IM introduces SwimSmart initiative in North America

soon tandem bikes will be allowed

Numbered buoy's is a good idea.  Anchored resting raft and an abundance of "professional swim course personnel" may have the unintended consequence of convincing people who might otherwise be too cautious to try, to go for it and rely on the rests/rescues.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to start a 1.2mile U shaped floating dock company that you'll all be swimming round in 2 years.

This would be interesting. Have athletes check off "mass swim start" or "staggered" when they register if they want and they get a specifically colored cap, then do waves of ~100 (age-groups can be combined and stuff) every 5 minutes thereafter or self-seed.

It won't stop me from wanting to be an ironman but the whole time-trial starts are very discouraging =/ it's definitely one of the larger attractions to the sport. Plus its cooler for spectators :P

texas changed last year. 

yep its groundhog day.

i'm well aware of the start, i raced it in 2011 when the wetsuit folks were mixed in with us non-wetsuit folks.  in 2012, last year,  they changed the start rules.

its 76.1 not 79. 

Darnit. By the time some of us work our way up to halfs and fulls they might not be any fun anymore.

Part of the thrill is that they could be a little dangerous and especially that NOT EVERYONE CAN DO IT.

Jeez Louise, if you get your own personal lifeguard and can walk the swim why even bother?

Take out the hard parts and what's the point?

I totally agree with this.  You have to prepare the swimmer for the swim; not the swim for the swimmer.