While Pro prize money in Kona is equal for men and women, the starting spots are not, and an open letter has been drafted and signed by many Pros and industry folks to address this issue.

Ironman and Life Time Fitness organized a "Women For Tri" board to encourage more women to get involved in triathlon. The first meeting of that advisory board was held in Tampa, FL earlier this month and the open letter was addressed to them.

Dear Women for Tri Board of Advisors:

Congratulations on being named to the Women for Tri Board of Advisors. We applaud you for taking on the important task of increasing female participation in our sport. While we recognize that there are a multitude of approaches to increasing female participation, we want to bring to your attention the ongoing issue of inequality for our female professionals.

Ironman currently offers 50 slots for the professional men and 35 slots for the professional women at the Ironman World Championships and 70.3 World Championships. Ironman claims that the reason for this inequitable treatment is that the male-to-female percentage of all athletes competing in 70.3 and 140.6 distance races globally is 67 percent to 33 percent and that the professional women’s field is not as competitive as the professional men’s field.

Regardless of the reasons Ironman uses to justify this inequality, the disparate treatment of professional women at the very highest levels of the sport has a trickle-down effect on women of all ages and abilities. How can anyone, let alone a female triathlete, justify to her daughters, sisters and friends that “Anything is Possible” when opportunities for women are less possible than opportunities for men? We ask you to consider this issue as one of the many important issues on the table.

We hope that as you sit down in Tampa this week to discuss broadening the appeal of triathlon to women, you will consider both the benefits of offering professional women equal representation at the Ironman World Championship and the perception of discrimination that accompanies Ironman’s current policy. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like additional information about the points we have raised, please do not hesitate to contact any one of us.

We have all given detailed consideration and analysis to this topic and can offer a full evaluation of the issues should you as a group or as individuals like to learn more. We look forward to receiving a formal read-out from the meeting and actionable recommendations to taking forward the objectives of the Women for Tri Board of Advisors.

Very Truly Yours,

Corinne Abraham – Professional Triathlete

Paolina Allan- Professional Cyclist

Sue Aquila – Entrepreneur, Coach, 3x Kona Qualifier and 10X Ironman Finisher

Sally Bergesen – Founder and CEO of Oiselle

Kathryn Bertine – Professional Cyclist, Filmmaker and Author

Jordan Blanco – Entrepreneur, Investment Professional, Writer, 4x Kona Finisher

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Lori Bowden – Multiple Ironman Champion

Ruth Brennan Morrey- Professional Triathlete, IM 70.3 Champion and Psychologist

Kelly Burns Gallagher – Attorney, Writer and 7x Ironman Finisher

Katie Button MScPT – Physiotherapist, Professional XC Cyclist and Triathlete

Leanda Cave – Ironman World Champion

Haley Chura – Ironman Champion

Marilyn Chychota- Elite Triathlon Coach

Emily Cocks – Professional Triathlete and Swim Coach

Jessica Cohen – Saucony Triathlon Manager

Kevin Collington – Professional Triathlete

Jeanne Collonge- 70.3 Champion and Embrunman Record-Woman

Linsey Corbin – 5x Ironman Champion

Ben Cotter – Professional Triathlete

Justin Daerr – Ironman Champion

Matt Dixon – Elite coach and founder of Purplepatch Fitness

Tim Don – Ironman Champion

Jessie Donavan – 3x Ironman Champion

Mary Eggers RN – Nurse, Coach and 3x Kona Qualifier

Lauren Fleshman – Founder of Picky Bars and 2x USA 5K Champion

Helle Frederiksen – Olympian and Professional Triathlete

Joe Friel – Elite Triathlon Coach and Author

Julia Gajer – Professional Triathlete and Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Champion

