firstoffthebike.com - Blog

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

Flat courses and drafting - married?

Does a flat course signal the fact that there will be drafting? With Shepparton (Shep) half Ironman raced on a a pancake flat course this weekend questions will have to be asked. The first question that springs to mind is whether a flat course is easier and than a hilly one? In Australia both Shep and Busso (Ironman WA) are very flat. The biggest climb in Busso is the speed hump going out of transition! So does this make it an easier course to race? You would have to say yes as a flat course tends to be more accessible to newbies (a good marketing ploy) as well as being quicker. Even though a climb is great to change the muscle groups it obviously slows the rider down. Flat courses allow for more speed overall and a more consistent speed.

Now the second part to all of this. Do flat courses promote drafting? The simple answer is yes. Flat tracks means that everyone can 'get on'. Yes we know there were the usual complaints at Port Mac last week which is a hilly course but this will be nothing compared to what may transpire on the roads of Shep. It's flat, crowded and set up for an enormous team time trial. Shep however has a good reputation for all of this but is this about to change?

Are we the Profits of doom? maybe. Overboard? Us? Of course not! Well maybe but in this whole drafting debate is it part of the race director's responsibility to make courses tougher? Well in the case of Shep it is hard to find hills when there ain't none there but going forward this may be a factor in deciding where to hold a race. Age groupers dissent over the issue and pros love of all things going skyward may mean the attendance at these races is lessened.

The officials are going to have to be on their game this weekend.

If you are reading this and are going to Shep, we want a report from you! Be a firstoffthebike.com draft buster and tell us what went on there - email us at feedback@firstoffthebike.com.

Back