Loving that 20 meter draft rule
At the 2015 Challenge Dubai I saw the 20 meter draft distance rule for pros in effect and I came away impressed. The rule was already used last year at the $500,000 Challenge Bahrain, and while I had heard good things about it, it is tough to appreciate from a distance. This time I was on the back of a motorbike, slowly rolling through the field from behind.
Sixty-nine pro men and 34 pro women started, a large number. But once on the 90km bike course all the athletes were nicely spread out and there was not a single situation I came across where athletes were riding too close or trying to push the boundaries. Most of the athletes were actually at least 50 meters or more apart and with strong winds it made it a very tough race for everybody.
Drafting or the legal benefit of a draft zone that is too short are the source of many post-race complaints. These shorter zones impact race results and race strategies. A 20-meter draft zone and tough enforcement of the rules will help racing to be honest. There were not that many officials on course in Dubai but the athletes honored the zone.
"Twenty meters is perfect and it makes it a very honest race. With the rule asking you to be 20 meters apart you might as well be 50 meters or 100 meters apart, there is no benefit. I absolutely love it," said South African James Cunnama to Slowtwitch right after the race. "It did not help me here but I still think it is great."
Aussie Tim Reed, who ended up in second place, shared his sentiments about that rule on Twitter. "Once again the 20 meter rule worked brilliantly in #ChallengeDubai. Should be the standard with a longer passing time. Carry on," tweeted the Budgy Smuggler.
The women's race also looked fair and that is especially important when so much money and prestige is on the line.
"The ruling is very welcomed by me for sure. I have raced it twice now and on both occasions I have felt the race has been a much more open race. I do feel certain elements of the ruling needs attention, time to pass, time to drop back and the judging/assessment of 20 meters becomes more subject to personal eye if there are no physical markers present," said Helle Frederiksen who won Challenge Bahrain and finished 3rd in Dubai.
But independent of prize purses, the 20-meter rule should be in effect all the time for pros, no matter what brand of racing it is, whether at Challenge, Ironman or an independent race. The same is true for the 30-minute head start before the age groupers follow.
So an emphatic yes to the 20-meter draft zone and the fairer racing it produces.
