When Free Trade Ends, Who Pays? Triathletes

Good morning everyone,

It’s a big weekend for the sport with massive pro races in Oceanside and Singapore. I’d love to be at either of them, but a broken toe and an unresponded T100 wildcard request (probably just in their spam folder 😆) has led me to what will no doubt be an awesome local race here in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

The sport is so broad and I love how it can involve races at the pointy end of high performance, and ones that celebrate community experience. Here’s to another great weekend of sport and chasing goals - whatever they are!

In today’s edition:

• 🏷️ When free trade ends, who pays? Triathletes.

• 💪 The surprising secret of better performance? More weight!

• 🍎 And the best foods for your gut health!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

When Free Trade Ends, Who Pays? Triathletes

What is it: Prices of triathlon goods are expected to surge in the US after the announcement of new and widespread reciprocal tariffs from the Trump administration.

• Bicycles, running shoes, wetsuits, and more are expected to be hit with sky high import tariffs - the costs of which will most likely fall on athletes.

Manufacturing meltdown: In the 1980’s, the broad adoption of free trade agreements and improvements in global supply chains accelerated the offshoring of manufacturing from the United States to countries like China, Mexico, and others in Southeast Asia.

• Offshoring further sped up in the 1990’s and early 2000’s when the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed and China was admitted to the World Trade Organization.

• Today, many of the everyday goods purchased by Americans are manufactured overseas. And for triathletes, essentially all of the goods they purchase are made in Asia.

Triathlon tariffs: For triathlon goods that originate in Asia, the tariffs will hit hard - especially on products fundamental to training and competing in the sport;

Bicycles

Many bicycles are manufactured in China, but most performance oriented bicycles that you see in transition originate in Taiwan.

• The 32% tariff on products from Taiwan to the US could see the cost of an entry-level triathlon bike rise from $3500 to $4600.

Running shoes

Most manufacturing of performance running shoes takes place in Vietnam, with companies like Nike, Hoka, and New Balance all having significant operations there.

• With the heavy 46% import tariffs being placed on Vietnam, the price of a pair of shoes could soar from $150 to $219.

Swimming gear

Wetsuits, goggles, and other swimming gear are predominantly manufactured in Asia - mainly in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.

• Having already seen tariffs rise earlier this year, the added tariffs on China will now result in an effective rate on goods of up to 76%.

• This would see the price of a starter wetsuit rise from $300 to well over $500.

Domestic options: to avoid the incoming tariffs, athletes could instead choose to purchase their triathlon gear from American-based manufacturers

• However, due to the structural economic reasons mentioned above, there are few companies that actually produce triathlon goods in America.

• Purchasing second-hand products is also an option - however, used gear prices will most likely also rise due to shifting demand.

A notable segment of American-produced triathlon goods are nutrition products, with brands like Skratch, Carbs Fuel, and Clif all producing their products within the US.

Tempos take: If you’re a US triathlete thinking of purchasing that new bike, wetsuit, or pair of running shoes, now may be the time to pull the trigger. On April 9th the higher tariffs will kick in with sticker shock to follow.

• So far, it does not appear the administration is backing off of the imposition of tariffs. But as we’ve seen in negotiations with Canada and Mexico, the situation is fluid and can change quickly.

Triathletes have a reputation of being price-insensitive and a consumer segment that will pay top-dollar for quality products. But everyone has a limit. At some point, triathletes will balk at paying significantly more for products, that not long ago cost far less.

• So what does this mean for triathlon brands who fought tirelessly to dig themselves out of the COVID-pandemic hole? Sadly, more pain.

It’s unlikely this will result in a wave of bicycle and wetsuit factories returning stateside. Some brands will choose to eat the cost of the tariffs, but most - already dealing with razor thin margins - will pass the costs onto the consumer.

• Recent data we’ve reported on shows the sport returning to growth, especially in future-facing demographics. Will tariffs bring these tailwinds to a halt? Racing-wise, probably not. At least in the short term.

But if athletes know they’ll be paying more for ALL goods going forward, then putting off, or completely foregoing purchases of new triathlon gear is certainly in the cards.

