Has anyone experienced race rules that allows a paddler to enter one race of a certain distance (say 100 miles) but DNFs, but then gets credit for a finish (including a win) for a shorter distance (say 50 miles) in that multi-distance race event? This would include pro divisions in the multi race event.
Not from this end
I never heard of such a thing.
The only way that should be legal is if the guy submitted two entries. One for each distance.
But then there are some new races where the new director doesn’t have a clue.
I was in one recently where there were new people running a race, and the awards where water bottles.
I was astounded to see them hand one water bottle to the winners of a C-2 division.
It was even worse to see the looks on a young family, (mother father and two kids) that won the “Family division” and then were handed one water bottle
jack L
and he accepted it? nm
Drop out of one race, win a shorter race
For the Watertribe races, if you sign-up for the Ultimate Florida (1200 mile race), but drop out after completing the first stage (300 miles at Key Largo that marks the finish for the Everglades Challenge), you still get credit for the “EC”.
That said, the pace for these two races is very different, so I don’t think there has ever been a case where someone has dropped out of the UF-1200 at the first stage, and got credit, AND won the EC-300. I’m sure that would create some controversy.
Generally the longer races require a slower pace and more gear, so if someone beat me, who was in the same boat class but doing a longer race, and got credit for winning the race I was in, I really wouldn’t feel like I “won” anyway. On the other hand, if I was the person who dropped out (DNF) but was credited with a win for the shorter race, it wouldn’t feel like much of a victory, since I didn’t achieve my goal.
On the other hand, sometimes even a DNF feels like a victory.
In 2015 the Everglades Challenge was cancelled by the Coast Guard due to multiple capsizes in Tampa Bay. People who went 60 miles to the first checkpoint were given credit for the Ultra Marathon race but are listed as DNF for the original race. A number of us continued on, as a “paddling vacation”, and not an “official race”, and it was one of the best “non-races” I have experienced. I ended up being the first kayak to “finish” but am still a DNF on the official scorecard. I’m OK with that.
When the tandem team that was battling back and forth with me, talked about this over a beer at the end, “Iron Bob” said, “Do we race for glory? No! We race for ruin!!” I’ll drink to that.
Greg Stamer
DNF
Yes
DNF
Last year was the start of a 3 race series. Over 3 years the fastest combined times in all 3 races wins. In the longest distance you can only register for that race in that year. What happened was a racer dropped out of the long race then the race organizer rolled the entry over to a shorter race (part of the 3 race series) which the racer was not preregistered for (others wanted in after registration was closed and was not allowed). That racer won the shorter race and got credit towards the 3 race series. Now, this year they changed the rules that if you drop out you can roll over registration to another distance but get credit for any distance that you may have completed (the long race is a combo of 2 races). Tgis sis the Pro Class. So, it’s confusing to know who your competition is with so many variables. It actually becomes a strategy if your not having a good race…just drop, get credit, and try again next year for the series points. In my experience a DNF is exactly that. If you pre register for the 2 races separately then get credit for what you finish, that’s ok, but hedging your bet on the long one, knowing you can drop out and then get credit and a rollover to race not registered for isn’t pro racing in my opinion