Media reports suggest that Ironman World Championship to be moved to February

Traithlon website Triathlon Today, along with the Associated Press and Kona newspaper West Hawaii Today are reporting that the Ironman World Championship will not take place this year and will be moved to February, 2022.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look too positive for Ironman this year,” Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth told West Hawaii Today. “The question with Ironman is what do you do with all the people who come to spectate. … I would love to see the Ironman happen and I also realize that it’s something that helps our community, but we’re also concerned for the quick cause of the spread.”

The mayor and Hawaii County Council members are looking at cancelling the Ironman World Championship and closing parks and beaches due to a surge in COVID-19 cases on the island.

“Right now our numbers are skyrocketing. It’s a shame because we as a county have been doing a great job — I’m not talking about the government — I’m talking about the people in the community doing a great job,” Roth told County Council members yesterday. “But we let down our guards — I let down my guard.”

The council is said to be ready to revise rules restricting gatherings on beaches and only allowing people to cross parks and beaches to get to the ocean “to surf, swim or fish.”

Kona has over 1,400 active cases right now with hospitals and ICUs struggling to keep up with the case load.

“Ironman has been a part of the West Hawaii community for nearly 40 years. This is our community, our home, our ohana,” senior vice president for World Championship Events at Ironman and the event director for the Ironman World Champoinship Diana Bertsch said in a statement. “We are in daily communication with county and state officials and other important constituents regarding the 2021 Ironman World Championship. We are committed to the best interest of this community, and will act accordingly.”

According to Triathlon Today, their source suggests that the decision has been finalized and the event will be postponed to February next year.

“It is the government in Hawaii that has made this decision,” Triathlon Today reports. “Due to the high infection rate in Hawaii, it will be decided that the World Championships will not take place this year either. This will be confirmed by Ironman very soon.”