Home Chat General Chat

What are the differences if any

Stupid question time now



Are there any differences between a middle distance race and a 70.3 race ?



Is it the distances ? Is it the fact that Ironman have some input in a 70.3 and not a middle distance race ?



I am confused ?









Comments

  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    I could be wrong as this is off the top of my head. But I think 70.3 is a trade mark of IronMan. Which is a separate organisation to ITU.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Jack is right.A 70.3 race is a middle distance race,but a middle distance race is not always a 70.3.if you see what I mean.
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Yup. Ironman 70.3 is a trademark of WTC, but anyone else running the same length of race call it middle distance (ITU, independent race organisers), with Ironman being the equivalent to long distance races.



    For ease, most triathletes will call them 70.3 as it's synonomous with the distance but race organisers can't unless they want a legal writ coming their way!



    Most races will vary ever so slightly from the exact distances but will be close enough to ensure you have an even race. I believe most race organisers will provide exact distance splits if there is any significant differences.
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    More boring everyone to death.



    You can trademark "70.3" but you can't place any legal claim on any specific distance. Anyone can put on a triathlon with a total distance of 70.3 miles, but only the WTC can call a race 70.3.



    Conehead's potted history of Ironman is interesting, and the one everyone learns. It all sounds rather spontaneous, relaxed and Hawaiian "hey guys let's do all three at once and find the real Ironman" etc.



    At some point fairly early on however someone with a business/legal brain must have seen the value of the brand and ensured that "Ironman" etc were protected with trademarks before they became generic ie too widespread to be protected. (You couldn't for example now trademark the word "marathon" for a 26.2 mile running race, the term has been in ordinary usage for years and years).
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Jules wrote:


    You couldn't for example now trademark the word "marathon" for a 26.2 mile running race





    That's why Marathon became Snickers I guess then?
  • First timerFirst timer Posts: 139
    As part of an event organising club in Dorset we come across this problem for our 1st middle distance race later in the year. So just plain old middle diatance race is was and is.Under no circumstance acn you call it a 70.3 even though that is the distance.

  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Flavadave wrote:
    ORIGINAL: Jules



    You couldn't for example now trademark the word "marathon" for a 26.2 mile running race





    That's why Marathon became Snickers I guess then?



    Nah, it's not generic for a choccy bar. Change it back I say, sod all that global branding bollocks!

  • MrSquishyMrSquishy Posts: 277
    Conehead wrote:
    I'm amazed I haven't been sued by the WTC yet for my M-Dot tatoo.

    I take it it's not on your arse then?
Sign In or Register to comment.