Happy Birthday to Everyone!
Do you feel a year older today? Maybe the one-quarter-of-one-percent of us who are actually celebrating a birthday today do, and to you I extend a heart-felt "Happy Birthday!"
To everyone else, I'm just confused. I'm referring to the shifting of the racing age in triathlon to the "age you are on 12/31" of any given year, for every race in that year, which the Ironman owners just decided to adopt starting in 2009 (the ITU made this move years ago, but it's gotten lost in all the other bone-headed decisions that organization has made almost since its inception).
I'm not sure how it's fair, how it's less confusing (particularly to our friends in the southern hemisphere), and I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would even suggest making this change. Is the "age you are on race day" that hard to figure out?
Anyhow, I'll choose my battles carefully, particularly in light of the general success rate when fighting City Hall.
So don't ask, just have a Happy Birthday...all of us together.
To everyone else, I'm just confused. I'm referring to the shifting of the racing age in triathlon to the "age you are on 12/31" of any given year, for every race in that year, which the Ironman owners just decided to adopt starting in 2009 (the ITU made this move years ago, but it's gotten lost in all the other bone-headed decisions that organization has made almost since its inception).
I'm not sure how it's fair, how it's less confusing (particularly to our friends in the southern hemisphere), and I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would even suggest making this change. Is the "age you are on race day" that hard to figure out?
Anyhow, I'll choose my battles carefully, particularly in light of the general success rate when fighting City Hall.
So don't ask, just have a Happy Birthday...all of us together.
Comment
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Comment by Kim Stemple on January 7, 2009 at 4:59pm - Since it really is my birthday - am I a whole another year older?
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Comment by Mike Llerandi on January 3, 2009 at 7:12pm - Fair enough, but 12/31 is just as arbitrary as, say, Ground Hog Day or any other spot on the calendar. However, with respect to rankings, the whole purpose for the adjustment falls apart: If the concept of an AG is to have any meaning, then the age you are on race day is the only rule that makes any sense.
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Comment by Aaron Essner on January 3, 2009 at 4:46pm -
Hey Mike,
I think this is simply an effort to align and unify the age approaches across the tri communities out there. I think the "fairness" comes when age-up years occur. If an athlete qualifies for nationals, worlds (ITU/USAT) or a championship race before their birthday and then competes in the next older age group, I guess technically it might not be fair. That athlete doesn't end up racing against the group that they earned the spot in. By racing the entire year in a solitary age group, this situation is completey avoided. There may also be a USAT ranking issue at play.
Aaron
© 2010 Created by Mike Llerandi.
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