WC 50km opened to women

[LopenUupunut]

It makes no sense whatsoever to add it to the program on a two weeks' notice. Nobody had a chance to prepare for the race, and hardly any international-class walkers have bothered to compete at 50k when they didn't know there was a WCh race to qualify for. I'm all for achieving parity between men and women and I think adding it is a good idea in principle, but the way it's been done is making a mockery of the WCh.

Is it too cynical to suggest they're purposely trying to make it look stupid, or is this just the usual IAAF incompetence on display?

[polevaultpower]

Or perhaps something happened behind the scenes to force the IAAF to make this choice.

What's worse is that the women may not even need to finish to earn prize money. The word on the street is that if athletes do not start their last lap by 4:17, they are given a place based on their position at that time. So a woman could just avoid DQ for 4:17, not finish the race, and earn $10,000+

I fully support the women competing in the 50k RW at Worlds and the Olympics, but it is incredibly unfair to the women to make this so short notice, no one being given adequate time to prepare. The athletes cannot perform their best and this will just be used as ammo to eliminate the event for both genders.

[Powell]

Actually, reading the IAAF press release, it looks like this race won't have WC status, and there's no word on what the prize money will be, so it's not as bad as I thought.

OTOH, I feel Lopen may be right that this race is intended to demonstrate that women's 50k is not a legit event. With a qualifying time set at 4:30, there's exactly 5 women eligible for participation, and with the short notice, it's likely not all of them will even show up. Not much of a race, is it?

[polevaultpower]

The press release implies the prize money is equal.

Doesn't the LOC normally cover prize money? I wonder if the IAAF will cover this out of their own pocket, surely they can't stick the LOC with it on such short notice.

[Pego]

The QT is the same as the men's and faster than the WR !!

Can someone explain what's going on

I would bet that it is an oversight that will be fixed.

[Powell]

The press release implies the prize money is equal.

That not the way I read it. All it says is there will be a race and some prize money. The bit in the press release where they talk about men and women receiving equal pay in T&F is just general PR talk. This race will not have WC status, so this need not, and most probably will not apply.

[Powell]

I've also heard from one source that "WR holder" Inês Henriques made her mark on a non-approved course, so she might be out. For now, let's just call that a rumor.

The thing about Henriques is that she's most likely been selected in the 20k (I don't recall having seen the Portuguese lineup, but I assume she must have been). I'm not sure she will want to miss the actual WC race just to take part in a novelty act.

[polevaultpower]

The thing about Henriques is that she's most likely been selected in the 20k (I don't recall having seen the Portuguese lineup, but I assume she must have been). I'm not sure she will want to miss the actual WC race just to take part in a novelty act.

How does she rank in the 20k? If the prize money does end up being equal for the 50k, and she were allowed in the race, that is a much tougher choice...

[aaronk]

Not sure if they'd opt to do it if they could, but would love to see what Maria Michta-Coffey and Miranda Melville could do over 50K!!

I once tweeted MMC about that--and she tweeted back something like "No thanks!!".
But given her 1:30:49 for 20K, I'd predict she could approach 4:10 for the 50K!!
(1:40 + 1:40 + 50!!)

Of course, those 1:25-types could probably break 4 hours!!

[norunner]

And tomorrow they'll annouce the hep will be replaced by a decathlon. Poles and a short instructions video on how to use them will be provided.
This is why i don't trust anything the IAAF does, adding a 50km two weeks before the event is so unbelievably stupid.

[Powell]

The prize money is not going to be equal, I can bet you.

She's a bit past her prime, and unlikely to finish in the top 8 at 20k (she has done it in the past, but it was way back in 2007), but even so, competing in a real WC race should be worth more to her. It would be her 8th WC, which is an achievement in itself.

[mump boy]

Hasn't this been done because IAAF have been forced into it by a court case ?

Of course the timing is ridiculous and it won't be a proper WC race this time but i'm pleased it's happening. So what is some women get some cheap $$$ it won't make up for the 12 WC when they've not had the chance to win any, will it ??

[bambam1729]

Hasn't this been done because IAAF have been forced into it by a court case ?

That's sorta what I heard, that the women walkers were going to sue and ask CAS to rule before the meet and the IAAF lawyers told them they couldn't win, so they caved.

[tandfman]

One of the US walkers has publicly given credit to her lawyer for helping get this done. Story linked in front page headline section. (Scroll down.)

[polevaultpower]

Detailed blog post on this issue (and everyone outside this message board seems to think the prize money will be equal) https://morethanracewalking.blogspot...-50km.html?m=1