Head-To-Head ? Golden Pentathlon, Moscow September 2005
In Moscow on the 25th September 2005 the proposed future of Modern Pentathlon was unveiled. The UIPM have taken the huge step in trying to change the format of Modern Pentathlon once again. Five days of competition, one day in 1996 and in 2005 ? just 20 minutes!!
?Head-To-Head?
The new competition runs on a knockout basis, with Pentathletes competing against each other in groups of 4, with qualification for the first 2 in each group through to the semi-final and then into the final. In Moscow, the competition involved 16 Pentathletes with a first round of 4 groups, semi-finals and a final.
Format
The new version of the sport is a continuous twenty-minute competition consisting of shooting (10 shots on knockdown targets, Nordic biathlon style), swimming (200m), riding (six jumps) and running (total of approx 2000m). The fencing takes place prior to the start of the continuous stage (three hits in two minutes against the three other athletes in each group). Once the fencing is over the handicaps are calculated according to the number of hits you have achieved. The Pentathlete who completes the continuous stage in the fastest time is the winner.
The Event in Moscow
After a brief warm-up quarter final one got underway. As there had been little explanation of the event, I was pleased to be drawn in heat four so that I had a chance to see how it all worked. For such a new format, the event ran smoothly enough, although it was clear that there are still a number of things that require improvement. For example, from the first round, it became clear that the running penalty loops of 25 metres imposed for missing targets in the shoot and any penalties in the ride were not long enough. By the time of the semi-finals, these had been increased to 50 metres. Unfortunately, I fell foul of this rule, having scored the best total of the day in shooting, and riding clear, I would have managed to catch the athlete in front of me ? Sabirkhusin (RUS), had the loops been 50metres in the morning heat. As it was, I was eliminated with a time ? 14minutes and 20 seconds - quick enough to have qualified in any of the other heats.
The afternoon session comprised the four semi finals, two men?s and two women?s and the 2 finals. Interest in the event seemed good and the stadium was nearly full with approximately 1500 people inside, creating plenty of noise and a good atmosphere. The event also attracted live TV coverage from Russian television.
The final saw a surprise winner in Meliakh (BLR) whilst 2nd and 3rd positions went to 2 of the athletes from my semi-final ? Sabirkhusin and Cherkovskis (LAT). The women?s final was won by Mouratova (RUS).
Athletes
From a Pentathlete's perspective, it was a fun event to participate in, as it was very different to the format of the traditional Modern Pentathlon, whilst retaining the 5 events that we compete at. The competition was also well-timed at the end of the season, so that the Pentathletes who competed were able to enjoy the event and not be concerned about any break from their regular competition and training schedule. It was a good showcase for the sport.
However, if this format was to become widely used it would take a good deal of getting used to, and the Pentathletes would require time to adjust and get used to the different equipment that would be required, for example. I am not sure that the sport could afford the inevitable temporary decline in standards that this would bring.
Such a radical overhaul I feel would also affect the camaraderie and friendship amongst the Pentathletes, which is something which I believe, makes the sport so special.
Spectators and Media
The success of triathlon, most notably with the media, at both Athens and Sydney has no doubt persuaded the UIPM to attempt to work Pentathlon on similar lines. However, the nature of the sport makes this extremely difficult. The fencing has been unable to be incorporated into the continuous version whilst the riding has been watered down so much that it has reduced that phase to a comic interlude. The Pentathletes have to struggle to get into riding chaps and t shirt in 40 seconds before attempting a course that would be described as easy by even the most inexperienced of riders. If this format was to be adopted throughout the sport it would encourage Pentathletes to train for riding so little that it would hardly be worth having the event in a Pentathlon at all. Such a step would threaten the whole credibility of the sport.
Commercially, the event seemed to attract some good sponsors, and the prize money for participation reflected this. I was better rewarded for this event than at any time in the year, even though I did not make it past the first round. However, it remains to be seen if such prize money will continue. Yet, I would be concerned by the cost of hosting this event on a regular basis. The event requires an open-air swimming pool to be temporarily constructed next to a riding arena, and I would have thought that such a cost would make it all but impossible for the majority to put on this event. One-off exhibitions by the UIPM may well become regular fixtures but it seems highly unlikely that any club organiser could do this.
The Future
Cricket is a great example of what changing and adapting the basic format can do to the sport as a whole. Prior to the introduction of Twenty20, cricket administrators felt the need to invent a shorter, more exciting form of the game, in order to promote interest in the sport, particularly amongst young people. It was an immediate success with greater gate receipts and a wider appreciation of cricket. However, all this was achieved without replacing the most traditional and historic part of the game - the Test Match. The Ashes this summer were not only a great success for England but a huge success for cricket. No doubt with the added interest from those who witnessed ?Twenty 20? cricket, every Ashes test was a sell out, the sport covered the front pages and back pages of the newspapers, even pushing football from the headlines. The ?Twenty 20? format of cricket has brought new people to the sport, greater awareness and a better appreciation for the efforts of the cricketers.
If Pentathlon could manage to achieve some of the success that cricket has managed with an exhibition format assisting the promotion of the well-established traditions of the sport amongst spectators and the media, then the future of the sport should continue to be a prosperous part of the Olympic format.
It is recognised that sports have to adapt to the changing world, and constantly seek to broaden their appeal, in the face of capturing a share of the public?s interest but I do not believe that replacing the traditional one day format with the event piloted in Moscow is the answer. It was a ?show?, demonstrating the abilities of a Modern Pentathlete. It was media friendly and was easy for the spectator to watch without an absolute understanding of Pentathlon. This event has its place within our sport but only running alongside, but never replacing the current format.
The Modern Pentathlon is one of the oldest Olympic sports with great traditions, stretching back to Pierre de Coubertin himself. The Pentathlete today is held in great esteem as an all-round athlete, competing all day in a true test of athletic ability. This is something that I feel will be lost if the UIPM adopt the ?Head-to-Head? format.