Ironman Access: Now it's here, now it's not

On Wednesday, the World Triathlon Corp unveiled the $1000 a year Ironman Access membership program. The key benefit was having early access to register for Ironman races.

On Thursday, the president of the WTC, Ben Fertic, rescinded the program after an onslaught of negative comments.

For the record, I had no fundamental issue with the program though I appreciate how others saw it as a tax or a way for a few people to cut to the front of the line. I thought the program was, in principle, a good idea.

The intent, as Fertic said, was to make it easier to enter a race. I’m all for that. Who wouldn’t be?

I wouldn't have spent the $1000 but I see how it would have made sense for some to do so. Time is money. (Here's how I could spend $1000.)

It had never occurred to me that 2500-3000 slots at Ironman events in North America were 'default' race entries. Fertic said some athletes were entering multiple events until they got the one slot they really wanted.

That's part of the reason why I wasn't able to find a spot at Ironman Arizona next month after a tough day at Ironman Canada. Arizona was the next best fit for me.

I haven't lost any sleep over not getting an entry. Neither though am I going to start registering for races that I don't really intend to race. I can find other ways to spend $600.

One reason for the 'unused' slots I think is the lack of a 'real' refund policy. Athletes should be able to get most of their money back - which would encourage those who register for multiple events to 'give' them back.

It's an easy fix. So why hasn't the WTC done so? Some would say it's all about the money that the WTC gets to keep. I think that's too simplistic.

Of course it's hard not to dismiss the fact that 3000 times $600 is $1.8 million. Yet there's so much demand for slots that I think the WTC would be further ahead financially from taking a small administration fee and then reselling the slots.

While some people see the WTC as evil, I don't.

I think that there is an honest effort among the people who work at the WTC to strengthen the sport. For me that is a given. And I have no issue with the WTC and its private equity owners making money.

That said, the WTC has, in a short period of time, angered first the pro field and now age groupers.

This week it got punched and kicked like most of us have during a swim.

In my opinion, the aggressiveness of the punching and kicking was over the top.

The sport is a niche one but it has gone corporate. I don't see that as inherently negative as others do, even some friends who have more invested in the sport.

If you don't want to race WTC sponsored events, then you don't have to.

There are hundreds - perhaps thousands - of independent events around the world. These races need our support. Most of these races also have cheaper entry fees too.

There is the Team Challenge series of half and full iron events, which will expand to 11 in 2011. Hopefully, it will have an event or two in North America soon.

There's also the newer Rev3 Series which will have four events in the US and one in Costa Rica in 2011.

Here on the West Coast of Canada are the five half irons of the Subaru Western Triathlon Series, including Victoria, Vancouver and Banff.

Triathlon is booming and I am one motivated triathlete.

To be fair, I think that the WTC has invested a lot of effort, time and money in the sport. I have the potential to race all over the world almost every week of year in a WTC event. I think that's impressive. Perhaps it simply has grown too fast?

One key issue with the WTC from my point of view is a lack of transparency.

Beyond Fertic, it’s unclear who the WTC is. And even Fertic has a low profile, which I assume is a conscious decision. He wants the focus to be on the sport, not him. But it needs a rethink. Who is he? What is he doing? Where does he see the sport in a year from now, five years, 10 years?

It's easy to point at the WTC as corporate, authoritative and dictatorial. Here are the rules. No discussion. That may not be the reality but it's the impression many triathletes have.

The WTC has work to do to earn our trust. I work hard for my money and I do think hard about where to spend it.

I’ll stop there or else I’ll never finish this post.

All is not lost. And that's the approach I take to the sport and life.

The swift rethink on the access program was a good starting point for the WTC. Let's see what happens next.