Restructure prize money to encourage performance - updated Nov 24, 2009 at 9:07pm CST

Info: provide significant prize money for performance - at not only IAAF A and B standard levels, but also on the path to get there.

Info: providing a LOT of prize money for one or two events a year might attract more quality athletes to the sport. Consider what would happen if $5,000,000 in prize money was offered for winning the 20km championship. It seems plausible that at least some quality endurance runners would attempt to learn racewalking for the chance at the prize. Who wants to ask Bill Gates or Warren Buffett for support?

Info: Fame, Fortune and Winning are three of the major driving forces for elite athletes.

Info: below a certain level, prize money does not cover the expenses of the walker coming to the event. At this point, the prize money is not a factor in drawing people to the event. If they are coming anyway, it is a nice perk. Airfare and hotel will cost around $500 per event. Providing rooms (in the event hotel, or in a local person's home) is one way to reduce the cost of the event from the athletes point-of-view. This allows the prize money to be lower, and still be a draw.

Info: Success in Marathons / Prize Money - About 15 years ago a group of race directors and other interested parties took it upon themselves to dedicate resource and find monies for prize money to support U.S. distance athletes. The program began paying dividends in 2004 with the obvious success in Athens. USATF played no significant role in this programs success, it's only the benefactor. Prize money works if it is consistent and scaled with incentives.

Several approaches to prize money have been suggested. Considering the current skill level of US racewalkers, which prize money structure enumerated below would

Here are the suggestions -- consider the target time or target pace something that has to be carefully selected.

  1. Traditional method - $$ to top 3 or top 6
     
  2. Pure performance bonus - money for obtaining some target time. Key factor here is to select the target time at an appropriate degree of difficulty for the distance and the current skill level of US walkers.
     
  3. Traditional method with performance bonus - $$ to top 3 or top 6 - and then bonus money for obtaining some target time. This method of awarding prize money is pretty standard, so there should not be much push-back from the athletes. If we can get the target time right, then this will encourage people to do the work to walk faster. The key -- picking the right target time --
     
  4. Special short event performance - have a 1km event  on the day prior to a minor Championship (for example, the 15k or the 30k). Give prize money (say $500 each) to the fastest 5 men/women over the target speed. This could be done either as a race, or as a time-trial format (launch one walker every 30 seconds or so).
     
  5. Select your distance performance bonus - have a variety of distances, say every km from 1-20, each with its own target time. Each walker trying for prize money selects a distance. The goal is for them to achieve the target time for that distance. As the distance goes up, the prize money goes up. Say, $100 for each km. [for example, If the target time was based on IAAF 20k B pace,  a woman could select 8k, then if she walks the 8k in less than 39:12 (8k at IAAF women's 20k B pace) she would win $800]. This way an athlete could select a distance that was appropriate for their skill level, training state, and tolerance for risk.

Action: the organizers of USA 15km Open/Jr Racewalking Championships (hosted in MN) tried something that didn't work in 2009. It was essentially a select your distance performance bonus with available distances of 5k, 10k, and 15k, with the additional requirement that you had to complete the 15k. The target time was IAAF 20km B pace. The requirements were too difficult for the time of year and the current skill level of US racewalkers. The organizers of the 15k are committed to finding a better approach for 2010. We need help in selecting and approach, and for establishing target times that are challenging but not impossible for the current crop of US racewalkers. We also need help in getting the word out to the elite and near-elite racewalkers once the prize structure is finalized. -- Bruce Leasure & Dave Daubert

 

Idea: Distance/Age-Graded Approach

I did a track meet in NY ( Stella Cashman would know more about it) at Chelse Piers that provide money for getting the highest percentage of reaching an already established record. I won the $1500 even though other track (as in 800m) runners were there as I had the highest percentage of an American record. They used American and world records but to make it more competitive you could do highest percentage of age group records as one category so no matter man or woman or what age - who ever got the closest by percentage wins. This way men, women and all age groups are competing against each other.

For example (all made up numbers and using round numbers) Sue's time for 5 K is 23:00 and the age group/sex record is 22:00 so she is at 95.6 % Dan's time for 5k was 22:00 and the age group/sex record is 21:00 so he is at 95.4% Sue wins the $$$

You can have separate categories too to make it competitive at different levels so to encourage participation for beginners.

You can have 3 highest percentage of American record for a distance and those winners are excluded from the competition of the highest to American Age group record.

You could also have it over differing distances but having all start at the same time. Like highest percentage of age group record (and/or American record) for 5k, 10k and 15k and you don't have to finish the 15k to win the 5k or 10k $$$. That way you provide "rabbits" legally for the 15k walkers.

[aside - rabbits are specifically allowed by USATF rules -- it is called pacesetting -- see 2009 USATF rule book, rule 144.3(e) and rule 144.3(g)]