'm in awe. When you calm down you'll realise that what you did was exactly what you set out to do - push your limits and then some.

It was a shame about the cancelled swim, poor signage/marshaling and the weather which would have made for a more complete event and more spectators to cheer you on for the amazing effort you put in. But I'll be back next year to do the Olympic (on a different day to the MAIN event if there is one -hope so).

I set out to challenge myself on Sunday morning and that's exactly what I got - and then some.

tunney

Hard Worker wrote: »

I wasn't at the event, so I cannot comment on it. However, judging by the comments of so many people, it is clear that a few changes need to be made in the way triathlons and athletic road races operate. We have seen other races this year with short courses, lack of medical back up, inadequate stewarding etc.
The FAI, GAA and IRFU have courses for Event Controllers, Safety Officers and FETAC courses for stewards. A major event cannot take place without all those qualified people in place. I think it's about time that the AAI and Triathlon Ireland ( ? ) begin courses for Race Directors. No event should be given a race permit unless it has a qualified Race Director.
It's only a matter of time before there's a major accident due to an inadequate race set up. There are too many races taking place operated by inexperienced people who think that this is a handy way to make a buck for themselves or some charity.

What happens when TI pull sanctioning of an event?

garydee

hey all - just throwing in my experience as well for what its worth from Sunday at the Eireman event. Sorry for the length this - just want to address both positive and negative points really...

Was my first HIM event - been training since Jan this year for it and finished reasonably well.

From the outset I personally did think it was going to be alot involved in running 4 races at once - full IM, half IM, olympic and sprint as well as relays in a couple of these races... which I think led to alot of the confusion on the day with the marshalls etc.

But from what I personally saw was Eoin working extremely hard to make things right on the day - yes the weather was to blame for the swim and yes it would have been good to have had a backup no swim scenario well in advance of the morning of it. They need to learn from that. They need to learn ALOT from the day in a whole.

Someone mentioned about loudspeaker not being available for the race briefings - Eoin did state at the briefing for the HIM that the loudspeaker had been run over by a van just before... hence no loudspeaker. Little thing that made alot of difference to folk who couldn't hear.

The wheels did start falling off tho on the morning of the event when the organisers were trying to think on their feet to get the races started in some format since the swim was cancelled - this led to the plan changing maybe up to 3/4 times on what was happening - until for the HIM right before we set off on what we had been told an hour before what was to be an 8km run - that it was prob half that at 4km if it was even that - so messed alot of peoples eating/nutrition plans etc.
This haphazard last minute planning also caused the running route back into transition crossing the biking exit for the leaders coming out, which I personally thought was a bad bad bad mistake - could have had a bad accident there...

Bike leg was very good albeit longer than the stated 93km (which is 3 over the normal anyway) I recorded it at just over 97km but he ho - no complaints there - was a joy to ride on the motorway closed - NOT into the wind tho..nightmare but this was a great route - aid stations very well stocked and the teams on them were great - congrats on that one.

Back into transition and out into the run - from a week before the event we had been sent word docs via email (well I received mine) and I studied it well - so knew the route in my head - turn left outta woods, turn cone, head to gorey, turn at cone, back to intial cone (passing the woods entrance), turn cone again, back to woods entrance and back to finish line. Now it is the athletes job to know the route as well as they can - I've be doing triathlon since last year and knew it - so no excuses for anyone.

BUT if reports are to be believed that a MARSHAL was directing folk the wrong way then that was a mess up wasn't it? In that case it was the organisers job to make sure all their Marshalls knew the damn route as well!
As for what is to happen to those who were directed off in the wrong way I have no idea... no idea at all - what a mess...

Once again all the aid stations on the run was fantastic - well done for that and the guys on them need a clap on the back and and congrats - fantastic guys you were great.

And then to the most disappointing part (well for me personally) - which was to the quiet, understated, dead, anti-climatic finish I have EVER experienced in all the tris and road runs I have done. No music, no PA, crowd was reasonable but was soooo quiet and bored looking (maybe because of the former.?), more importantly NO FOOD of any sort after slogging around for the guts of 6hrs, no medal (which I'll mention below), was lucky to get a bottle of water, had to go ask someone to which I was pointed to a cardboard box filled with a load of empty bottles and looked like a bin, the full bottles of water were underneath. All in all I thought this was a disgrace of a finish line.

I just feel even more sorry for the guys doing the full IM distance to have come back to that scene - was a total insult to them I feel.

