Rules/etiquette/ethics question

In article <[email hidden]>,

John Hardt said:

On the other hand, USAT rule 5.3 states "The sole
responsibility of knowing and following the prescribed
cycling course rests with each participant. No adjustments
in times or results shall be made for participants who
fail to follow the proper course for any reason
whatsoever."

Here's the rub: a few of us knew during the race that
something was very wrong. The Pineman IM distance race is
held on the same course and that race includes 4 laps on a
28 mile bike route. Because of this, we KNEW the
turnaround for a 24.8 mile Olympic distance course HAD to
be somewhere short of the 28 mile Pineman turn around
(certainly no farther). There were cones at the correct
turn around point, although no indication of what they
were for.

The question is this: Should those of us (myself included)
that knew something was wrong have gone ahead and turned
around? I averaged a mundane 20 mph on the course, so
turning around at the correct location would have knocked
6 miles off the route and given me a 20 minute advantage
on the field.

You said it yourself when you quoted the rule: if you knew
the course better than other people, you deserved those 20
minutes if you'd been sure enough to take them. Of course,
the inherent risk is that, if you're wrong and cut the
course, you should get DQed. And as far as ethics go, if I
found out afterward that I was wrong and I actually cut the
course, I'd go up to the referee and turn myself in.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Th-
en it was every other day. . . ."
- Homer J. Simpson

"John Hardt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This past weekend, I participated in an Olympic distance
triathlon

organized

Quoted message said:

by HFP Racing at Deer Creek State Park in Ohio. The race
was supposed to

be

Quoted message said:

a standard 1500m, 40k, 10k Olympic format but there were
problems with the course that resulted in the bike leg
being stretched to nearly 31 miles.

According to the organizer (in an apology issued Monday),
a volunteer blew their assignment and failed to turn
competitors around at the correct turnaround point along a
dead-end state park access road. Not knowing

they

Quoted message said:

were supposed to turn around, all of the participants kept
right on riding until they literally ran out of road in
the state park's lodge parking lot and were forced to turn
around and head back.

The entire field followed the same route and I've always
thought one of

the

Quoted message said:

prime principals of triathlon is that no matter the
course, the weather, a competitor's ability, or other
circumstances, if everyone rides the same course in the
same conditions then things are inherently "fair".

On the other hand, USAT rule 5.3 states "The sole
responsibility of

knowing

Quoted message said:

and following the prescribed cycling course rests with
each participant.

No

Quoted message said:

adjustments in times or results shall be made for
participants who fail to follow the proper course for any
reason whatsoever."

Here's the rub: a few of us knew during the race that
something was very wrong. The Pineman IM distance race is
held on the same course and that race includes 4 laps on a
28 mile bike route. Because of this, we KNEW the
turnaround for a 24.8 mile Olympic distance course HAD to
be somewhere

short

Quoted message said:

of the 28 mile Pineman turn around (certainly no farther).
There were

cones

Quoted message said:

at the correct turn around point, although no indication
of what they were for.

The question is this: Should those of us (myself included)
that knew something was wrong have gone ahead and turned
around? I averaged a

mundane

Quoted message said:

20 mph on the course, so turning around at the correct
location would have knocked 6 miles off the route and
given me a 20 minute advantage on the field.

What is the consensus opinion out there?

John

I'll respond with a question, "If any other aspect of your
performance (within the rules) demonstrated superior
preparation over the field, should you have voluntarily
held back?"

I did a half marathon in Atlanta last spring. The course
was mismarked
(15.2 miles), but it was an inaugural event - - no one knew
until we were ALL committed.

rsquared

......at least it wasn't as bad as the Californiaman Tri a
few weeks ago, where some of the participants realized that
the bike leg was going to be 117+ miles instead of 112 and
argued with the bike course volunteer at the corner of the
turn onto the last out-and-back leg.....she caved in and let
them 'cut' the course (by omitting that leg)....until the
bike course director came by mid-race and told her to direct
everyone to include the leg....but later in the day the
volunteer started telling people that the course was long by
about 5 miles and the last out and back leg was
'optional'.....i thinks she was tired of standing there and
watching tired bonking triathletes go by.....

.

