I think it will be Feb.

It was interesting he said it would be hard for European and American's to train through the winter but it is fine for Aussie, Kiwi, South Africans and other Southern Hemisphere athletes to do this every year.

I'm qualified for both Kona and Taupo this year but I have my doubts it'll happen. I feel like it would be tough for pros to race Kona in both Feb and Oct in the same calendar year.

 
Why would that be tough for them? The races are 8 months apart.

I smiled at that too. FWIW then first IMNZ I did I was living in the UK so all my training was through winter. Some fairly miserable trainer rides (godfather DVDs came in handy), and even more miserable wet and cold rides (once had to stop riding and hide under a tree as the hail was so heavy and large it was literally too painful to ride into). But reality was the only issue I had was the wednesday before raceday was the first time I got to try my new wetsuit. And so on Thursday when I went to put it on for swim #2 it fell to pieces on the seams.

And second FWIW, living over here in NZ and hearing the discussions regarding the borders, I cannot believe there is any possibility for a November 70.3 in Taupo. They are potentially discussing some 'bubble' with the pacific islands and Oz to allow regional tourism/business. But as the Pacific Islands have so far managed to avoid any Covid cases, and the need for those islands to have connections to NZ for healthcare, food supplies and for movement of workforce from there to here, these are the routes they will prioritise.

So it's interesting that they say they have x,000 qualified. That's true. Will be interesting though how many can travel, and if they can choose to. For example i can still see quarantine requirements being in place for a long time, and so it's a big enough investment to go to the WC as it is, let alone with another 14 days off work/in a hotel when you get back. Or perhaps with 14 days before the race too.

Peaking / training / recovery cycles. a mid calendar year qualifying race, then a short recovery and maintain the peak for an October Kona is mentally / physically efficient. Trying to be at your peak for Kona in Feb, then how do you manage training/recovery qualification / peaking through to October? All whilst keeping the sponsors happy by being visible in races.

Hi Duncan,

I think they will be just fine getting to Kona twice and doing some other races, generally a lot of the top guys race Kona, then an Ironman early season to validate or qualify, then they go do Roth or maybe a European Championship before Kona the following year. Cam Wurf ( not the usual) did around 8 ironmans in one season. It wont be a problem. Some of the lower ranked athletes might find it tough but that is what happens for the lower ranked athletes anyway as it is hard to qualify. I appreciate your position, but respectfully disagree.

i'm hopeful conditions will allow for a november 70.3 in taupo but it will not be anything that could be considered a WC (except by american sport standards). maybe an oceana champs
at best it will require 14 days isolation either end of travel - who would do 28 days of isolation for such a trip?
i would think the same principles apply to kona but the US is taking a somewhat different approach to NZ so i'm less clear. i imagine IM would still call it WC if it was able to be held with only US athletes!

i'd say the real question is whether that level of travel and congregation will be possible in february

I tend to agree with Duncan. I don't think there is a high likelihood of us seeing 70.3 Worlds happen in New Zealand this year. Their leader seems to be taking things very seriously, as she should. They would need to lift the 2 week quarantine for visitors entering the country to make an event like this feasible. I do not see them doing that before a vaccine is available globally.

We need to keep in mind, both Hawaii and New Zealand were nations of peoples that were ravaged by viruses when European travelers arrived at their islands. The native populations were devastated and it wasn't THAT long ago that it happened. I would image that The State of Hawaii and the Nation of New Zealand will continue to be cautions when it comes to outside visitors or business peoples entering their state/country. Who could blame them?

All the best and I hope we can all race soon enough.

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Ironman Lake Placid 2021| 70.3 Worlds St. George 2021

There was an Ironman Championship in February before... back in 1982. Scott Tinley and Kathleen McCartney won it. Mainly Americans raced it without issue as it relates to their winter.

It would be a disaster to find accommodation in peak tourism season.
Next year is going to see huge number as people make up for lost travel this year.

Agree it may be likely nz isn't open although pre flight testing protocols and other measures may be in place prior enabling arrival and a shorter quarantine or none at all.

I doubt nz considers effect on Maori 150+ years ago re COVID its merely the idea that as a small island they have the chance to stop the virus coming in, and due to privacy law they can't do like Taiwan so it's basically closed borders and govt paid 14 days isolation in some hotel for arrivals at the moment. That may loosen a bit in a few months, depending on testing and ability to force tracking on ppl especially foreigners.

We're golden as long as they don't move Alpe d'Huez tri to February!!!!

Not just in 1982! Also 1981. At least 4 yanks on this board raced in it.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

They could just move it to Florida for some window in between Nov 2020 onwards. (could be pink font, but Florida and many parts of the US will open up before NZ from the sound of it). NZ is not going to want the rest of the world there from the sound of it, but minimally (I am not an American), the US can have a meaningful race with Americans only and the US likely will allow the rest of the world into the US before the Kiwis allow the rest of world into NZ.

The virus is all over the US, so its not like the rest of the world will bring "more" in. NZ is on their isolated island and can keep the rest of the world out and hope their national isolation can hold things to a vaccine before doing anything with the rest of the world. Likely, the US will do lots of normal things before a vaccine happens just because USA cannot close itself down forever and will trade off opening some aspects vs virus spread. Eventually everyone will get this either naturally or through a vaccine.

So Ironman will need to figure where they can initially have events where that path is supported (probably places talking about business events, youth sports, movies, then pro sports are places you want to think about eventually having 2000 person triathlons). It makes no sense to dream about 2000 person events where national governments want to keep people out of contact with each other for a long time.

Winter triathlon! I'm in.

Speed skate on Lac du Verney.
Skimo to the top and down to AdH
Run loop in town.

I'd be up for them moving it to February permanently.

The amount of tourism to the islands has changed dramatically since 1982.

To keep it in "off season" they would have to move it to April.

We did 2 in 1982 and there didn’t seem to an issue.

The main item I see in this picture is Budlight being a sponsor!

True, but wouldn't there be a significant negative impact to tourism still lingering in Feb 2021? This is a one-time thing, not permanently moving to February.

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Strava

There will be some loud voices saying that we need to let international tourists in again as that revenue is such a significant part of our economy. I suspect that they'll be drowned out by the voices that appreciate being on a safe island at the bottom of the world. Especially if the USA gets hit by a second wave at the start of winter.

Also, we can have a pretty meaningful race in Australasia without letting the rest of the world in. Just need a handful of Germans to be allowed in to be close to full WC strength ;-)

Pools opened in the Northern Territory today and I reckon Qld and in Western Oz are less than a month away from pools opening as well so it will be all systems go for training for the end of 2020 and the start of the 2020/21 season.If Ironman decide to hold Kona in Feb then you can expect a flood of pro triathletes to arrive here on the Sunshine Coast or up in Cairns towards the end of the year ( I reckon the Noosa Tri will go ahead as normal in October).The Queensland and NSW governments have already tweaked the immigration rules to allow the Auckland Warriors to fly between NZ and Oz for the upcoming Rugby League season as it has been deemed " work related travel" and so I could see foreign professional athletes from other sports being allowed into Oz as well.Now we wait for our Border Force to rubber stamp it.

On that note when Hawaii does not want anyone on their island Messick may jut need to move Kona 2020 to Australia in Feb 2021!!!!

All the people who have been saying that the Ironman World Championship needs to be rotated will finally have their dream. So give us a spot in Oz that you approve of!