Ironman’s SwimSmart Initiative – “Integrity” and Knowing My Age Group Rank is Not Worth a Life

Ken Petruzzelli - Lawyer and Opinionated Triathlete

I had to take a break from writing the weekend report on this year’s Wildflower Festival to address the latest  Internet blowup over Ironman’s SwimSmart Initiative for Northern California.

The SwimStart Initiative will change the swim start format and certain elements of the swim course. You can click the link about for the details, but here are the main points –

  • Numbered buoys. Numbered buoys will help locate troubled swimmers more accurately.
  • Anchored resting rafts will be positioned along the swim course. You can already rest on paddle boards, buoys, and kayaks, so long as you are not using them to make forward motion. While Ironman does not address this latter factor, I suspect it is the same.
  • More pre-race swim safety education and safety personnel.
  • Changes to the mass start for certain North American races. Coeur d’Alene and Lake Placid will use a “rolling start” format, where, much…

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Dr. Gloria Petruzzelli

Dr. Petruzzelli is a clinical sport psychologist, triathlete, and certified mindfulness meditation teacher located in Sacramento, California. She works with elite athletes and sports teams across the country. She is a competitive athlete and enjoys practicing yoga, spending time with her family, and traveling.

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