Ironman World Championship rescheduled to February 2022 amid spike in coronavirus cases on Hawaii island
ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2019
Anne Haug, of Germany, reacts after winning the 2019 Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The 2021 event has be rescheduled amid rising coronavirus cases.
The 2021 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona has been rescheduled due to a surge in COVID-19 cases on Hawaii island.
Organizers announced today the event that was originally scheduled for Oct. 9 has been rescheduled to Feb. 5, 2022.
The resurgence of the coronavirus amid the delta variant has had a significant impact on Hawaii island, which today recorded 163 new confirmed and probable cases.
“Combined with substantial border closures and travel restrictions for qualified athletes, there is not a viable pathway in October to host the Ironman World Championship,” said Andrew Messick, president and chief executive officer for The Ironman Group, in a statement today. “After extensive consultation with governmental and community leaders in Hawaii, we believe that the best course of action is to delay the event until February of 2022.”
Similar to 1982, organizers expect to hold two editions of the Ironman World Championship in 2022, one in February and the other in October.
The Ironman World Championship was first held on Oahu in 1978. Three years later, it moved to Kailua-Kona.
Affected athletes who are registered for the 2021 Ironman World Championship triathlon will be contacted directly via email.
