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What exactly is an Elite athlete and what can they enter?

If you're an Elite triathlete, do you have to register that you are one? What races are you then allowed / not allowed to enter?

I ask because at Bala yesterday there was no elite wave or seperate elite race, but the winners of the mens and womens races were both from Team ActivInstinct, which appears to be a sponsored, full-time training professional team.

I'd assumed that that if you were Elite you couldn't enter age-group races?

Comments

  • man that blonde chick on the right would get it.

    that aside, it does sound unsporting!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Generally you wouldn't get an Elite entering an age group race as there wouldn't be any money in it,so why do it,except for a training race,and the Kudos of getting a podium position(Team Activinstinct have said they expect to get a certain number of Podium finishes by the end of the season,so they must be looking at the Hathingay Garden Festival 50m Duck race next).
    What constitutes an Elite.Someone who can make money from racing triathlons by consistently getting high placed finishes.there isn't really a time,but for OD I would say about Sub 1hr52m for men and sub 2hr for women to stand a chance of not being made to look silly as you're lapped on the run.
    Now the problem really starts when you ask when a Pro/Elite can enter IM races as an age grouper to gain a slot for the WTC championship.Are they taking other athletes places?,is it as you say unsportmanship like.
  • Last year i competed at Bala with a prize fund of £6000. The winner in 2008 got £600. This year although i didn't compete i believe there was a prize fund of £7000. So i guess that maybe the answer to the original question, wherever there is prize money that's where they lay their hat, or helmet!
    Phil Graves (he is also a member of Team Activeinstinct) competed at Allerthorpe 2 weeks after winning the U.K Ironman (i was cheering him in at the finish in Bolton)..
    At Allerthorpe there was no prize money, but i got a kick out of being in the same race as that guy, even though i didn't see him for long.
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Interesting stuff.

    I was definately asking the question theoretically. From well down the list of finishers, this does not directly affect me
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    As a 'bottom propper' - ooerr sounds norty - when I enter an event that attracts the 'elite' types I see my overall ranking plummet but I measure my performance in order:
    1. previous performances in same event
    2. within my age group
    3. overall placings

    So their presence does not intimidate me; the opposite I think 'aha made the buggers sweat to get that place' - (yeah wishful thinking). So from an old git perspective 'elites' are just part of the 20-25 and 25-30 age groups and are of no relevance to me.

    Rambling on and tangenting OT, apart from the straightforwd 50-55 group I have also been in Veteran and Super Veteran groupings which in some events means aged 40+. I wish there would be more consistency in that respect as in one event I could come in the top third for my 50-55 age group and in another middle because the 'Vet' ranks are swollen by competitors who are 12 years younger than me.
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    I for one am a big fan of having pro athletes at small events. But that's because I am nowhere near good enough for them to be anything more than entertainment!
  • [img:d4q2spmg]http://www.teamactivinstinct.com/images/lois.jpg[/img:d4q2spmg]

    She can turn up at my event anytime she wants, she might spur me on to a sub 2:30 finish
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    She doesn't look so good when she's sweaty and gasping. Fnar fnar.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Aha Comanightrain - methinks you have an eye for that wench

    Can't say I blame you but I reckon she really fancies the'mature' bloke, y'know someone who is say perhaps 52
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Zacnici wrote:
    Aha Comanightrain - methinks you have an eye for that wench

    Can't say I blame you but I reckon she really fancies the'mature' bloke, y'know someone who is say perhaps 52
    but is coma over compensating,with the amount of double entendres,and inuendo he keeps sticking on his replies?
  • Aha Comanightrain - methinks you have an eye for that wench
    Zacnici - a nod to talk like a pirate day? Arrrrrr mehartys

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    comanighttrain wrote:

    She can turn up at my event anytime she wants, she might spur me on to a sub 2:30 finish
    [smut]
    there ain't no way that 2:30 is referring to hours if you managed to be 'racing' with her. fnar fnar woof etc
    [/smut]
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Aharrr
    We be having a Pirate themed day on our privateer on that day - well OK we put on pirate hats in the office, I won a bag of crisps for worst effort, apparantly pirates are supposed to have parrots on their shoulders not teddys
  • Quality
  • jon.E wrote:
    [quote="Zacnici":2ilwa8dw]Aha Comanightrain - methinks you have an eye for that wench

    Can't say I blame you but I reckon she really fancies the'mature' bloke, y'know someone who is say perhaps 52
    but is coma over compensating,with the amount of double entendres,and inuendo he keeps sticking on his replies?[/quote:2ilwa8dw]

    anyone who says entendres is gay oh crap i said it
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