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What do you think of DRAFT LEGAL Age Group Racing?

Paul HoughPaul Hough
in Races & Places 🏁⛺

Check out www.draftlegalchallenge.com!  I read about this race on TriJuice this week and signed up right away!  This will be my first triathlon for 2011.  So cool to be able to race a triathlon like I did before USAT came into existence.  Non-draft racing is fine with me, but when I did my first tri in 1980, no one thought anything was wrong with drafting because that was the very essence of bike racing.   I'm going to use my Trek Madone road bike for this race and just stay in the drops (bullhorn bars are not allowed).  The shorty ITU clip on aero bars are cool, but I'm not going to buy those for one race.  Does anyone think this format going to catch on for age groupers? 

Comments

  • NortonNorton
    As slow a swimmer as I am, I would still TOTALLY love this format; too much fun!
  • deleshdelesh
    They have a sprint tri here that's draft legal. It is a ton of fun. It's really interesting when you are forced to use a different strategy. The race usually has quite a few crashes because the inexperienced riders are racing so close to each other. You definitely need to be very careful. I personally enjoy the individual challenge of non-draft legal races, but I am glad to get in one or two draft legal races a season.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    As David says, I'd be skeered of riding amongst a pack of speed-crazed triathletes.

     

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Bill- I actually think being a slow swimmer is a disadvantage in draft legal races. To be competitive you have to come out of the water with the folks in front in order to be in the pack, otherwise you get stuck without folks to work with or you have to work harder to chase the groups in front that are working together. Oh- and it's best to be up front too to avoid the crashes.

    Looks like they are limiting the field to 75. That still could be kinda high if you've got a lot of folks racing without good group riding skills.

    Still, I love the idea of this format. It's a totally different style of racing. But I'd want a few road races under my belt before I tried it.
  • chris malonechris malone
    Awesome. It would be a blast and add a lot more thought to the bike: sit in? bridge up? breakaway? create alliances?
    And then run. Cool. And see what the pm data looks like compared to the steady zone watts. Def some big spikes and then recovery needs/ strategies.

    But yeah, there will be some carnage.
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    I raced a few crits over 20 years ago and narrowly avoided carnage. I'm hoping this won't be as bad given the small field sizes they are using, plus I'll be at a disadvantage due to swimming being my weak link. I'll go out 110% on the swim and draft on whatever group I find coming out of T1. Then comes all the decisions that Chris notes. It will definitely be interesting.

    I got an e-mail from the race organizer saying that 25 of the 75 men's AG slots are already gone (15 of the 75 female slots). If any FL peeps are interested, they are giving $10 off using the code "FIRST" at check-out...good through 31 Dec 2010.

  • chris malonechris malone
    I think drafting can help a slow swim in that you may have the opportunity to bridge up and get on faster wheels and work your way back up through the field. I'll bey you have a group of strong bikers that get out of the water together.That said, the faster swimmers will be riding faster too. Anyway, I think it adds to the fun.
  • manconamancona
    I mixed thoughts on this one, however I also look at things differently than many.

    I did one draft legal sprint last year... 800m swim / 16 mile bike / 4 mile run with about 500 people and a wave start. I'm a slow swimmer, so I had to absolutely kill myself to catch up on the bike. When I did catch up there were like 8 dudes in a pace line and it looked like only two were actually taking turns pull. I recovered for about a minute and then killed myself again to drop them and come into t2 solo. It was the most painfull 4 mile run of my life after that. All in all, it was an awesome workout as I saw speeds and watts I never see in a race catching the group and then dropping them.

    I think it defintely could catch on and I would like it if it did as it would force me (and other triathletes) to learn to swim.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Crash. Crash. Crash. That's all I could see there. After my broken hip this year, I think I am going to shy away from this stuff!!!
  • Chris M.Chris M.
    Posted By Patrick McCrann on 24 Dec 2010 12:19 PM

    Crash. Crash. Crash. That's all I could see there. After my broken hip this year, I think I am going to shy away from this stuff!!!



    +1.  After a crash netted me a broken collarbone (and the inability to work for 12 weeks) and having narrowly avoided crashing in several group rides and centuries, I have zero interest in draft-legal racing.  

  • Mike HedmanMike Hedman
    I'm a stodgy old purist - triathlon to me is one person, performing 3 disciplines to the best of their ability. Draft legal races break this in a number of ways. Say I travel to a race and know nobody there. But a local tri club shows up and has 5 people in my AG and they plan on working together - how wonderful for me! I just can't stomach some guy wanting to win his AG, and asking his friend to lead him out on the bike, then the friend packs it in, and the guy runs 10% faster than everyone else. I suppose if I'm in the right place at the right time I can jump on the train. But that's a pretty big if.
    And then there's the carnage thing.
    No thanks.
    Mike
  • J.T. ThompsonJ.T. Thompson
    I think it has a place in racing, but like others said, is a whole different type of event and not sure I'd want to try it. It's one thing to be out for a group ride and a bunch of folks don't pull their weight by taking pulls at the front....it's a whole different thing when they don't take pulls and then smoke everyone on the run...image

    Having also been in a number of peloton type crashes, I'm not so eager to get hurt and take a bunch of time off if someone else screws up and touches a wheel....I'll leave this type of racing to the younger folks....
  • michaelgasser17michaelgasser17
    I'd definitely enjoy the different format. I guess I'd finally have to get a road bike and keep it for a bit. That, and swim fast.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    One word: bloodsport

    Sounds like fun but no way I would do this unless I had a plan to get out of water with a few guys I knew and worked with them. I could easily see 2-3 smart, strong guys staying away from an unorganized group of triathletes (is there any other kind?) because they wouldn't know how to organize themselves and work together.

    I finished a Sunday ride a little while ago with a group of local triathletes. Most are on road bike. I ride out to there route, flip it when I see them, and then stay either at the front or no more than 3rd wheel...and only then if its behind guys I know. Had a squirrel ride next to me and start to chat me up. That lasted about 15" before I squirted out to the side and back up to the front.

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    I view it as one hell of a hard work-out. I'm not even sure there are age groups in this race. It's not likely that there are going to be many guys I know well enough to develop a group strategy. My plan is to swim like hell, and then see what I can do on the bike. If I toast myself on the swim, I may have to throw down the age card on the bike and suck wheel and then see what I can run. It's just something different that is going to force me to swim hard.
  • dragonflykissesdragonflykisses

    Too many triathletes have poor bike handling skills, IMHO.  If it's a draft legal race it should be aerobar ILLEGAL as well.  If I were the race organizer, I'd have my liability insurance coverage doubled for such a race.

    I started in bike racing doing crits (wrestling on a bike) and loved it, but have numerous injuries from crashes.

    Also, I did Clearwater (World Championships) this year and the drafting was very very dangerous.  I suspect that was one of the reasons WTC moved that race.

    Just my humble opinion.

    -Robert

  • Nate ParadyNate Parady
    Heck no...I can barely stay out of my own way let alone being around folks trying to draft off of me...
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    @Robert - no tri-bikes allowed and no aero bars except for the midget ITU bars that do not extend pass your brake hoods. I think my last criterium was in 1986 and I narrowly avoided a spectacular crash. Given the very limited field size, and the nature of the bike route which I've done, I have minimal concerns about carnage.
  • DanJacqueminDanJacquemin
    Posted By Mike Hedman on 25 Dec 2010 11:15 AM

    I'm a stodgy old purist - triathlon to me is one person, performing 3 disciplines to the best of their ability. ...

    And then there's the carnage thing.

    No thanks.

     

    What he said.

    IMHO, if you feel the need to do a draft-legal bike race, find a bike race.

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