2009 World Championships Qualifying Standards?

[Alan Shank]

Re: 2009 World Championships

First things first? From GER website:

Tickets available since April 2 . . . Exactly 500 days before the start of the first events that will be taking place from August 15 - 23, 2009 in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, athletics fans can select their seats in the stadium – and have the tickets sent home to them. Day tickets will be available starting at 20 euros.

I had a rather bad experience on April 2. Was up at 10 AM local Berlin time, as I was for Osaka. I was hoping to get my favorite seats this time, as Berlin allowed you to select specific seats, not just section, as in Osaka, and you could order as many packages as you liked. Unfortunately, the Website was not functioning, kept displaying a message that it would be up "momentarily". I tried calling, but got busy signal. FInally contacted a guy at the ticket office, who said that he thought the Website would be working shortly. It wasn't. I finally got through on the phone, but by that time all the seats in our desired section directly across from the finish line were sold, presumably to Germans calling in. Bummer! We got seats along the backstretch, not sure exactly where, perhaps 200 start. These are not bad seats, but in Paris 2003/Rome 1987 we got directly across from finish line, and they were great.

Our group is ten people, including our Australian buddy, Peter Rule, whom we met in Helsinki, and the Howells from San Diego, whom we met in Osaka last summer. Peter Rule, BTW, is one of the most totally insane track nuts I have ever met. His knowledge is encyclopedic, and he produced an absolutely mind-boggling document on the Helsinki WC that he was kind enough to send me. Fine fellow, too, BTW. Message-board regular Mike Renfro/Mary and former T&FN statistician Jim Rorick/Colleen also on board. Can't wait!
Cheers,
Alan Shank
Woodland, CA

[James Fields]

2009 World Championships

First things first? From GER website:

Tickets available since April 2 . . . Exactly 500 days before the start of the first events that will be taking place from August 15 - 23, 2009 in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, athletics fans can select their seats in the stadium – and have the tickets sent home to them. Day tickets will be available starting at 20 euros.

[Bob H]

They were approved at the Council meeting last November. I'll see if I can find them somewhere.

[dl]

Unless I'm mistaken, I do not see any qualifying standards posted yet for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

I honestly can't remember when they have been posted in the past for previous editions, but it seems a bit weird that we're already 6 months into the qualifying period, and they're nowhere to be seen.

With having the "A" standard making such a difference these days, a lot of athletes might be done with their 2008 seasons before knowing what they'll need to hit to have a shot next year.

Are they available anywhere, and I've just missed them? I don't see them on the IAAF or Berlin2009 sites.