General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right Rss Feed  
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2013-04-07 9:31 PM


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Subject: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right

I'm doing my first triathlon in a couple weeks in Columbus Ga, and they sent out the wave start times on Friday:

 

Swim Waves:
 
Athletes will start the swim portion of the race from a dock off the stairs at the swim start. (Woodruff Park)

Swim Waves are as follows:

7:30am-Men 50 over and all 19 and under

7:33- Women 35 and over

 7:36- Men 40-44

 7:39- Men 45-49

 7:42– Women 34 and under

 7:45 – Men 30-39

 7:48– Men 20-29

 7:51 – All Relays

Waves are subject to change based on registration numbers.  Please be at the swim start at 7:15am.

 

That can't be right, right?  They are sending off the slowest group first, which makes zero sense.  Most of the people starting last are going to end up passing a ton of people. 



Edited by treis017 2013-04-07 9:32 PM


2013-04-07 9:34 PM
in reply to: #4690659

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Master
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
They're probably trying to compress the overall time people will be on the course to make the whole race "shorter" for the RD.

All they're going to do is end up with a congested mess in T1, a packed and dangerous Bike course with the fastest athletes blowing past the slowest, and a throng of people who have no idea how they did in their AG.

I agree. Terrible idea.

Edited by JZig 2013-04-07 9:36 PM
2013-04-07 9:38 PM
in reply to: #4690659

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Expert
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Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
i think its more about volume on the swim course at once, if it was about age only all swim wave starts would be broken out the same.
2013-04-07 9:52 PM
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Groton, New York
Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
Doing my first triathlon at the beginning of May and they are setting it up the same way.  The director told me it is so the majority of people finish about the same time.  Not sure why they would want this but ok.  The swim portion is in a pool, and I am told they limit it to two people in a lane at once, and there are six lanes...so I am guessing that it will take quite a while to get through everyone who has signed up for the race.  Should be interesting....
2013-04-07 10:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right

Probably because the RD calculated that if he did it with the oldest AG last, there would be a larger than # desired of people who don't finish the course before course closure. 

 

You see this not as extreme, but other regional races where the pro/elites take off in wave 1, and surprisingly in the back of the corral in that very early wave are a bunch of much older or otherwise not-so-speedy looking folks (no offense intended, really) that turns out have requested extra course time from the RD, who has then started them before all the other AGers. 

2013-04-07 10:45 PM
in reply to: #4690659


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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
Its not uncommon.  The theory is that it clears the bike course quicker.  I've been in races that have done it both ways.  In smaller races, its nice when they seed the quicker groups first cause you can tell where you stand in the race.  In the bigger races where this is done more often, it really doesn't matter much, it stays pretty spread out on the course.


2013-04-07 10:51 PM
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Minneapolis, MN
Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
In my local area men 40-44 are usually 5 out of the top ten overall racers. RDs can try to do a lot of things. It usually ends pretty random, in the end
2013-04-08 6:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
This is common tactic to condense the overall race time and mostly clear the bike course per their permit limits, cuts the cost of traffic security. It will be OK, swimmers always getting mad about this and I assuming your a swimmer.
2013-04-08 6:24 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
As an "older" slower female, I personally would rather leave at the back of the pack from a swimming perspective, so as to avoid being "beaten up" and swum over by faster swimmers. However, there is also a down side, in addition to what everyone has mentioned,and that is being isolated at the back of the pack the entire race, and often coming in after awards ceremony and celebration is almost done. (and I am not a super slow triathlete that finishes after cut off times, but this has happened to me) That is a race director failing, but starting swimmers in a quasi reverse order does address that latter issue as well as clearing the course earlier as others have pointed out.
2013-04-08 8:23 AM
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Expert
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
What in the world makes you think that order is "slowest to fastest"?
2013-04-08 9:09 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right

Afletcher - 2013-04-08 9:23 AM What in the world makes you think that order is "slowest to fastest"?

Right. Men 40-44 are usually the fastest



2013-04-08 9:33 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
trishie - 2013-04-08 11:09 PM

Afletcher - 2013-04-08 9:23 AM What in the world makes you think that order is "slowest to fastest"?

Right. Men 40-44 are usually the fastest

Yep and where I am with the exception of me the women aged 35 and over generally aren't far behind them.
2013-04-08 9:34 AM
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Iron Donkey
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
It's an ego thing to make the young, faster people feel that much more empowering over us slower peeps.
2013-04-08 9:36 AM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right

There's no perfect system, but I would agree that the listed order is probably intended to help clear the course as soon as possible. 

The races I've done have been all over the place with the order of starting waves, but most have a 'pro' or 'elite' wave that starts first so they have a clear course for the overall contenders.

I've also been at a few races where they shuffled the order at the last minute depending in the number of entries in different AG's.

I just go when they tell me to and try not to worry about it.  

Mark

 

 

 

2013-04-08 9:40 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right
I understand WHY organizers do this, but it is not safe. *possibly* if there was still an "elite" wave (not pro's, but fast AG'ers) it would help a bit, but I always think starting young(er) men behind the women / older men is a bad idea.
2013-04-08 9:42 AM
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Subject: RE: Slowest to Fastest wave start- This can't be right

I have a sprint tri (pool swim) this upcoming weekend, and they are explicitly seeding folks slowest to fastest.  Not just a crude cut by age group as mentioned above -- but by estimated times submitted before the race (primarily the swim time).

And given that it's a triathlon targeted for novices, I'm expecting a lot of the slow waves will be very slow.  (as in -- the options for swim time for 500m ranged from "under 10 minutes" to "25+ minutes")

My assumption was always (as stated above) that this was an effort to minimize total race time so that the pool could be freed up sooner.   

Good news is -- I might actually be MOP Smile



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