That Triathlon Show

The new Kona and 70.3 Worlds qualification system with Russ Cox | EP#467

Jul 30, 2025
Russ Cox, a data analyst specializing in Ironman and 70.3 Worlds qualification, breaks down the newly announced qualification systems. He highlights how the 'Kona standard' and '70.3 standard' work, dispelling common misconceptions. The pros and cons of this system raise questions about fairness and potential winners and losers. Athletes will learn how to optimize race selection and the time needed to qualify, along with the impact of course difficulties on their performance. A must-listen for anyone eyeing the starting line!
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INSIGHT

Guaranteed Slots Plus Performance Pool

  • The system guarantees at least one slot for each age group winner.
  • Remaining slots are awarded by ranking normalized times, possibly favoring different age groups each race.
INSIGHT

Fairer Qualification Slot Allocation

  • The new qualification system allocates slots based on normalized age-graded performance, not just age group size.
  • This balances different age groups' performances, correcting biases favoring younger athletes in raw finish times.
INSIGHT

Age-Grading Coefficients Explained

  • Age-group coefficients are derived from averaging the fastest 20% of age group performances at World Championships over five years.
  • They adjust finish times to fairly compare across ages and genders using these weighted factors.
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