• Tariffs may not completely upend the sport, but for brands and athletes alike, they could lead to an injection of pace - and price - few can survive.

If you’re looking to minimize tariff-related impacts, you can save 20% off new wetsuits, goggles, swimwear and more with our partner Blueseventy - just use TEMPO20 at checkout.

TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

Can Active Recovery Supercharge Your Training?

And what can you expect from a massive weekend of professional triathlon racing?

All this and more in the latest episode of the Tempo Talks podcast. 

Together with The TriDoc, we bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,

• Training tips to make you faster,

• And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!

Don’t miss a moment; listen Tempo Talks on Apple, Spotify, and more! 

FAVORITES

🚴‍♂️ Stronger ride with more weight: Athletes have long aimed to be as light as possible, but new science suggests that strategic weight gain—paired with proper fueling—can actually boost performance! Could muscle gain lead to a better VO₂ max and faster recovery? The intriguing answer here! [Velo]

🍎 Your best gut health: Everyone knows that probiotic foods like Kefir and Kombucha are good for your gut health, but did you know that Oats are also key to a healthy digestive system? Here are a few more of the best foods for your gut health. [Forbes Health]

👑 An IRON WILL: It’s Drive to Survive meets IRONMAN. A newly released season of the docuseries AN IRON WILL takes you through the triumphs and tragedy’s of professional athletes as they build towards the 2024 IRONMAN World Championships. Don’t forget your popcorn! [IRONMAN/YouTube]

⛰️ Downhill drama: Uphills get a bad rap for how difficult they can be. But are the downhills what actually kill your race? The eccentric loading from downhill running can be devastating for your muscles and performance. This article explains how you can train downhill running the right way! [Run]

REEL TIME

“Yeah, I’m training for a half, how did you know?!?” 😊🤣

theironcam

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RACE WEEKEND

T100 Singapore

The start of the second season of the T100 Triathlon World Tour. Will the big names like Lucy Charles-Barclay, Jelle Geens, Ashleigh Gentle, and Hayden Wilde start their season strong? Or will an unknown wildcard unexpectedly outperform?

• Whoever wants to win will have beat their competitors and the brutal heat!

• For a more in-depth preview of Singapore (and Oceanside) listen to the latest episode of Tempo Talks!

Full start lists

IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside

Many are saying its the Paris-Roubaix of Triathlon. Or maybe the Masters of multisport? Whatever it may be, 70.3 Oceanside carries a certain gravitas that is matched by few other races.

• The women’s race looks to be a battle of the Canadians as former champions Tamara Jewitt and Paula Findlay hope to start their seasons with a big win.

And the men’s race will be one for the ages. Will Lionel be able to repeat? Will Blummenfelt or Iden return to the top? Is Lange ready to perform this early? Plenty of questions with all the answers on Sunday.

Full start lists

SupertriE World Championships

A short race but nothing sweet about this competition. The women’s race features a scintillating matchup between Olympic gold medalist Cassandre Beaugrand, and main rival Beth Potter.

• The men’s race has last years champion Chase McQueen returning to defend his crown. But will local hero Jonny Brownlee get one last short course win?

Full start lists

QUICK NEWS

Contender cash: In an effort to retain talent, the T100 has created a contenders category that offers $500,000 in bonuses to T100 hopefuls! [T100]

Spudman lottery: The lottery winners of the coveted Spudman Triathlon have been announced. And it looks like this year’s edition will be another record sellout! [Endurance Biz]

Triathlon legend: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Alec Kuok who is known as the godfather of Singaporean Triathlon and was the founder of the Triathlon Association of Singapore. [Straits Times]

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• Build it, but will they come? The crazy story of the Triterium!

• How this PhD thinks you should train in the heat. 

• Are you making the four most-common nutrition mistakes?

LATEST EDITIONS

• How you can train better and feel fresher with active recovery! 

• Is fast food good for recovery? And how strong is your core?

• IRONMAN’s broadcast boondoggle, and key swimming muscles!