Breaking News: Ironman Nice, Ironman Frankfurt, 70.3 World Champs

Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Nice

The first update is the cancellation of the full Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events scheduled to take place in Nice this Sunday, June 28. As shared in a Pro Tri News Instagram post, an email was sent to athletes: “Following a decision from the Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture, we regret to inform you that the Ramify IRONMAN France Nice and IRONMAN 70.3 Nice events scheduled for Sunday 28 June have been cancelled due to the rising temperatures across the region.”

“The weather conditions, combined with the extension of the orange heatwave alert in the department and the context of a prolonged heatwave episode that has affected the national territory for the past ten days, have led us to cancel… This decision has been taken to safeguard the health and safety of all participants (athletes, organisers, and security and emergency personnel).”

Around 4,500 athletes had been expected to take part, many of whom have already travelled to Nice for this iconic event. One Ironman 70.3 World Championship slot was also on the line for the professional women, which will now, of course, no longer be awarded here.

Ironman Frankfurt

The most highly anticipated event of the weekend was (and still is) the Ironman Pro Series full-distance race in Frankfurt, doubling as the Men’s European Championship and offering six Kona qualifying slots for athletes still needing to punch their ticket. (See our pre-race preview here.)

Also shared in a Pro Tri News Instagram post was the announcement that both the bike and run in Frankfurt have now been shortened (to 125km and 21.1km, respectively) due to the extreme weather. In our earlier article, we noted temperatures were expected to reach 39-40°C over the weekend, potentially easing to 36-37°C on race day, and discussed the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which is used in short-course racing to help determine whether events should be shortened or cancelled.

Yes, we know WBGT is a scientific term, but it’s an important one. Rather than measuring ambient temperature alone, it combines factors such as heat, humidity, and solar radiation, making it a much better indicator of overall heat stress and the risk of heat illness.

Ironman is in a difficult position given the stakes of Frankfurt (Pro Series points, Kona qualification slots, etc.) while also needing to prioritize athlete safety.

Some comments online have suggested that, with the shortened distances, the event should be worth fewer than 5,000 Pro Series points. However, given many athletes have planned their seasons around the Pro Series, we’re of the opinion that retaining the full 5,000 points is the fairest approach, ensuring athletes don’t lose a key scoring opportunity due to unforeseen extreme weather.

It will also be interesting to see how the amended distances change the race dynamics, potentially favouring the swim-bikers with the bike reduced by 30% and the run reduced by a comparatively larger margin of 50%.

Ironman 70.3 World Champs – 2028 and Beyond

If that wasn’t enough news, there’s been one more announcement. Ironman initially had an agreement with Nice to host the 2026, 2028 and 2030 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. However, Nice has withdrawn from hosting the 2028 and 2030 editions.

Ironman CEO Scott DeRue has said Nice will remain a cornerstone of the Ironman calendar and a flagship destination, with the regular-season event now renewed through 2029.

With that said, we’ll now be waiting to hear where the 2028 Ironman 70.3 World Championship will be held. Oman remains scheduled to host the event in 2029.