TWO of the biggest and much-anticipated triathlon races in the world have been pushed back to next year as countries battle against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The 2020 Ironman World Championship, a full distance Ironman which covers a 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180K bike and a 42K run originally set on Oct. 10 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, has been moved to Feb. 6 next year.
The decision was based on the current Hawaiian government policies and international restrictions in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The decision was made after careful consideration with our local partners and authorities to assess the feasibility of hosting the 2020 Ironman World Championship in October in accordance with the recommendations on mass gatherings, border and travel restriction, athlete qualification opportunities and other issues related to the pandemic (that are) beyond our control,” read part of the statement posted on Ironman’s official Facebook page on Friday, May 15, 2020.
“Based on the information we have to date coupled with our mission to host a truly competitive world championship and establish a timeline that gives our athletes and the community as much preparation time as possible, the 2020 Ironman World Championship cannot proceed as originally planned.”
The second world-renowned triathlon race that has been postponed is 2020 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, a half-Ironman covering 1.9K swim, 90K bike and 21K run. It was scheduled on Nov. 28 to 29 in Taupō, North Island, New Zealand, but the global pandemic left the organizers with the difficult decision to move it to 2021. (RSC)