EDITORIAL
IWAS RECENTLY ASKED to take part in a podcast that
asked: how do we make triathlon great again? I pushed back both before and during the chat, not only because it reminds me too much of the bedlam happening south of the border, but mostly because I’m not sure that our sport was ever necessarily any “greater” than it is today.
As we reported in our last issue of 2018, Ironman has never done better business-wise: 2018 saw an increase in participation of 10 per cent globally. There were 41 full-distance events and 110 half-distance races. This year, there will be an additional seven 70.3 races, including new races in Greece, Russia and India.
So, what do folks keep looking back nostalgically at as they bemoan the status of the sport? Part of it might be that they long for the days when more events got to share in the pool of athletes, sponsors and revenue. Ironman might try to push the message that if they’re doing better, the entire sport is doing better, but I’m not sure that’s true. So many independent events, especially half-distance races, are struggling to reach the numbers they once enjoyed. The Toughman Championship, held just outside of New York is a perfect example. Once an event that routinely attracted more than 1,000 athletes, it has struggled to hit two-thirds of that number in recent years as Ironman races have cropped up throughout the region. It is a shame – the race is held in the spectacular Harriman State Park, is extremely well organized and garners incredible community support.
Don’t get me wrong, Ironman puts on amazing races, too. Here in Canada we get to enjoy a bunch of those. I have no problem arguing that Ironman Mont-Tremblant (along with the 70.3 race held there) is among the best races in the world.
So, are the people who are talking about making triathlon great again really asking if Ironman should become less of a dominant force in the sport? That might be what they’re looking for, but I’m not sure it’s likely to become a reality any time soon. The draw of Kona is strong in triathlon. (Cue the deep voice “feel the force, Luke.”) As it should be. But maybe, once people have got their Mdot experience, they can look at some of the other fantastic races out there. The Barrelman in Niagara Falls, the Great White North event in Stoney Plain … actually, we’ve got a list of some of these amazing events, along with some spectacular Canadian Ironman races, on p.56.
I’d like to think my argument through the podcast was just that – our sport is already pretty awesome, but there is a lot more we can do. Hopefully more people can enjoy the Ironman experience, but also take in some other races, too. I would love to announce way more Canadians across the finish line at Challenge Prague, one of the most amazing events I’ve ever worked at.
In addition, I would also love to see us come up with a better way to support our professional athletes. (Daniela Ryf made more prize money than any other triathlete in 2018 – US$201,000. Naomi Osaka made almost 20 times that amount in just one tournament, the U.S. Open.)
We also need to get more women into the sport, and we need to make triathlon more accessible.
Those things won’t make triathlon great “again.” I’d argue they’re improvements we’ve always needed to make. But if we can do better with some of those issues, I think we’d make a great sport even better.