
USM events are popular but are they treating their bread and butter athletes, the age groupers, with contempt with the ever increasing entry fees? Where does this money go? Not into running the event it appears as other organisations can run triathlons at half the USM entry fee. Does it go to a handful of elite athletes in the form of prize money, something I don't really want to contribute to, or does it go into the USM fatcat's wallets?
For a non member it will cost $335 plus a 5% booking fee to do the Sunshine Coast 70.3, or I can do a similar event, the Hervey Bay 100 as a non member for $170. USM get showered with local Council support and sponsorships so where does the extra $150 or 45% of the age grouper's entry fee go?