Drafting

This week, I was out looking through the results from the Duathlon last weekend. As I was roaming around the web site, I went into the message board. Potentially, people would post their thoughts about the event. Maybe I would find something interesting.

One of the threads concerned drafting. According to the research posted by the message boarders, there was a lot of drafting during the race. And ironically or not, many of those caught drafting were in the masters division. Point of the message thread was that hardly any drafting penalties were given to the younger riders.

Now, I am new to the Duathlon event, but I certainly understand the concept of drafting and the effects of drafting on your overall race performance.

Also I am fully aware that there was a lot drafting by other riders while I was on the course.

As I understand the drafting rules, competitors should not draft and there are certain rules that must be observed when being passed as well as passing others.

Race Marshalls are stationed along the course to enforce these rules. Based on the feedback from the other competitors posted to the message board, they didn't believe the Marshalls were doing their jobs properly and were stationed in places where drafting was unlikely to occur. For example, they stationed Marshalls on the turns and near the hills.

Maybe I am too new to this sport to offer an opinion, but I am going to give it anyway.

Here's my opinion.

They should allow drafting and here's why. Judging when someone is drafting in my opinion is highly subjective.

And clearly it is impossible to catch everyone that is drafting. This is similar to the NC law which outlaws texting while driving. Great idea but it is very hard to enforce.

Think about it. What if they allowed drafting? Would it change the event - probably not to a great deal?

I suspect there would be more out and back course instead of small loop courses. This would make it harder to catch and draft off people.

And because we are competing against one another, I would be less likely to let someone set on my wheel for very long. I would be shifting across the road, slowing to let them pass, or trying to speed up.

In some way if they allowed drafting, the competitors would become more of the on course judges and limit its usage.

Just letting other riders set on my wheel doesn't really benefit me in any way so why would I want to allow someone else to do it.

Allow drafting and see what happens.

 

Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner.