The Ironman Pro Membership Program - Good change from the WTC?

http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/WTC_sets_2010_Professional_Membership_program_1105.html

Check out the link for more details if you haven’t read about it.

I think that the annual membership fee is such a little increase compared to the standard fees that every triathlete competing under the WTC flag usually has to pay (unless they get a free entry), that it is almost not worth discussing. Especially not when this is an Anti-Doping initiative. And as many Pro triathletes participates in more than one WTC race (1x IM+1x 70.3), then they can actually end up saving a few bucks. Off course there will still be many Pro triathletes, who will see an increase in their costs with this new program coming into play, but most also has a decent number of sponsors etc., which should make it possible for them to continue to compete in the same races as they would normally do. At least the increase in costs for these triathletes won’t be of a scale that is undoable to solve.

I have several times been wondering about some Pro triathletes level in IM and 70.3 races. Some just don’t seem to have the level that should be required. I can’t really guess on what the thoughts behind their decision to compete on a Pro license have been for these guys. Maybe it is because that then would be able to get a later entry and an easier one, than if they should have bought it as a normal Age-Group triathlete.

With this new program the WTC obviously hope to make it more difficult to qualify for the World Championships and maybe force some triathletes aiming for a spot to either Hawaii or Clearwater to compete in their Age-Group and by that making the Pro field stronger.

The new program for the Pros also makes it more difficult to be eligible for prize money. It is an interesting example from the WTC, that the 9th place Hawaii finisher Sandra Wallenhorst wouldn’t have received her $7,500 if achieved in 2010. That is tough. Triathlon is a pricy sport all ready, and the potential sponsors doesn’t seem to be to desperate in these financial crisis times, so to take away more money from athletes trying to balance their budget, seems to me unnecessary. Especially as the unearned prize money won’t be redistributed. That make it seems like the WTC is just being greedy. Why not give the unearned money to charity? There will probably be some Pro women screaming at Chrissie Wellington in the future to slow down. At one hand I’m sure the WTC wants big personalities like her to make some noise about the races and to set new records. But if she continues her development we might only see five Pro Women eligible for Prize Money in Hawaii 2010. Who benefits from that? That is, besides the WTC?

With the program implemented on the 1st of February, the Pro triathletes have to provide their whereabouts to WADA making them eligible for out-of-competition testing. It seems like a very sensible collaboration between the WTC and WADA. And as long as Pro triathletes don’t have to answer to different Anti-Doping agencies, then I can’t see any negative aspects of it.

All in all I think the new program is a good idea, all though the right balance of it may not be reached in the first season.

I will personally not be competing on a Pro License before 2011 at the earliest. I do have the level to compete on a Pro License in IM races, also with the new program implemented, but I wish to achieve the Age-Group goals first, and then move on to the Pro field to achieve other goals. That is to me the natural and the sensible road to take. To me there is no difference from competing on a Pro license to an Age-Group license. I will still be doing the same race as the Pros, and I will beat many of them :-)