IRONMAN today announced that due to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 2020 editions of the IRONMAN® World Championship and IRONMAN®70.3® World Championship have been cancelled.
The IRONMAN World Championship will return to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 9, 2021 and the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will return on September 17 and 18, 2021 and take place in St. George, Utah, United States. IRONMAN is working to secure Taupō, New Zealand as the host destination for the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.
Read Also: Meet CG Lim, Mr. IRONMAN Malaysia
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact events around the world, both world championship events have seen a majority of their respective qualifying events postponed or unable to take place in 2020, impeding the ability to qualify athletes for the respective 2020 world championship events.
Based on the planned schedules, the continuation of existing travel restrictions worldwide, and other circumstances beyond control, IRONMAN’s world championship events cannot proceed as rescheduled.
Andrew Messick, President & Chief Executive Officer for The IRONMAN Group said: “It is disappointing not to be able to provide our racing community with the opportunity to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship for the first time in our 43 year history and our IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for the first time since inception in 2006. We will endure, however, and look forward to the day when we will again assemble the greatest professional and age-group triathletes in the world and crown world champions.”
Read Also: Super League Triathlon and Zwift partner on new concept for the Arena Games
Athletes who qualified for the 2020 editions of the IRONMAN World Championship and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship event will be contacted directly.
They will have the opportunity to race in the 2021 or 2022 editions of the respective World Championships.