Many triathletes have IRONMAN races coming up and yet the dark cloud of cancellation or postponement is looming over them due to COVID-19. You have booked your travel and accommodation, you have done the training, but what happens now?

IRONMAN has issued this statement on their website (current as of 8AM March 13th):

Providing Flexibility to Athletes

Certain races will be postponed or cancelled due to the outbreak and we will communicate these as soon as practical. Our goal will be to move the race to a date later in the year. We work in close partnership with the relevant public health authorities in the territories where the races take place and err on the side of safety for our athletes and the host community. If an event cannot occur on the scheduled date, we will take the following actions:

• Postponement:  Registered athletes for events that are postponed due to COVID-19 by the local health authorities are automatically transferred to the rescheduled date. For those that the new date does not work, we will allow deferrals into the same event the next year.
• Cancellation: Registered athletes for events that are cancelled due to COVID-19 by the local health authorities are automatically deferred to the same race in 2021.
• Other options: We are vetting other options to allow displaced athletes to race in 2020 and will communicate those in due course.
• Athletes in Quarantined/Restricted Territories: For athletes in certain designated quarantine or restricted territories who have registered for races that take place before June 1, 2020 and have NOT been postponed or cancelled, we will aid in finding alternative races later in the season.

For those who are sick, feel unwell, or have been potentially exposed to an infectious agent in advance of a race that willtake place, do not come to the race; instead seek medical care. Once you have done so, contact the relevant Athlete Services representative for your race and we will attempt to find you another solution.

In the meantime, do continue your training but also rest well to allow your immune system to recover. This is very important in this pandemic and practise good hygiene throughout the day.