Give me five
For a Pro to go to Kona or Clearwater, that Pro now has to finish within 5% of the winner's time to get that coveted slot and Paula Newby-Fraser of the World Triathlon Corporation was kind enough to explain the reasoning behind the new 5% rule.
"Last year we had 180 professionals on the start line in Kona and we knew right then and there that the field size needs to come down. We took that list to cut that field from 180 to 125 this year and then whatever comes up for 2011 comes up for 2011. But right now we have assigned the slots (for Pros) to only have 125 this year," said Newby-Fraser.
With Kona almost having the status of the Promised Land for most Pros (and age groupers) who race long distance, we talked to a few Pros to hear what they thought about this new 5% rule. Some of them were kind enough to give us their opinion.
"I am 100% in support of this rule – a World Championship event should be prestigious and something to aspire too. It should be an honor to line up on that start line amongst the very best in the world and know that you earned the right be there," said Mirinda Carfrae, the runner-up at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona. "But most importantly for us Pro women it will eliminate the back of the Pro men’s field who get caught up with the lead women negatively impacting our race."
Current 70.3 World Champion Julie Dibens added, "I actually agree with this rule. I think it should be a challenge to qualify for the worlds. Worlds should be a showdown between the best of the best, and it should be a real honor to qualify for the worlds. Kind of like the Olympics. With potentially fewer athletes at the Worlds as well it may lessen the amount of drafting that goes on at the races, because there are less athletes… which hopefully would make for a fairer race."
American Pro Dede Griesbauer who finished tenth in Kona in 2009 and 2008, and took seventh place in 2007 has a slightly different view. "I understand and appreciate WTC’s desire to tighten standards to maintain a truly elite field. I applaud them for trying to dangle the carrot a little further out in front, urging us all to reach a little higher and dig a little deeper," said Griesbauer. "My concern with the 5% rule is that it is going to strangle an already small women’s professional field. Digging deeper into the impact of the rules; if you look to 2004, Lisbeth Kristensen qualified with a time that was more that 5% off the winner’s time in that event. She went on to finish 7th in Kona that year. Under the new rules, Lisbeth wouldn’t have been there at all; good news for whoever was 11th that year, I suppose. So far this year, Caitlin Snow got nipped by the 5% rule at Ironman St. George; an athlete who has placed 15th and 12th in Kona the past 2 years – hardly 'excess baggage' in the world’s most competitive race in our sport.'
We also talked to quite a few male professionals too and they mostly agreed on that rule too, not surprisingly bringing up some of the same reasons.
"I understand and fully support the Kona/Clearwater 5% slot cutoff. World Champs should be prestigious and needs to be earned. Qualifying should not be a formality for any pro who wants to toe the line. Instead it needs to be an indicator that the qualified athletes are indeed the top of the sport who have clearly shown through the season they are on a level above that of the average professional," said Timothy O’Donnell who yet has not raced in Kona.
2005 Ironman Hawaii champion Faris Al-Sultan no longer needs to chase a slot* for the big show, but the lanky German still has some strong opinions about the 5% rule. "It should be as much a privilege to go to Kona for the Pros as it is for the age groupers, it used to be easier to qualify in Canada as a Pro than in many other races as an age grouper, said Al-Sultan. "Fewer Pros in Kona won’t elevate the quality of the field that is pretty impressive, but hopefully the quality of the race, smaller groups that are less easy to follow in the water and on the bike, as well as a less hectic start."
Cam Brown also has concerns along those lines and thus agrees with the rule. "The 5% rule for Kona is good as well, but doesn’t really matter as WTC get paid no matter if it is a Pro or amateur racing as we all pay entry fees," said the multi-time Ironman New Zealand champion. "Hopefully this will decrease the number of athletes in the Pro race and we won't have any problems with drafting."
Aussie Luke McKenzie shares a similar sentiment although with a twist. "I think it is needed to reduce the size of the large men’s field in Kona. I think there are around or over 100," said McKenzie. "I do however think that the women’s field is a good size but unfortunately this 5% rule is going to affect them more than the men and what you will see is an even smaller Pro women's field. We will have to wait and see."
[* “Based on tradition set by Valerie Silk, the Ironman World Championship’s past champions have a standing invitation to return and compete in the Ironman World Championship. In the spirit of her decree, this benefit has been extended to the Ironman World Championship 70.3,” explains Ironman Hawaii race director Diane Bertsch.]
