43 replies to this topic Post Order

[Garfield2010]

I see the upcoming Bela Bela Olympic distance race costs R695 (exluding the R70 day license fee) AND FLOKS THIS IS AN EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!!!

A lot has bee said about how expensive these events are getting - amounts to lets say an average of R300 per hour racing cost and this excludes the travelling costs etc....

What really gets me is the way they advertise it -- R695 instead of R700? Duuhuuh? Excluding the day license fe so it looks less? It is almost as if they know the price is crazy so they try and make it attractive by using sales techniques.... But wait, there is more! You will most likely get a goody bag with a R10 discount restaurant voucher and a water bottle...

Anyways I am done with these crazy expesniove races. People are making lots and lots of money from triathlon............

Go do the math if a 1,000 athletes enter for example..................

Jaja and I know one does have a choice to enter or not....... it is just a pity that things have changed so much and the sport is now a money spinner instead of affordable fun like in the old days.................

I would love to enter this race but cant afford it anymore.

[Spartan226]

Ja - I entered the Buffelspoort Ultra Tri @ R600.
And you do not get a swim cap, nor bottles of water on the cycle leg.

It's unfortunately starting to get an African feel to it.
You pay crazy money and don't really get much.

That's why I do not race much.

[Seeker911]

Must agree. On my budget I have to choose races carefully. The last weekend at Bela Bela cost me around R5k all-in-all family included.

[Garfield2010]

Ja but what gets me is the WAY they advertise it. It shows that they know it is expensive so they use marketing tactics like R9.99 (EXCLUDING VAT)

I feel the same Seeker. A few years back I could do every single race. Now I can only do Spectrum Sports races as they are the only affordable ones (sorry for stepping on some toes guys but these are the facts)

This weekends Olympic in Abrahamsrus cost met R270!! That is three times less!!

[Garfield2010]

Poll added, please vote

[JGR]

Completely agreee! Enter Gloabl 11 in CPT this weekend and it was nearly R500 exl day lic and its also only olympic distance! the course is the same as the BSG energade just more loops. BSG has exponentially more entries and they charge a reasonable fee.

I doubt there will even be road closures ect! Did the GWWW this last weekend and it was about R500 but included lunch, massage as well as a three course awards dinner!

The sport is expensive enough as it is and if they trying to get more people in to they have to make races attrative and affordable.

Doing the Xterra lite next week and it cost R200, is a well organised event, lots of extra's. I think it even includes a t shirt (last years one was a top of the range New balance) .

TSA or similar be able to moderate the prices

[Garfield2010]

TSA dont care as long as they get their cut........

In May we have a 3 day multi-stage trial run here in Magalies. It starts the Friday evening and runs thorugh until the Sunday. All meals included, camping stand (you must bring your own tent etc) and all three runs included for R1,200 per person. Can you really compare?

Triathlon gear is expensive in general so I guess it attracts people with money.

You probably need to give credit for guys with good business sense but for me who has done this sport for a long time it is sad to see it head into that direction. Again just the way they market it is sad. They know it is expensive! But wait, Early birds get R50 discount! Whoohoo!

Hopefully Spectrum Sports will be better supported as they hold cheap races. Everyone should enter the Buffelspoort race in a few weeks time to prove a point.

[Grondpad]

Small hijack:

I agree prices are getting out of hand. This week I saw that the Kinetic adventure 25km sprint race is R600 + a R50 admin fee. That is R650 for a team of two (325 per person) for only 25km. And why the R50 admin fee? Isn't admin included in the race organizing?

hijack off

[SwissVan]

765 does seem like a rather large number
BUT
What does a normal well organised NON WTC STD distance Tri cost to enter in SA nowadays?

Here we would pay 90 swissies (equals just about exactly R765) to enter a Std distance NON WTC well organised local series...

[Garfield2010]

Realistically what can we do? Vote with our wallets?

