TriEqual “Fair Starts Protocol”

On April 29th, TriEqual, the organization dedicated to fairness, development and equality in triathlon proposed the “Fair Starts Protocol” with standardized start gaps to help ensure a clean race for all triathletes. You can learn more on how to support the cause of fair starts and #50WomenToKona on the TriEqual website.

Elements of the “Fair Starts Protocol” are based on my analysis of how the start times impact the mixing of the women’s pro field with MPRO and agegroup fields. Here’s an overview of my longer analysis posts:

• Changing the gap between Pro Women and Age Group Men in Kona
• 70.3 Oceanside: Analyzing gap between MPRO and WPRO
• Start Gap at 70.3 New Orleans

The discussion of these races clearly shows the need for a 10 minute gap between MPRO and WPRO and a 25 minute gap to the agegroup men in Ironman races with strong agegroup fields.

I hope that the “Fair Starts Protocol” is adopted on a wide basis, at minimum for big Ironman and 70.3 races such as the world championships and regional championships. I will continue to analyze the adopted start protocols and their impact on how clean the WPRO race was.