IMUK hawaii places.

[jontyler]

Is it true these races buy slots?
IMUK only has as many slots as several 70.3s.
TRI is BIG in uk right, so why not more slots. These races aren't cheap.
I did reasonably well at the first IMUK but now thinking about qualifying. Now doing IMG, but would rather support IMUK. It helps training on home soil right.
Is it a case of we fill the places so why bother or its just WTC red tape?

[andys]

There are many ways of looking at this. Yes, IMUK 'only' has 30 slots but if you think you have a better chance of qualifying in Germany with their extra slots you'd be very much mistaken. The Germans are very strong at Ironman, taking Hywel as an example, he finished top 10 at IMUK (or thereabouts, might have been 11th) but 46th in Austria. Taking Austria as another example, it has twice the slots of IMUK but twice the people in the race.

Out of the European races IMUK is still the best chance of qualifying with probably Lanzarote second. The main European one's have a very strong field.

[ray]

also IMUK is a late race, and not much time between this and Kona. so chances are not many people are going to use imuk as there way to the Champs.

as it is also a hard race

[doug]

If I remember correctly, a race organiser buys a number of slots for a number of years. I think IMUK slots were originally bought as part of the contract for HIMUK so the number of slots were based on that - I don't know how long the contract is for or if IMUK will try to increase the number of slots when the contract runs out. Fewer 70.3 races have slots than there used to be and they will probably lose thier slots when their contracts are up for renewal.

[jontyler]

True there are alot of factors to which race to choose to qualify (like playing to your strengths etc.) and to be quite honest I know I'll have to be lucky on the day which ever race I choose.
I was more thinking about the state of 70.3 kona slots.
It seems that it provides the pros with an opportunity to qualify without having to do too many IMs.
But if WTC want to seperate 70.3 from IM then surely these slots would be better going to full IMs.
I know the guys who get get the slots are going to be up there no matter which distance they qualify at but still it makes sense to give the slots just to IM.
Also what kind of message are WTC sending out when there were less slots at 70.3 Champs than at other races of the same distance.
I know slots aren't the be all and end all of any race but if you hit a good day and just miss out on one at IMUK then...

[doug]

I don't think a pro can qualify for Kona at a 70.3 anymore

It would be good to see the 70.3 and IM events become a bit more seperate so more Kona slots can be fred up - either for new IM races or for those races that don't have many slots at the moment.

[Daz]

Only problem with Lanzarote is a lot of people have a crack at early qualification with this, knowing that they have plenty of time to peak up for a race later in the seaon eg IMUK

[zoe]

doug said:

I don't think a pro can qualify for Kona at a 70.3 anymore

It would be good to see the 70.3 and IM events become a bit more seperate so more Kona slots can be fred up - either for new IM races or for those races that don't have many slots at the moment.

Actually they can at the 70.3 Championship in Clearwater but I think its the only one. Does mean in theory that Simon Lessing has his slot for Kona next year if he wants it

[whisk]

I suspect that one of the reasons behind starting the 70.3 series is to take the Hawaii slots away from the half distance races so that they can increase the number of full IM distance races in the calender. Hawaii is at its' full capacity at the moment, so the only way more slots can be made available is by taking them away from existing races or reducing the number of lottery places. If the 70.3 races with Kona slots have paid for them for a set period of time then they're not likely to be giving them up early without suitable compensation.