"John Hardt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This past weekend, I participated in an Olympic distance
triathlon

organized

Quoted message said:

by HFP Racing at Deer Creek State Park in Ohio. The race
was supposed to

be

Quoted message said:

a standard 1500m, 40k, 10k Olympic format but there were
problems with the course that resulted in the bike leg
being stretched to nearly 31 miles.

According to the organizer (in an apology issued Monday),
a volunteer blew their assignment and failed to turn
competitors around at the correct turnaround point along a
dead-end state park access road. Not knowing

they

Quoted message said:

were supposed to turn around, all of the participants kept
right on riding until they literally ran out of road in
the state park's lodge parking lot and were forced to turn
around and head back.

The entire field followed the same route and I've always
thought one of

the

Quoted message said:

prime principals of triathlon is that no matter the
course, the weather, a competitor's ability, or other
circumstances, if everyone rides the same course in the
same conditions then things are inherently "fair".

On the other hand, USAT rule 5.3 states "The sole
responsibility of

knowing

Quoted message said:

and following the prescribed cycling course rests with
each participant.

No

Quoted message said:

adjustments in times or results shall be made for
participants who fail to follow the proper course for any
reason whatsoever."

Here's the rub: a few of us knew during the race that
something was very wrong. The Pineman IM distance race is
held on the same course and that race includes 4 laps on a
28 mile bike route. Because of this, we KNEW the
turnaround for a 24.8 mile Olympic distance course HAD to
be somewhere

short

Quoted message said:

of the 28 mile Pineman turn around (certainly no farther).
There were

cones

Quoted message said:

at the correct turn around point, although no indication
of what they were for.

The question is this: Should those of us (myself included)
that knew something was wrong have gone ahead and turned
around? I averaged a

mundane

Quoted message said:

20 mph on the course, so turning around at the correct
location would have knocked 6 miles off the route and
given me a 20 minute advantage on the field.

What is the consensus opinion out there?

John

Technically you could make the correct turn. If however I
was racing and I knew my competition was doing the long
course then that is what I would do. If it were a mixed bag
and people were doing both I would opt for the correct
course even if it were the longer leg. If directed over the
wrong course by a race course marshal then of course that is
the way I would go.

Ken @ Kauai

"John Hardt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This past weekend, I participated in an Olympic distance
triathlon

organized

Quoted message said:

by HFP Racing at Deer Creek State Park in Ohio. The race
was supposed to

be

Quoted message said:

a standard 1500m, 40k, 10k Olympic format but there were
problems with the course that resulted in the bike leg
being stretched to nearly 31 miles.

According to the organizer (in an apology issued Monday),
a volunteer blew their assignment and failed to turn
competitors around at the correct turnaround point along a
dead-end state park access road. Not knowing

they

Quoted message said:

were supposed to turn around, all of the participants kept
right on riding until they literally ran out of road in
the state park's lodge parking lot and were forced to turn
around and head back.

The entire field followed the same route and I've always
thought one of

the

Quoted message said:

prime principals of triathlon is that no matter the
course, the weather, a competitor's ability, or other
circumstances, if everyone rides the same course in the
same conditions then things are inherently "fair".

On the other hand, USAT rule 5.3 states "The sole
responsibility of

knowing

Quoted message said:

and following the prescribed cycling course rests with
each participant.

No

Quoted message said:

adjustments in times or results shall be made for
participants who fail to follow the proper course for any
reason whatsoever."

Here's the rub: a few of us knew during the race that
something was very wrong. The Pineman IM distance race is
held on the same course and that race includes 4 laps on a
28 mile bike route. Because of this, we KNEW the
turnaround for a 24.8 mile Olympic distance course HAD to
be somewhere

short

Quoted message said:

of the 28 mile Pineman turn around (certainly no farther).
There were

cones

Quoted message said:

at the correct turn around point, although no indication
of what they were for.

The question is this: Should those of us (myself included)
that knew something was wrong have gone ahead and turned
around? I averaged a

mundane

Quoted message said:

20 mph on the course, so turning around at the correct
location would have knocked 6 miles off the route and
given me a 20 minute advantage on the field.

What is the consensus opinion out there?

John