The Three Biggest Stories of the Year

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday my wife and I had the opportunity to share our Olympic experiences with a group of youth/junior high-performance athletes. It was a lot of fun sharing the highs and lows of qualifying for the Games, and I think we were able to pass on a few nuggets of wisdom that should help them along their own journeys.

• It was a very “full circle” moment for me as I once sat in the very same boardroom as a 14 year-old listening to Olympic-bound athletes share their own experiences and lessons of racing at the highest level.

And since we’re in a time of reflection, I’m reminded just how awesome it is to be able to write to you a couple of times a week. See you all next year! 🙄🤦‍♂️😅

In today’s edition:

• 🌍 The three biggest stories that shaped 2024.

• 🏊‍♂️ One swimming skill you NEED to nail.

• 💊 And supplement shite!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

The Three Biggest Stories of the Year

2024 was a big year in triathlon, and it felt like every week there were records broken, events announced, and fresh inter-sport conflict!

• We’ve rounded up some of the biggest stories of the year to help reflect on what happened, and what could be in store for 2025!

New IRONMAN CEO makes his mark on and off the race course

2024 was the year IRONMAN entered a new era when recently-hired CEO Scott Derue took the reins of the endurance juggernaut. His early hands-on approach shone through after he embarked on an extensive listening and learning tour that had him on the ground engaging with athletes, race directors, and triathlon clubs.

• It was clear change had arrived when, after brutal ocean currents ruined most athletes’ races at IRONMAN 70.3 Morro Bay, Derue quickly offered an apology and free race entries to other 70.3 events.

And it was clear Derue was looking to put his stamp on every event after the debut of “IRONMAN experiences” in April. The Roka pre-race swim, the Hoka shakeout run, and magic hour finish-line photos were all meant to add to the value of an IRONMAN entry for the athletes, and a nice brand activation for IRONMAN’s partners!

And Derue’s November surprise? Announcing that IRONMAN would be pursuing a pivot to becoming a lifestyle brand. In a revealing interview, he highlighted partnerships with premium brands like Swiss Watchmaker Brietling, and hinted at a desire to pursue partners that will “help elevate the IRONMAN brand to a new level.”

• Derue’s background as the CEO of the luxury fitness brand Equinox should hint at what his vision of IRONMAN’s premium future could behold.

But will these changes help retain athletes AND grow revenue? IRONMAN is not only battling for Triathlon market share with the T100 and other triathlon organizers, but trail running, gravel cycling, and even Pickleball are hoping to take a bite out of the endurance monopoly’s juicy profit margins!

Seinesanity and Olympic Ovation

After Olympic organizers spent over $1.5 billion to clean up the river Seine it was beginning to look like that wasn’t even close to enough! A bombshell report released in April revealed that the water quality was far below the standards needed to host the Olympic triathlon.

• If the water quality didn’t improve by late July, then the race would be changed to a duathlon. And with no plan B for an alternate swimming venue, it would be an embarrassment for World Triathlon at the very moment the eyes of the world would be on the sport.

For months officials assured the athletes that a triathlon would be held. But when the pre-race familiarization was canceled on the eve of the men’s triathlon it kicked cancellation fears into a fervor!

• And at 3 AM on July 29th World Triathlon announced that the Men’s race would be postponed to the 30th - to be held alongside the already scheduled women’s triathlon. But would the water quality improve enough in 24 hours?

Yes. And what unfolded were arguably the most thrilling Olympic triathlon races ever.

The women’s event saw the athletes battle each other and the inseine river currents that added minutes to swim splits and ended athletes’ medal hopes early on. An epic four-woman battle for gold would ensue on the Champs-Élysées. And the French went wild when one of their own, Cassandre Beaugrand, won the gold.

The men’s race was a whipsaw which saw over 20 athletes starting the run together in search of gold. Hayden Wilde (NZ) made a bold early break and seemed to have his grasp firmly on gold. But pre-race favorite Alex Yee (GBR) staged a comeback for the ages and passed a fading Wilde with only a few hundred meters to the finish.

• And the currents raged havoc in the mixed team relay that saw the hometown favorites France crash out early and allowed Germany to take home a historic gold!

The T100 Triathlon World Tour makes it’s (bumpy) Arrival

After years of trialing events like the Collins Cup and the various “Open” races, the Professional Triathletes Organization finally launched its inaugural T100 Triathlon World Tour. Early February’s splashy announcement promised a new era of Professional and Age Group racing over the 100km distance (2km swim/80km bike/18km run).

• But it was a rough start for the T100 that saw serious broadcast woes and a lack of top talent at the initial event in Miami.

But as the series wore on, the races, and coverage, improved immensely. And although the originally scheduled “Grand Final” was shelved at the last minute, Dubai served as a sensational backdrop for the series finale.

• Both T100 champions, Taylor Knibb (USA) and Martin Van Riel (BEL), proved they are two of the best in the world with outstanding consistency against most of the best triathletes.

Of course the T100 did struggle with managing its talent as many of the highly-paid contracted athletes skipped out on series races and deprioritized T100 events in favor of the IRONMAN World Championships.

• The most glaring example being Anne Haug (GER) who skipped out on the San Francisco T100 citing injury and the next weekend raced at the age-group only 70.3 Nice to get a first-hand look at September’s IRONMAN World Championship course.

As an entity that has relied on investor funding, the PTO/T100’s recent announcement that it would be pivoting to events was hardly a surprise. There’s been rumblings that the financial backers are anxious for a path to profitability, and now it appears that they won’t just be competing with IRONMAN for Pro talent, but also for age group entries!

FAVORITES

🏋️‍♂️ LIFT your swim: Are you looking for a lift in the new year? Blueseventy’s LIFT shorts can help you achieve a faster and more efficient body position in the water by giving you a LIFT where you need it most! Check them out here and save 20% using TEMPO20 at checkout!*

💊 Supplement shite: “This one supplement will totally be a game changer and make me faster.” Lol, probably not. According to an expert, only a few supplements scientifically improve performance. The rest is pretty much BS. [Outside]

🏊‍♀️ Swimming solution: A well-timed freestyle catch and kick can result in incredible swimming improvements. Take a couple of minutes to learn how to nail this crucial skill. [Effortless Swimming]

🔥 Determination personified: What does it take to beat cancer and win an Olympic medal in triathlon? A hell of a lot of determination and a never-give-up attitude! On this podcast professional triathlete Kevin McDowell talks through his brutal experience with cancer and how he fought to find the podium. And his next goal? Win Survivor! [Jochum Strength]

🏭 Treadmill gains: For some, the winter weather has set in and they have no choice but to run on a treadmill. But is running indoors actually better for you than outside? Not really, but there are pros and cons to both! [Triathlon Magazine Canada]

REEL TIME

Many of us are feeling like this, or will be soon! 😆💪

mnewton722

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