Handicap/Categories for Tris

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2008-08-10 2:31 PM

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Subject: Handicap/Categories for Tris
In my wife's tri today, they started her AG (30 and under) dead last. The first group was 45+, which meant a lot of fast women were behind a lot of women who were out there for the experience or just to finish.

The first point is that it's impossible not the draft on the bike racing behind such a large group that started first. Second, it must be very demoralizing to the slower people who started in front to be passed 400 times in an hour and a half. I can think of more regarding safety and logistics at aid stations, but I think everyone gets the point.

But we all know that age doesn't determine speed in many cases anyway.

In many other sports there is a way to tell how good an athlete is by a number or division assigned by a governing body based on past performance. Walk out to a golf course on Saturday and an impromptu foursome is made up. The first question everyone asks is 'what's your handicap?'. Bike racing - 'what cat?'. Different levels of auto racing, baseball, just about any sport with a governing body. Why not triathlon? We could start races based on division or category instead of age and sex. Compete against people of similar ability. It would give people something to shoot for, like moving up a rung. Rankings are already tracked and published by USAT, I don't think it would be a huge change but it would be a big help.


2008-08-10 3:00 PM
in reply to: #1592868

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris

Why not triathlon? We could start races based on division or category instead of age and sex.

Some races do start people based on estimated swim times rather than by age group.  

I think it's a lot harder to put folks in a single 'ability' category with a multi-sport event, though.  You may be incredibly slow on the swim, but just fly on the bike and run, or swim like a dolphin and bike like there is a 50MPH headwind and then run like your being chased by a bear...  (Or you can be me and be slow on everything, LOL.)

When I did Irongirl in '06, they did the start waves by age, oldest to youngest.  I'm a very slow swimmer, and I knew I'd get lapped by the wave behind me, but it was hard for the volunteers on the water to tell if I was having problems or if I was just very slow for my AG.  Nothing quite like realizing that you're being stalked by two kayaks and having to yell out, "Hey guys, I'm fine, I'm just very slow!" 

2008-08-10 3:41 PM
in reply to: #1592887

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris
BodyCheck - 2008-08-10 9:00 PM

I think it's a lot harder to put folks in a single 'ability' category with a multi-sport event, though.  You may be incredibly slow on the swim, but just fly on the bike and run, or swim like a dolphin and bike like there is a 50MPH headwind and then run like your being chased by a bear...  (Or you can be me and be slow on everything, LOL.)

I think this is probably the reason.

Very few people are going to be equal in all three disciplines so however you organise the start there will be lots of position changes.

2008-08-10 3:56 PM
in reply to: #1592868

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris

matthewjt - 2008-08-10 2:31 PM In my wife's tri today, they started her AG (30 and under) dead last. The first group was 45+, which meant a lot of fast women were behind a lot of women who were out there for the experience or just to finish. 

I'll bet there were a lot of "fast women" in the 45+ age group and a lot of "out there for the experience or just to finish" in the younger group. Probably in similar proportions.

2008-08-10 4:12 PM
in reply to: #1592936

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris
the bear - 2008-08-10 4:56 PM

matthewjt - 2008-08-10 2:31 PM In my wife's tri today, they started her AG (30 and under) dead last. The first group was 45+, which meant a lot of fast women were behind a lot of women who were out there for the experience or just to finish. 

I'll bet there were a lot of "fast women" in the 45+ age group and a lot of "out there for the experience or just to finish" in the younger group. Probably in similar proportions.

Yep, in all the tri's I have done this year I believe the winner was 35+

2008-08-10 4:23 PM
in reply to: #1592936

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris
the bear - 2008-08-10 4:56 PM

matthewjt - 2008-08-10 2:31 PM In my wife's tri today, they started her AG (30 and under) dead last. The first group was 45+, which meant a lot of fast women were behind a lot of women who were out there for the experience or just to finish. 

I'll bet there were a lot of "fast women" in the 45+ age group and a lot of "out there for the experience or just to finish" in the younger group. Probably in similar proportions.

Exactly what I was thinking: age does not translate into performance or lack thereof.  

 

2008-08-10 7:01 PM
in reply to: #1592868

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris
Two schools of thought seem to be derailing this idea.

First - Fast swimmer/slow bike, vice versa.... This doesn't matter. Ranking/Finish time matters.

'Old folks aren't slow!' - Yeah, Im not saying that. I'm saying there is a better way then age and sex.

Golf, tennis (any racquet sport), cycling, bowling...all more popular than triathlon (except cycling) and they don't use age/sex.
2008-08-10 7:13 PM
in reply to: #1593123

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris

The waves are done by age/sex as that is who you are competing against.

I am a slow swimmer but relatively faster biker (orders of magnitude between bike split placement and swim/run) - and like everyone has said, which sport do you go by? Get fast enough and you go in an elite wave.

Age/sex is how awards are done ergo the waves are.

 

Float, Hammer, Shuffle



Edited by TriToy 2008-08-10 7:14 PM
2008-08-11 7:18 AM
in reply to: #1592868

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Subject: RE: Handicap/Categories for Tris

I just did a race this weekend and the waves were designated according to estimated swim time.  All first-timers were put in the last wave.  I think this worked well, and I definitely felt that, for me at least, I was swimming with people of my ability (I swam in the second wave).  I didn't pass any of the first wavers and didn't get passed by any of the 3rd wavers.

As far as age goes, in my experience, it seems like triathletes get better with age (or some might call it experience!!).  I got smoked by a 55 year old woman yesterday (I'm in F30-34), and I just kept reminding myself that if I get better each year, just wait until I'm 50!!

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