Ironman World Championship leaves Hawaii for 1st time
The Ironman World Championship is being held outside Hawaii for the first time in four decades
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
The Ironman World Championship will be held outside Hawaii for the first time in four decades because of uncertainty over whether the Big Island will be able to host the triathlon as scheduled in February during the coronavirus pandemic.
Competitors will head to St. George, Utah on May 7 instead, West Hawaii Today reported. Organizers plan to bring the contest back to the islands in October 2022.
Ironman competitors swim 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers), ride bikes for 112 miles (180.3 kilometers) and then run a marathon, which goes for 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers).
The first race was held in Honolulu in the 1970s. The competition moved to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island in 1981.
Organizers cancelled last year's race because of coronavirus concerns and the risks of international travel. It was the first time in the triathlon’s history that the event wasn’t held.
Then in August, as the delta variant fueled a spike in Hawaii COVID-19 cases, organizers decided to postpone this year's race to February. They later made the decision to cancel the February event and move that one to Utah in May.
Organizers plan to return the competition to the Big Island later next year with a two-day race format slated for Oct. 6 and 8, 2022.
“We expect the races in October of 2022 to be unique and historic,” said Andrew Messick, president and CEO for The IRONMAN Group. “Two days of racing in Kailua-Kona addresses the overwhelming demand from athletes to race in a World Championship and will allow us to host our deferred athletes and place more emphasis on showcasing our women’s and men’s professional races.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.