Technologies take initial run at triathlon

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer

Participants in Saturday's Ironman Triathlon will be able to purchase DVDs with custom footage of their progress through 10 points of the course. The technology will also be used in the Honolulu Marathon in December. Advertiser library photo Ironman Triathlon From 15 participants to 1,500, the Ironman Triathlon has seen dramatic changes in its 25 years. Read about it in Friday's Sports section.

In addition to a Web cast of the event, organizers be outfitted with hand-held computers, giving spectators access to split-times and emergency crews access to health information of competitors.

And when the 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run concludes, athletes will be able to purchase DVDs with custom footage of their progress through 10 points of the course. That DVD technology, which relies on computer chips telling fixed cameras when each competitor passes by, also will be used at this year's Honolulu Marathon in December.

The advances in coverage of such sporting events is made possible by advances in technology, coupled with falling equipment and software prices, said Jim Barahal, president of the Honolulu Marathon and Sports Media Productions, which will sell the DVDs for both events. The event will be shown on ESPN2. Streaming video, which has been available in previous years, will be available at www.ironmanlive .com.

"That's an interesting kind of early-stage technology in that they're trying to develop the Web as an international broadcast medium," Barahal said. "What we're doing is quite different. We're going to get digital video of everybody.

"We're hoping that it will be well received by the athletes."

The price of customized DVDs showing a particular contestant's progress will be $79.95. Similar technology will be used to create DVDs for marathon participants later this year priced at $49.95. The difference in prices results from volume: there are only about 1,600 competitors in the Ironman, versus about 30,000 in the marathon. The greater number of participants means more people are likely to buy the DVDs, which means a lower price, Barahal said.

Barahal said he's in discussions with organizers of the Los Angeles Marathon who are considering using the DVD technology, which cost about $500,000 to develop.

"We wouldn't have developed it unless it could be used at events around the world," he said.

Vic Watumull, owner of Ironman licensee Happy Shirts, said the DVD technology should be an upgrade over last year, when competitors were offered video of event finishers or had to hope that they'd be included in the TV broadcast of the event.

"This way, if you buy the DVD, you're guaranteed to be in there," he said.

Reach Sean Hao at 525-8093 or shao@honoluluadver tiser.com.