I am gonna have to ask you what it is that the great benevolent WTC has done for the world. This is of course other then copy right everything and make death threats for people wanting to relish their accomplishments. That and take gobs of money from people wanting to enter the M-Dot races.

Now me saying this is making me a quasi-hypocrit because I did IMAZ but I just don't see what WTC has done for the world...

I have to say I agree with J. and Anton. I can pay $75 to do a more local HIM race and get more than twice the amount of support on the course (in terms of boats monitoring the swim and race officials monitoring the course) than in an official WTC 70.3. Most of the WTC "support" is volunteers, what they do with all of those huge entry fees is a mystery to me. I just did an Oly race with a four-lap 6-mile bike course that had nine Sheriff's deputies on the course and at all the strategic corners. That was more support than I saw on the entire 112 mile IMFL course. Not to mention at this local race that the wonderful USAT officials actually *monitored* the course for drafters and (gasp) gave out penalties, something I didn't see once at IMFL, despite great pelotons of drafters. With only a 6-mile loop course, this bike course was almost as crowded as an IM course, yet they somehow managed to keep people from drafting. There were also enough boats on the swim course that I could always see one (definitely not the case at IMFL).

All in all, I'm fairly disillusioned with the WTC corp. I think for $400 entry fee, I expect a very well-monitored and supported course and I didn't see that. I see small-time race directors putting on safer, better-supported and officialed courses all the time. IMHO, it's the local race directors and athletes who are the heart and soul of the sport.

Hey you guys at the WTC..Just what ARE your salaries?

A little surprised at the animosity towards the WTC.
I don't like paying $450 for an entrance fee. It is probably excessive - then again not being a race director I have no true concept of what it takes to put on a major event like an IM or a 70.3.
Yes, the WTC is a corporation and they do deliver a good product - and they are in it to make money - not sure why there is anything wrong with that.
My experiences at IM were nothing but positive. Organization was great, police, volunteers everything was in place. Even officiating - tho would still like to see more on the bike course.
They do promote the sport and are a big part of the growth of the sport. This growth helps the small-time race directors and further grows the sport. And if there are more options then it will be a more competitive marketplace for the races - which will be good for all of us.

I have no truck with WTC...They do put on a good race and yes it's a business they give an outlet to folks who desire to compete...
and if they're not careful, they'll kill triathlon. We'll kill triathlon.
Some background as an example:
I started climbing in 1968 when I was 14...gave up the serious stuff a few years ago but still get out once in awhile. For many years you could go to a popular climbing area and 12 people climbing there would be a busy weekend. When you traveled to another part of the country,more often than not...people had heard of you....long before the ego promotion of the internet.
In the late 70's it started to change...people started to realize you could make money making equipment, teaching climbing and guiding folks who need to have their hand held. I did it. So I was part of the problem...and the problem became you had to wait in line for climbs and the area around the cliffs started to get trashed and abused...people with a few years experience but no real knowledge or mountain wisdom became instructors which lowered the quality of the sport. People who didn't care trashed climbing areas enough that some were closed. Climbing became the next hip thing. Most of those folks have moved on...leaving a climbing landscape vastly changed and often not for the better.
11 Years ago when I started tri's it was the same as the early years of climbing....It was even better I'm sure 20 years ago.
Then someone realized there were a lot of folks with disposable income who would pay top dollar for stuff designed to get you to Kona which is really a long shot for most of us anyway. To be hip now you have to do tri's...and the WTC and coaching services and bike companies and everyone else connected with tri's promote that. Folks come into the sport with no idea of the history of the sport and move on to the next big thing,when they ahve made enough money or
when they get bored. The sport is far more intense than it used to be..I've seen more rude behavior or arrogance than ever before.People who call themselves tri coaches and have been "into" the sport for two years. Overcrowded races..huge race fees...sellouts in less than an hour.Folks with no clue or who don't care about the rules of triathlon...they just want to get the finish line first, everyone else be damned and who never give back because being a Vol is beneath them. We always hear "Have fun on race day!" But less and less people are. Even mid- pack racers are drafting and shoving because they want to be top of the mid-pack.People who don't care trash the course on training days and paint the roads on race day when they aren't supposed to.
The WTC is part of that...It's cool to do tri's but if you want to be really cool and go to Kona you have to do OUR races.
Promotion of the things we love will kill them. I've seen it. I'm sure many of you can say the same thing about stuff you've done and loved. I'm all for endurance sports and being fit and living a more healthy life and being a better person...the WTC...you..me have to realize that what we do to promote and grow the sport we love can have a negative effect and ruin it for everyone.