Alistair Brownlee in Gold Coast World Championships

Abhainn

Anyone see Alistair Brownlee's performance yesterday in the Gold coast ?

His 10k off the bike was a very impressive 29:04:eek:. This guy is extremely talented and is only 21 I think.

Well done to BBC for the coverage

Bambaata

just watched the highlights this morning but unfortunately they didn't show Gomez trying to lose him. will have to dig out the extended highlights to catch that. some talent though!!

tunney

its the post-olympics year, I'll be way more impressed if he does this in 2011

RacoonQueen

Was watching on Setanta the other night. He's done really well this year and has left his older, more experienced competitors in his wake. If he keeps it up, he can only get better. His younger brother gets good results aswell I think?

kennyb3

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Was watching on Setanta the other night. He's done really well this year and has left his older, more experienced competitors in his wake. If he keeps it up, he can only get better. His younger brother gets good results aswell I think?

yeah his bro was fav for juniors race but was 2nd. said he did too much on the bike.

really enjoyed watching the race between gomez and brownlee

Pisco Sour

tunney wrote: »

its the post-olympics year, I'll be way more impressed if he does this in 2011

Doesnt stop us being extremely Impressed with the performances of Usain Bolt in a post Olympic year World Championships so why should it be different for Brownlee. Outstanding season by him.

tunney

04072511 wrote: »

Doesnt stop us being extremely Impressed with the performances of Usain Bolt in a post Olympic year World Championships so why should it be different for Brownlee. Outstanding season by him.

Because Bolt dominated before, during and after the olympics. Not saying its not a series of fantastic series of performances for Brownlee, just saying don't count chickens.

Krusty_Clown

Yes, it was a fantastic race/coverage. Couldn't believe those 10k times after the swim and the bike. You gain a real understanding of race strategy when you watch an event like this. To see the two guys who really pushed it on the bike section get completely annihilated out during the 10k is an education.

Pisco Sour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Yes, it was a fantastic race/coverage. Couldn't believe those 10k times after the swim and the bike. You gain a real understanding of race strategy when you watch an event like this. To see the two guys who really pushed it on the bike section get completely annihilated out during the 10k is an education.

Yeh very true. To be honest I dont like the idea of drafting in elite triathlons. It erodes any gains made on the swim and makes it almost impossible to make a decent breakaway on the bike, and when you do see one like yesterday it results in having no energy left for the run.

Drafting shouldnt be allowed in my opinion but then again how do you police it. Its probably impossible to do so.

bagus

04072511 wrote: »

Drafting shouldnt be allowed in my opinion but then again how do you police it. Its probably impossible to do so.

Agreed, it's not supposed to be a team sport.

Policing it is simple. If the time penalties are long, then it almost eliminates it.

tunney

You lads are kidding me?

you know why drafting was allowed right?

Krusty_Clown

tunney wrote: »

You lads are kidding me?
you know why drafting was allowed right?

Nope?

bagus

tunney wrote: »

you know why drafting was allowed right?

No, me neither....????

Jason_77

Nor I.

Tunney, are you going to tell us?

Poncherello

wooooo the suspense !:rolleyes:

Darac

looks like we are not going o find out

hunnymonster

ITU elite races are draft legal. Not my preference but I guess (1) avoiding drafting would be a nightmare on a short course like 40 km where elveryone is a great swimmer and (2) those guys can handle their bikes well enough to cycle in a group, do that in your average irish age-grouper race and there would be carnage. I would love to see drafting taken out (as it is in WTC races).

Did you all at least notice that they didn't have time trial bikes? (because being down on the bars/horns in a group would be too dangerous)

jcunniffe

OK I'll reply since Dave is being shy.

ITU Worlds went draft legal in 1995 at Cancun, MEX**. Prior to that they had been non-drafting since the initial Worlds in 1989. Fields were becoming bigger and more closely matched in terms of ability in all 3 sports so the bike section had to be very closely refereed. Through the early 90's there were some high profile races with controversial drafting penalties/non-penalties which affected prizes and were a bigger talking point than the ahtletic performances.

Another factor was that in 1994 triathlon was announced as a prospective olympic sport for Sydney 2000. TV presentation at Olympics and any negative PR (e.g. "I got a penalty but he was drafting as well, and he got a medal") situations would have impacted on the decision.

Some said the ITU bottled it and should have stayed true to the individual TT aspect of tri. Others viewed it as the only way forward for elite racing given how close the fields were becoming after the swim. It also led some athletes to move away from ITU to long course where they could still race individual TT.

J

** Footnote: The 2nd race on the ITU World Cup series in 1995 was held in Derry. Must check with Peter Jack & co. if it was draft legal or not.

Krusty_Clown

Thanks jcuniffe. Very informative for those of us who don't participate, and just watch tri's on the telly-box.
It's be nice to learn a little more about the history of tri. Any documentaries/movies recommended?