It can go both ways.
If it’s a pro or two showing up and beating the crap out of everyone and not contributing to anything to the race or weekend it’s very shitty.
If it’s a pro showing up like Laidlow for example does and hangs around all weekend does talks and sticks out at the finish to congratulate etc then I’m all for it. Sometimes it’s cool to see just how good good is and if they’re great about it I’m all for it.
It doesn’t sound like anyone broke the rules. I understand that it might suck if you are the second-place athlete who is an age-grouper in this example. But this kind of thing happens all the time.
My first half distance Iron event offered an elite field with a small prize money purse. (small compared to Ironman branded events for the pros). That might be a solution. I remember the prize money wasn’t that much, but it was something and kept the elite/pros in their own field.
fwiw… one race I got 1st AG. then later found out top 3 where my age, so only got that medal via roll down. Threw the medal in that trash. did not deserve it. If anything i see a sad trend now people gaming tri events by picking ones they will win an AG medal to brag about on social media (ex seeing your rivals in the full tri, so you do the duathlon instead)
The pretty stupid and annoying especially from Tamara. Ironman only allows Pros into amateur only events through application and they are not allowed to receive any awards and cannot actually “win” the race.
Last year, she did a local race around here and she kick our asses, only getting beaten by two local male pros. Didn’t know she was racing and was surprised to see her ahead of me coming back from a turnaround on the run. Having said that, these local races do have a pro category so she wasn’t taking any AG podiums, etc. She got out biked by a few age groupers by the way 
So it personally doesn’t bother me.
For those arguing about cycling Pro/1/2, in my view, it also depends on who is the pro. A modest local/domestic pro is one thing, but don’t see the point of someone like Simmons or McNulty racing a local Pro/1/2 race, not sure they would have any interest. I would argue that Jewett is a top international pro so find it really weird that she would race AG at a smaller ace.
It’s not at all uncommon for pro tour level riders to show up in their local P/1/2 races. I’ve been in many of them, and it’s always been a blast, even/especially when the pro tour rider laps the field solo on a 3.6k circuit race course.
I once got to race in the same wave as Sebastian Kienle at Cactus Man…he wasn’t declared the winner and took home no awards. But he had the fastest time. I’m all about Pros participating if they’re trying to knock some rust off…but if it is an Amateur only race you step to the left and let the amateur get their kudos.
I remember that!
So big difference is that in Milton (and the rest of the Subaru series and Multisport series) do have a pro category (with awards for the pro category), and they do provide great opportunities for pros to race and get in a good session. Those races were never age-group only races to begin with. There is a pro/elite category just like you would have in Ironman races with a pro field (just no prize money only an additional medal). Here in Cap Quebec though, it is designated an age-group only race. It is not designed around having a pro field. So they are two different types of races altogether. There is zero rule against a pro signing up and racing the Subaru and/or multisport series races. A pro signing up and races say Muskoka 70.3 is a different story. That is an age-group only race. And if they want to race that is more a contact the RD to ask them if they can race and race in an open category.
As you say at the end a top international pro racing age group at this race is bizarre. Perhaps this is just a results discrepancy I dont know.
Yes this is how it should be done. Just to give a quick example of why I think this was not handled correctly in this case for those who think I’m nuts, Jana Richtrova a high level age grouper on the women’s side just posted the following:
" If you told my when I did my very first triathlon at the age of 29 that I would be able to raise an [@ironmantri] tape over my head 16 years later (29:heavy_plus_sign:16:heavy_equals_sign:
… you do the math), I simply wouldn’t believe you 
It may never happen again cuz I am certainly no spring 
so yes - I am posting this 
again. (Sorry, not sorry)
If I have learned one thing over the years is that if you truly love something & do it because YOU want to (not because someone else wants you to or because someone else is doing it), you can reach the once unthinkable 
so always be YOU & surround yourself with a team of people you trust 
and enjoy the ride no matter how bumpy or long it may be.
The results are never guaranteed, but WHEN you love what you do , happiness 100% is 
And of course - be realistic but never stop believing 
"
(A direct quote from her instagram post from earlier today after winning Ironman Rockford 70.3).
Clearly raising the tape at a Ironman or Challenge race might be a really big deal for some age groupers out there. This opportunity was not there yesterday in Cap Quebec for the true age group winners. Tamara could raise the tape sure (for an open category), but second place (the actual age group winner) should also have been given the opportunity
She did have the opportunity, but she wasn’t fast enough.
OP, I think you just found out about Slowtwitch’s disdain for Age Group racing.
But you can add me to that very short list of people that don’t like the idea of Professional athletes showing up to an amateur event and officially taking the win. I do like the idea of them showing up and promoting the event, or getting a training day out of it, but they shouldn’t participate in any type of award or prizes.
There was a Mexican FPRO last year that raced as an age grouper in Ironman California. She was reported and DQ’ed a few hours after the event. She celebrated while crossing the finish line, and even made a celebratory IG post.
I have a FPRO friend and training partner here in Spain, who raced an IM branded 70.3 as an AG and got podium. Later on she received a letter from Ironman that she had been DQed. All fair IMO and she accepted it 100%.
I like the part where all the people (trolls…) who have never had nor ever will have a chance of winning an age group category cant emphasise with those who have put in years of sacrifice and effort for what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity…
You seem to be taking this all very personally. Did you have your moment in the sun taken away from you by someone who put in years of hard training and sacrifice and effort to become a professional triathlete?
(Another thread from yesteryear on a similar subject motioned in this thread)
Age group pros - Triathlon Forum - Slowtwitch Forum
The discussion wether its fair for a pro to compete against an ammatue is just so stupid it’s mind boggling… Why even have pro distinctions then?
First - recently on social media MANY age groupers are saying things like, “I got 3rd in the world today!,” when they got 3rd in their AGE GROUP. Or something like, “Great race today! Second place! In. The. World,” with ZERO mention that it was Age Group and only 5 people competed in your age group. So that sort of thing happens frequently.
But I think it’s awful when Pro’s race AG races, do well, take the tape and then post about it. Actually, even if they don’t post about it, they are PRO’S! They have a pro license! Race other pros! We are age groupers with full time jobs, kids and a completely different life. If you ‘need’ a race, then find a PRO race as you are a PROFESSIONAL. Professionals don’t show up and beat people well beneath them. That’s not being a professional. That’s being very amateurish.
You do realize that the vast majority of Pro Triathletes do work jobs and many have families. While the media these days would like people to think only Sodaro, Long and Sanders have raced as parents ,it is in fact common for Pro’s to have kids to look after.
Between World Triathlon, Challenge, Ironman, etc there are well over 2,000 Pro Triathletes eligible to race in various race series ,how many of them do you think actually make any money from prizemoney? They need to work a real job as this sport doesn’t pay remotely well for B and C Pro’s The joke about the Pro Dentists is a joke for a reason ,because it is real. Many Pro’s are studying full or part time at University with part time jobs. It is also well known that many B and C “Pro’s” get their license purely for the cheaper Ironman race entry and flexibility.
So,when we talk about “Pro’s” lets not pretend everyone is named Lucy B, is a dude from Norway or has somebody looking after their YouTube channel.
As I have stated earlier, there are rules about which races Pro’s can race and in which category and if it is within the rules of an event then it is fair game. If a race director bends those rules then that is on them.
That raises a valid point, that there a ‘pros’ (particularly in the US) that shouldnt be classified as pros and the qualification standards are too low.
I just believe once you take your pro card you simply shouldn’t race as an amateur anymore until you give up your pro card.