I think that is what happened last time? Pearson perhaps having to use some crummy results from the first cycle?

Just a bad timing for a key athlete to get hurt. If Eli doesn't get hurt, he'd have raced a race in Mexico and "held" the 3rd slot in the final race almost guranteed (while the Aussies on same weekend were racing in Oceania and "earned" the final spot). Funny though, he wouldn't have gotten the spot- it would have gone to Matt McElroy. So a whole lot of moving parts there. Technically McDowell (who finished as 4th ranked American) "took" Matt's spot who finished as the 2nd best American, I use quotes because again, the spots aren't individuals, they are the federation's spots and they can dictate who/how they are qualified for.

But when you miss so many events, you lose the opportunity to drop "bad" results, and in our case, the US has shown an tendency to have a few stinkers.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

We need Matt and Morgan to get results this fall. Matt seems to be recovering well and has that killer run, he just needs to get close enough to use it. I talked to Morgan at Nationals and he is trying to be smart about an injury and not come back too quickly. His mindset seemed outstanding.

Besides McQueen, Rider, and McDowell, who else are we looking at for points? Lots of good things seem to be happening at the Project Podium level, but that is more of a LA ‘28 timeframe, right?

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

I see GBR and USA being in similar positions.

Phenomenal on the woman’s side with lots of athletes fighting for places giving the selectors possibilities but on the mens side not as strong requiring a bit of luck. There is a possibility the GBR will qualify 3 men but more likely to be 2.

I think the MTR has the potential to be a bigger influence on selections.

I actually think Seth Rider is a sneaky good MTR athlete, but I don't see how the US will get more than 2 spots, so I think it's going to be important to be top American (I just think in case it goes to discretion) and/or show something really special MTR wise. (I dont think Matt's going to miss a 2nd Olympics). Unless someone gets an auto spot by getting a WTCS podium, I think it's going to be top ranked American and then a free for all for the 2nd spot.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Does US have any males coming up through the collegiate system?

The NCAA has women's triathlon in about 40 schools, but NCAA level Men's Triathlon is a long ways off/never going to happen.

Not to the ability that is racing at this level, I almost think it should be putting 2 best men for MTR. Matt and Morgan still have a lot to prove, post injuries, etc.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Matt and Morgan definitely have things to prove, but they were our first podium athletes in forever. Morgan has the swim and they both have a killer run unlike anything since I started paying attention in ‘10.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

USAT has an interesting program called Project Podium where they get some top junior men and give them the opportunity to train/ race with USAT staff and attend Arizona State, so similar to a collegiate athletic experience in some ways.

I don’t know much more than what I’ve read/ seen on social media, but it seems more likely to produce athletes for LA than Paris. Still fairly new.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

In itu that was a long time ago. Now obviously I think talent they are the best. However if they don’t show too 5/ podium talent I would put all my eggs into the MTR basket for the men. Now they have the capacity they lack consistency. But of course those 2 are our best w/ McDowell. But they all need perfect conditions to podium but that could be said for several top 15 talent outside of about 5 ppl.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Brent Demerest - he’s on the start list at Bergen. I think he has legit run 29 potentiL

Awesome! Not on my radar - I’ll dig in.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Good point on ITU time, although Morgan’s podiums we’re last summer, so pretty recent. Big fans of both, but I’d say Matt needs things to fall right. Morgan needs a good day, but he has a legit front pack swim.

Either way, and no disrespect to previous outstanding athletes, but it is so nice having Americans who have a chance to run to the podium.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Good kid. Came through juniors and went to ncaa xc at uva. He kept the tri training in summers, I helped work w him about 5 years ago for a summer camp. I believe he’s coached by OB currently.

He’s kinda what likely will be the pipeline for the top juniors who go into ncaa single sport and then come back.

While there is no ncaa tri for men, there are a few club options that treat it as varsity level training. Scholarship is likely less that route than going single sport.

