Felix’s Grand Opening
This is the first of several belated blog entries covering the Triathlon Business International (TBI) conference ending (as of this writing) day before yesterday. Why wasn't it covered real time, on-site by us? I was the proverbial one-arm paper hanger all conference long and had no time; Herbert was suff'rin' for Jesus in the Canaries; and in Jordan the Balearics.
For those who don't know, TBI is an industry organization supporting triathlon worldwide. You can read who are the people and organizations making up TBI. Think of a poor man's World Economic Forum (some of us poorer than others!), but devoted solely to triathlon.
Finally!
This year, in my opinion, we finally lived up to our own promise and hype. This is our 5th annual conference and we've gotten better each year but, truly, a lot of people were patient with this group as our conferences improved in fits and starts. This year, with one exception – which I'll get to in further "blog" installments – I think TBI delivered. A lot of attendees went home full, and I think they were satiated regardless of industry segment (not only race directors, but retailers and race support and service providers were served plenty upon which to chew).
We have a habit, on Slowtwitch, of inviting end users into the machinery of the industry, and here's my best assessment of the most notable take-aways from this industry conference.
Felix Walchshöfer. It is no secret who this man is. But the front man for Challenge Roth, and the Challenge Family series worldwide, makes an impression when you see and hear him that can't be gotten just by seeing his words on paper. I opened the conference interviewing him in front of all attendees and it felt like a North American grand opening for Challenge or, at least, for the "brand" that is Felix Walchshöfer.
I think some people are brands. Apple is a brand but, in his own way, so was Steve Jobs. Richard Branson, Ted Turner, Elon Musk and Sergey Bryn are all cult personalities who expand upon their own business brands. In triathlon we had one of those early on. Valerie Silk never tried to be a brand behind the Ironman, but she was.
A brand means something, and there was a theme to Valerie. Imagine a Mr. Potato Head, but in place of a potato was a big heart, with a head, leg and arms protruding. Valerie was all heart. She had the enthusiasm of Huell Howser for all the early Ironman contestants but in a quiet, elegant way.
What makes Challenge a worthy foil for Ironman is Felix Walchshöfer. Not that he's a tactical genius, or a brilliant race director. He's got an execution team that takes care of the Xs and Os. He's the male version of Valerie Silk and his vision and authenticity hoists Challenge up.
Felix disarmed the crowd with a populist vision of triathlon and its industry businessmen. I reminded him that listeners included many independent race directors who read weekly, as I do, of a new Ironman or Challenge race; we all wonder whether the small RD is an endangered species. Felix told of a scheduling meeting he holds for RDs in the region of Roth, where RDs try to see themselves as strategic stakeholders rather than competitors. Felix treats many of those smaller, independent races as necessary feeders for Roth, helping rather than siphoning from his customer base.
I asked him if he'd be open (he said he would) to regional meetings like this in the United States, as his group now owns at least 7 races on this continent and licenses at least 5 more. Ironman is formidable not only because of its history but because it's an extremely well-run organization with a crackerjack executive team. Challenge has Felix Walchshöfer's strict attachment to fair play, loyalty, and a dignity due all parties to the venture, including pros, end-users, communities and fellow RDs unattached to Challenge. Felix believes it's unacceptable for anyone affected by a Challenge race to leave the experience with a chapped hide. That's rare. Felix helps make Ironman-Challenge a fair fight.
Musical Chairs
Challenge's big news, at the conference, was the hiring of a pair of high-powered events veterans. Steve Gintowt, the former CFO and COO at Competitor Group, is the new CEO at Challenge Americas. Former Life Time executive Jim Garfield comes aboard for sponsor sales and activation.
Mr. Gintowt's hiring is an eyebrow raiser. He was the subject of an executive shakeup at Competitor Group just over a year ago. He and CEO Scott Dickey were "transitioned" out of the company after having engineered the growth and sale of Competitor Group from Falconhead Capital to Calera Capital between the years of 2007 and 2014.
Competitor Group's growth has largely come from a rapid expansion worldwide in the Rock 'n Roll brand, some of it organic, most of it by acquisition. Mr. Gintowt was there during that expansion. One assumes he's there to replicate that for Challenge and, if so, that's a dynamic hire and the signal I'm compelled to receive unless I hear otherwise. Whether he has the precise skillset to grow Challenge the way he helped fuel Rock 'n' Roll's growth we will see.
Other interesting Competitor Group news discussed at the conference was that Mr. Dickey's replacement, David Abeles, has just transitioned out after less than a year on the job. Ouch. Rock 'n' Roll has been the most durable brand in themed running. It's got some legal problems to solve and probably some properties to sell that are tangential and not key to its core business.
One prime candidate for successor to David Abeles is, to me, patently obvious. He lives 10 minutes from the CGI office, he has every skill CGI needs and, here's a hint: He shares initials with Mr. Abeles. And the same first name.
Whether this man would take the job I don't know. Working for moneybag shareholders who have no love-connection to your industry is its own slice of heaven. Still, were I a betting man, and if Vegas had a line on CGI's next CEO…
