Long distance All-star award rule change?

To my previous point, I endeavored to make a goal of earning the 2022 Long Distance All-Star for my age-group as I noted in the previous year (2021), the winner only had 16 points.  The rules to obtain the award is a minimum of 3 races with at least one open water and one virtual.  Since the open water race I entered was cancelled, I was deemed ineligible.  The overall winner in 2022 amassed 3 points--3x10th place.  My postal/virtual total was 44 and Lussier 50. Frentsos won three open water and 2nd in another but no postals/virtuals for a total of 42.  Perhaps, we could do better with what I would envision the spirit of this award to be.

I would offer the following amendment to the current method of assigning LD All-Stars. Right now, you are All-American when you win any of the national championship events, and All-Star based on a formula that takes into account your total points for all national championship events. The All-Star recognition is intended to signify the "best of the best". However, there is no requirement that the All-Star would have won at least one of the national championship events. How can one be considered the "best of the best" when you weren't the best in any single event? I would add the requirement of winning at least one event to be in the consideration for All-Star designation. There have been cases in the past where the All-Star didn't win anything, but paid to travel to all of the LD championship events in a given year, racking up points for placing 2-10 in them. In these cases, the All-Star is simply the person who had the monetary resources to travel all over the country to swim these events plus the ability to place in them, but not the ability to win any of them.

I would offer the following amendment to the current method of assigning LD All-Stars. Right now, you are All-American when you win any of the national championship events, and All-Star based on a formula that takes into account your total points for all national championship events. The All-Star recognition is intended to signify the "best of the best". However, there is no requirement that the All-Star would have won at least one of the national championship events. How can one be considered the "best of the best" when you weren't the best in any single event? I would add the requirement of winning at least one event to be in the consideration for All-Star designation. There have been cases in the past where the All-Star didn't win anything, but paid to travel to all of the LD championship events in a given year, racking up points for placing 2-10 in them. In these cases, the All-Star is simply the person who had the monetary resources to travel all over the country to swim these events plus the ability to place in them, but not the ability to win any of them.

Now you're talking.  Long distance is a bit more of a game than pool-all star where it's more pure with winner having the most number one rankings.  I won in 2021 by winning all 5 postals and 2 open water nationals.  It seems with some frequency there are a few age groups where random unintentional people win.  I would rather see nobody win (which sometimes happens) than the winners having minimal points.  My age group has been the deepest distance age-group for the past 25 years as evidenced by the fact that most of the time the top 3 in my age for a postal/virtual event would be either winning or top 3 overall.  I got 2nd or 3rd in every postal last year but would have won many of the younger age groups (so, disappointing but not altogether sucky).  My solution would be to take out the requirement of at least one open water and one postal/virtual (could still keep 3 overall minimum).  If you want to make it more challenging add the top ten rankings in 1650/1500 scm/lcm for the year.  This solution or yours (have to win one) seems better than what we have.

 

Thank you for your comments about the Long Distance All star requirements. The committee has reviewed the requirements and has made adjustments in the last few years. We’ve discussed other changes, a big part of the motivation for a change is the accessibility of OW events. There are  also other changes about the Open Water National Championship events being discussed that may affect the All star requirements.Until a decision is made about these events, the All star requirements will stay as posted

Your point of accessibility is a good one.  I really would like to try to go to that South Dakota race but as far as I can tell it's at least 3 hours from an airport and I'm already doing pool nationals that month (hard to get more than one weekend off per month for me).  I'm planning on Applegate this summer which is also a long way from a big airport (I think).  If we plan on keeping open water races, perhaps consideration of including those involved in cancelled races (no points) would be useful (I believe others would have been affected as well).  Hopefully, something will get done as I don't mind taking my beat down but prefer it be earned.  Thanks.