Wave Allocation: Time for a rethink?

TriWazza

I think it could be exactly a year ago since I posted something similar but here goes again. Looking to know what people think.

After watching Athy, Killkee and Athlone over the past few weeks I was again struck by how unfortunate it was that the top ladies and men weren't in the same wave in Athlone and Athy.

I think its time we created an open wave for males and females in age group racing in this country. It would basically mean that the top 30 - 50 contenders would be put into an 'open' wave with those with aspirations for overall top 30 - 50 placings being selected in this wave.. The administration and selection for this wave is open to debate but no doubt would be easily administrated by the race organizers and/or Triathlon Ireland. It could even be like other countries namely Australia and Spain where the athletes just self declare for the wave.

Taking the ladies from Athlone yesterday as an example it would have been wonderful to see the likes of Rachel Glendon and Anna Crooks in the same wave as Aoife Lynch and Katie Cooke. Instead they were in different waves. I think it would lead to better racing and push our sport to new levels.

All credit to the race organizers in Athlone for a great and safe race yesterday but I'm left with a nagging suspicion that the shake up of the race could have been slightly different had the main contenders been in the same wave.

As athletes, it is our national championships and I guess its up to us to demand changes ... as long as people want it?

RacoonQueen

Only option for that IMO is to allow anyone who can prove they're capable of being in the main wave is to only let people who have on full tri season behind them and can show results...and in Ireland the tri community is small enough that organisers would know people by name. Otherwise, getting people to self declare for things like that, you'll be asking them to declare their estimated swim time and you'd get a lot of people who overestimate their ability. I know people will declare their swim time for some races but if you're asking them to do it for the main wave you're asking for trouble.

tunney

And the issue with everyone out of the water at the same time and biking at same level leading to increased drafting?

bryangiggsy

tunney wrote: »

And the issue with everyone out of the water at the same time and biking at same level leading to increased drafting?

Yes have to agree as i did not see any drafting in athlone yday compared to last week

TriWazza

All valid points. The drafting issue comes down to athletes compliance and ofcourse enforcement of rules. Putting that aside I think raccoon queen that you may be missing the point a little. Swim times are but one component. In the eventual shake up you may see a wide range of swim times in the top 10 overall but the idea is the head to head racing. Swim times wouldn't be used to allocate into the open wave. Overall placing is the name of the game and self declaration may be the way to go. I stress the word may. Its not about being elite or anything like that but rather providing better racing particularly for national champs and national series races.

RacoonQueen

Self declaration will not work.

TriWazza

Granted it may have teething problems initially as some athletes over estimate their ability but if you genuinely have aspirations of a top 20/30 finish in a national champs or national series race and you end up say ... 100th ... you soon know that perhaps that level of racing is beyond you at that point in time. The next time you can just enter the age group wave. I have witnessed in other jurisdictions that this works well and it can work in Ireland too.

We have some great athletes in this country across a wide spectrum of age groups. It would be great to see them race head to head when it matters most. Do people feel that it is not incumbent upon us to at least try?

TriWazza

Great minds think alike http://gavinnoble.com/triathlone-2013-irish-sprint-championships/ ;-)