Beth Gerdes- Professional Triathlete and 14x Ironman Finisher

Alyssa Godesky – Professional Triathlete and 14x Iron Distance Finisher

Dr. Lucy Gossage – 3x Ironman Champion

Caroline Gregory- Professional Triathlete and 16x Ironman finisher

Dede Griesbauer – 2x Ironman Champion

Sara Gross PhD – 2x Ironman Champion

Monique Grossrieder – Professional Triathlete

Jennie Hansen – Ironman Champion

Stef Hanson – Editor in Chief of witsup.com

Ryan Heisler – Retailer, Writer and Marketer

Mike Hermanson – Professional Triathlete

Ben Hobbs aka The Real Starky -Provocateur and Host of TRS Radio

Kebby Holden – Founder of Coeur Sports and 3x Kona Qualifier

Tenille Hoogland- Policy Analyst, Coach, 2x Ironman 70.3 Champion

Jeremy Howard- Professional Triathlete

Mareen Hufe – Professional Triathlete and Kona Qualifier

Chris Hutchens – Team Director, Maverick Multisport

Kirsty Jahn (Smith) – Professional Triathlete

Lisa Mensink- Olympian, Professional Triathlete and Head Coach of Kronos Triathlon Club

Jessica Jones Meyers – Captain, US Army, Combat Veteran and Professional Triathlete

Rachel Joyce – 3x Ironman Champion

Danelle Kabush – 3x Xterra World Championship Medalist

Rebekah Keat – 6x Iron Distance Champion

Meredith B. Kessler – 7x Ironman Champion

Stephen Kilshaw – Professional Triathlete

Silken Laumann-4x Olympic Silver and Bronze Medallist, Speaker, Writer and Child Advocate

Sarah Lehman – CEO, ENVE

Ana Lidia Borba – Professional Triathlete, 70.3 Amateur World Champion and 3x Brazil’s LD Elite Champion

Emma-Kate Lidbury – 6x Ironman 70.3 Champion and Journalist

Clint Lien – Ironman Champion Coach and Co-founder of Mercury Rising Triathlon

Caroline Livesey – Professional Triathlete

Mark “Dark Mark” Machell – Iconoclast and Podcaster

Doug Maclean – Professional Triathlete

Amy Marsh – 4x Ironman Champion

Brandon Marsh – Professional TriathleteKatya Meyers – Professional Triathlete, Endurance Coach and 5x Kona finisher

Luke McKenzie-6x Ironman Champion

Melanie McQuaid – 3x XTERRA World Champion

Catriona Morrison – 2x Ironman Champion and Sports Marketer

Angela Naeth – Ironman Champion and Multiple Ironman 70.3 Champion

Tara Norton – Triathlon Coach and Registered Massage Therapist

Jake Pantone – Director of Marketing, ENVE

Jillian Petersen- Professional Triathlete

Sarah Piampiano – Ironman 70.3 Champion

Ben Powell – Ceramic Speed

Tawnee Prazak – Endurance Coach, Sports Podcaster and Ironman Finisher

Thorsten Radde – Entrepreneur, Blogger, Podcaster and 4x Iron Distance Finisher

Anjana Rajan – Team USA Triathlete and Duathlete

Cristina Ramirez – Writer TriathlonMami.com and Co-Founder ThumbsUp International

Lisa Roberts (Ribes) – Professional Triathlete, Principal Landscape Architect

Molly Roohi – Professional Triathlete, Coach, Kona Qualifier and 6x Ironman Finisher

Matthew Rose – Coach & Founder, Dynamo Multisport

Kim Schwabenbauer, RD – Professional Triathlete and Kona Qualifier

Laura Siddall – Professional Triathlete, 4x Amateur World Champion

Jess Smith – Professional Triathlete

Lesley Smith – Professional Triathlete

Karen Smyers – Ironman World Champion and Multiple World Champion

Nicola Spirig – Olympic Gold Medalist & Ironman Champion

Professor Sarah Springman

Brett Sutton – Elite Triathlon Coach

Sonja Tajsich – 3x Ironman Champion

Karen Thibodeau‎, RN, Professional Triathlete

David Tilbury-Davis – Elite Triathlon Coach PhysFarm Training Systems

Chrissie Wellington – 4x Ironman World Champion

Heather Wurtele – 6x Ironman Champion

Trevor Wurtele – Ironman Champion

Suzanne Zelazo, PhD – Professional Triathlete


The original open letter was posted here.