Brent was really really good at uva.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

So you agree he could run in the 29s?

I think he's got a ways to go before he can get to that level at the WTCS level. There's just a whole other level going from basically top finishes at Continental level races to then World Cup or WTCS. That's where Brent is currently. Can he get to the run clean and full of energy to unleash that run.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I assume that everything - swim, bike, transitions - is so much harder at that WCTS level that it is a whole different animal to produce that run.

Just thinking about a friend who was a good D1 runner at North Dakota and can still get under 16 for 5k. He was under conditioned for swim/ bike for Nationals and only ran 38. Faster than I would ever go in that heat, but well off his capability.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

There's just no room for error, and especially when you have a poor starting number, you are likely to have a rougher swim (even happened to AB who got DQ'd for skipping a swim boy after having like the last starting number in a Gold Coast race). And I dont think people realize how much you get beat up in those swims, and I'm not talking about anything malicous or DQ worthy. I'm just talking about the "washing machine" of being in a group of 30 guys all together.

People don't realize how good those athletes are. It's like Kona but 5 times more deeper, oh and it's 8 times a year. It's why I always chuckle when I hear people complain about what $28 to pay for triathlon live. It's the best fucking value in the sport. And you get almost all the world cups now, like it's stupid good value.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Non usually can't get into that front swim pack and that is where your medals are coming from for prety much every race these days.

I had no idea who Demarest was. I have just seen his results...well, he is 27? His run splits are good but not exceptional. He may be a uber runner but in triathlon, as you all know, does not always transfer. You must run fast after T2...see Beth Potter or Morgan Pearson. The only exception might be Yee. You americans are wating for someone like Verzbicas, hope you find it....we need some excitement and good swimmers to avoid the Yee-Wilde combo in every race.

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Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P

LV had a very Alex Yee trajectory and it’s too bad a serious bike crash all but ended his career. He tried a comeback a time or 2 but sitting in a hospital for a few months really messed him up.

We Americans still continue the fight of figuring out how to connect the junior years to the elite years for males especially. Too often they go into single sport (they usually get some money to go to uni and play single sport).

Podium project is trying to be that group that keeps them in uni and a full time triathlete. Queens Uni in Charlotte is another chance.

I wonder if our system of DL racing at such a young age factors into burn out. I remember AB talking about being raised to just go race and not worry about anything. While our junior system is setup to basically put a ton of pressure starting at age 13. It very much seems to be an “pressure” environment and less “just race and learn and do it again 4 times a year” approach. If you look at the burn out rate without that program from age 13 to 19, it was a few years back very staggering,

Eta: usat has changed the approach to the juniors in favor of a more long term approach, this season was 1st year of it. Many coaches recognized the issues. We’ll see what happens in the coming years.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Yeh I find that funny too. PTO races that are the "deepest ever!" - yeh ITU have been doing this for decades.

I call them "basic" triathlon fans ;-) Ironically, many of these folks are 5:30-6:30 flat IM bike split middle of the pack crowds that end up doing the whole race with a massive drafting effect (not illegal for the most part) and they brag about how they called out people for drafting, etc.

It is unfortunate that many triathlon fans can's see beyond the fact that although a draft legal bike equalizes it, it does not mean that most of those guys are not absolute beasts on the bike and that you need to be one to survive the ride and still run 30 min 10 k run. All of this, of course, after swimming 1:10/100 m pace. Never been a surprise to me when these folks go to mid or long course and do well (Blu, Iden, Frodo, Van Riel, Varga, Gomez, Brownlee, Schoeman, Luis...etc. and there will be more).

no way is SC the #2 for GB right now with her run. she's incredibly consistent and such a strong swimmer/solo cyclist but her run is not where it needs to be to compete with France. GTB is locked in as the anchor so it's the 2nd leg that is the open one. Assuming that she can solo off the front on the bike and then hold on on the run is a big ask when France will have Lombardi or Periault on the 2nd leg.