Recovery

[graeme]

It is quite striking that while four of the five top women at WOC are the same in middle and long, only one man is top 10 in both, mainly because most of the top men only contested one of those disciplines.

Is it somehow easier for the women to race twice, perhaps because recovery is quicker when their distances are shorter?

[Adventure Racer]

I can't believe recovery from the middle is a lot different - whilst the women's distances are shorter, the times (which is surely what matters?) are much the same. Possibly because the women's long is shorter in time as well as distance (which I can see no justification for) makes it easier to race that the day after - and also makes the training requirements for long and middle a bit more similar. I suspect though it may just be because there is relatively less depth at the top end of the women's field.