Medal scenario - now as I said I'm a reasonable newbie to the tri scene since last year but one thing I have noticed is the lack of medals that are given at sprint and olympic tris around the country. This seems to be the trend and instead you get race belts, bottles, gels etc in your race packs. Fair enough for the short distances...

Now for my hard earned 80euros we got ourselves 2 tees and a water bottle for the race (plus our food on the course but since I carried alot of my own I used it minimally)
I personally feel for distances such as HIM and full IM that its such a big deal for people, the training, the dedication, the race itself that WE NEED something to remind us of the pain we went thru on the day. From Sunday I don't have a terrible amount to remember nicely - just that I completed a middle distance duathlon with little to show or remember fondly at the end of it. I most likely will not be back IF its run again unfortunately as I came from Tyrone to do it (couldn't do Ireman due to family reasons) and I know others travelled a hell of alot further...

At some road races I've done I have paid between £10-20 and got myself at a couple of the races a tshirt, bottle, medal at the end, lucozade sport, mars bar and pack crisps for my entry - plus a well organised event - how did they do that with such a small entry fee? Just a shame really...

Anyway rant over - sorry again for the length don't scream at me....
But its an official Ironman event for me I think next year - Switzerland here I come... And will give Ireman a go sometime as well I think

JonHotchkiss

mloc123 wrote: »

did the sprint, 2k run instead of the swim. Cold, wet and windy.

I say the HIM winner, Italian guy, come in and got to chat to him briefly. He thought he was the winner anyway, seemed a little bit pissed that nobody could confirm it... Or had any official welcome.

trinewbie wrote: »

All the top guys came back through transition.After the turnaround at tesco we should have been directed left back the way we came from the back roads and forest.Instead the Marshall sent us straight on,continuing on the main road all the way back to Courtown.

slight correction... I was first, into T2 and back across the finish line too.... does this make me the winner (of the half distance race)... well I'll come to that shortly, but as far the the course errors/mistakes go. 2nd place through to about 50th i think were sent back on the main road as they came back to the finish (just after coming back under the dual carriageway), instead of retracing their steps through the woods to the finish. this meant they ended up coming back through T2 then turning to the finish line. I on the other hand, was sent the wrong way on the outward leg of the run. basically going all the way on the main road out, and back (like the rest ended up doing). When i returned to the short "turn-around" section in the woods where the marshal had first misdirected, me i attempted to do 2 small loops of this out and back section to go some way towards rectifying things, and then followed the course back through the woods to the finish. as it turns out my mistake was not that different to the route that the rest came back from tesco's on.

We ALL (the first 40-50 athletes) went wrong on the run in some shape or form. me in a different way from them... but either way we're all in the same boat in my opinion.

Personally (and i accept I'm going to the be bias in this opinion given the prize money i was racing for) i think you either DQ us ALL and yes.. that would be about 40% of the field... or you DQ no one (my preference).... which as i understand it from the Race Referee, is what they have(?) chosen to do and seams fair - we'll know for sure when the results are posted.

but i want to back up the R.O. lets cut him a little slack.There will always be teething problems when you first run an event. i think sadly on Sunday the weather really magnified these; and that's something that is completely out of Eoin's control. he did a great job in so many ways. i hope he's managed a few hours sleep since too, as he worked incredibly hard to hold things together.

garydee

Just to add - the run route was the most confusing run route I've ever seen to be honest as well - no wonders so many mistakes were made....

kruger73

The silence on the part of the organiser(s) is deafening given how proactively the event was promoted on this very forum.
Although all issues regarding the timing decisions may not yet be made (48 hours later?), a quick update is the least people expect.

--amadeus--

OK folks...

Some of you are obviously very angry and I can understand why some of you think this thread should be closed. I'm just posting here to say that I am leaving it open for two reasons:

1. If I / we close it there will be another thread opened to continue the complaints along with a series of "why was it closed...?" threads. I think it's best to keep all teh discussion in one location
2. Kruger is right - Eoin was given a huge amount of leeway on here in terms of the promotion of this event. It is only fair (for everyone) that he has the opportunity and platform to address the grievances. Locking teh thread would deny him and us that opportunity. I hope that he takes that chance to come on and give the background and answers the list of issues

As for teh rest please keep it clean and legal, no personal abuse - the usual rules. If you see anything you think crosses the line please report the post.