[Seeker911]

JGR, on 17 February 2012 - 12:47 , said:

Completely agreee! Enter Gloabl 11 in CPT this weekend and it was nearly R500 exl day lic and its also only olympic distance! the course is the same as the BSG energade just more loops. BSG has exponentially more entries and they charge a reasonable fee.

I doubt there will even be road closures ect! Did the GWWW this last weekend and it was about R500 but included lunch, massage as well as a three course awards dinner!

The sport is expensive enough as it is and if they trying to get more people in to they have to make races attrative and affordable.

Doing the Xterra lite next week and it cost R200, is a well organised event, lots of extra's. I think it even includes a t shirt (last years one was a top of the range New balance) .

TSA or similar be able to moderate the prices

Lets hope global11 get the timing system right. The race at sun city as far as results go was a fail.

[Garfield2010]

SwissVan, on 17 February 2012 - 01:18 , said:

765 does seem like a rather large number BUT What does a normal well organised NON WTC STD distance Tri cost to enter in SA nowadays? Here we would pay 90 swissies (equals just about exactly R765) to enter a Std distance NON WTC well organised local series...

Ja but do we take into account the average income per person in a third world country compared to Switzerland? So sorry your point is not valid -- now change you vote please!!!!!

All I am saying is that I used to be able to enter everything! Now I cant. R300 per hour for racing is a bit steep. At a recent Olympic Distance race we paid about R500 per entry.

There was only 5km's of road closure (one lane) in TOTAL for the whole race and one sponsored water point. 800 entries I heard. Go make the sums. Somebody is making a lot of money.

Edited by Garfield2010, 17 February 2012 - 01:48 .

[SwissVan]

Garfield2010, on 17 February 2012 - 01:26 , said:

Ja but do we take into account the average income per person in a third world country compared to Switzerland? So sorry your point is not valid -- now change you vote please!!!!!

All I am saying is that I used to be able to enter everything! Now I cant. R300 per hour for racing is a bit steep. At a recent Olympic Distance race we paid about R500 per entry.

There was only 5km's of road closure (one lane) in TOTAL for the whole race and one sponsored water point. 800 entries I heard. Go make the sums. Somebody is making a lot of money.

I'll change my vote when you answer the question I posed.

Dont think that the average triathletes wage in RSA compares to the average 3rd world person, so your point is even less valid LOL

OH yes and Switz is one of the most expensive places to live in on this planet, we might have high standards but it sure costs a lot to have them.

[Garfield2010]

"NON WTC STD". I take this means non TSA?

Well it is simple no race may take part unless it is TSA sanctioned so we dont really know (or this is how I understand it).

What I can tell you is that I am doing a race this weekend also Olympic Distance organised by Spectrum Sports (they do quite a few races).

It is very well organised -- it cost me R270 to enter. I did it last year as well. They normally ask around R600 for a 70.3. of which they also organise a few.

[Garfield2010]

SwissVan, on 17 February 2012 - 02:15 , said:

Dont think that the average triathletes wage in RSA compares to the average 3rd world person, so your point is even less valid LOL

OH yes and Switz is one of the most expensive places to live in on this planet, we might have high standards but it sure costs a lot to have them.

True, but we are still a third world country with BEE in full swing so please dont assume for one minute things are the same as they used to be many years ago in terms of income. A lot of us are struggling.

At least your water and lights taxes doesn't double every year......

[Seeker911]

Garfield2010, on 17 February 2012 - 02:47 , said:

True, but we are still a third world country with BEE in full swing so please dont assume for one minute things are the same as they used to be many years ago in terms of income. A lot of us are struggling.

At least your water and lights taxes doesn't double every year......

must agree here. I am earning about the same today as I was 8 years ago, lets not even consider the fact that expenses have greatly increased since then. things for the priviledged few have definitely improved (top black elite) as for the rest of us we got to make room for the priviledged few. If the race entries were all R300 a pop i would enter every race. At R600 a pop not a chance. I have definitely swung from triathlons to running races simply because of cost.