The fall-out, and hopefully, some resolutions to the many issues that aggrieved age-groupers at this year's ITU World Champs in Vancouver continue to be addressed by the British Triathlon Federation (BTF). BTF President Sarah Springman has communicated a long, and detailed e-mail to all members of the age-group team, managers, support team and Board in recent days. Among the content, one of the outcomes for 2009 (Gold Coast, Australia) is that all of the age-groups for which the swim was cancelled in the Standard Distance race, will have an additional five age-group qualification spots made available (bringing the total to 25 per age group). We provide the extract relating to this point from Sarah below.

Ultimately, how much value this will provide to those who suffered this year is debateable, though we recognise that the BTF can only respond to the historic events over which they had no control, and in this instance, have addressed one of the suggestions provided by the age group team members impacted. For many, the 'scars' of Vancouver will run deep (if only financially...), but it's encouraging to see the consideration and importantly, communication given to this issue by Sarah on behalf of the BTF, something that hasn't always happened historically. Long may it continue.

Extracted from Sarah Springman's communication on Vancouver 2008:

"The perception of the age group team members was not at all positive about the event organisation in general in Vancouver, although some positive factors were mentioned by some people. Many wanted their money back and others suggested that flexibility for selection for the Gold Coast race might help to recognise their loss.

We realise that a unilateral selection of some sections of the Vancouver team would disadvantage those who had not been able to race a triathlon and had been offered a duathlon instead, as well as those who had not been able to afford to go to Vancouver following the announcement of the race fee (which we challenged strongly at the time in respect of the 2006 ITU resolution).

So I am happy to report that ITU have agreed to permit us to have an extra 5 places (equivalent to host nation status) in the age groups that were forced to participate in a duathlon (the oldest women and all the men in the standard distance triathlon). I also suggested that this should be extended to the other few nations that also send full teams to the ITU World Championships.

I am aware that this exacerbates the management challenge for the hard-working team managers and their marvellous support teams, but on such an occasion, exceptional solutions must be sought and delivered.

Howard Vine and his age group Committee will review the options and report back to the Board on how best to distribute these extra slots and you will be hearing from them in due course, so please do not chase them for now. While it does mean that these age groups will be contested by even more people in the future, it also allows us not to discriminate between the triathletes and the duathletes."