Ironman Hawaii: nightmare with announcement for triathletes

• fromFrank Hellmann

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In the middle of the night, the German triathletes learned that the catch-up date for the Ironman Hawaii could no longer be kept.

The news of the painful cancellation of the legendary Ironman in Hawaii in February reached the German champions at nighttime. It did not come unexpectedly. “Of course I’m very sad about it,” said defending champion Anne Haug, “but the decision is more than understandable in view of the current situation.” The three-time champion Jan Frodeno made a similar statement. “A world championship is currently not feasible with athletes from all continents, we just have to continue to think and act more regionally,” said the 38-year-old. “We have been thinking about alternatives for a long time and will now approach it more specifically.”

For Frodeno’s buddy Sebastian Kienle, the cancellation did not come as a surprise either. He referred to the dramatic corona development in the USA. “Traveling is hardly possible,” said the 36-year-old, who is handicapped by a broken collarbone after a bad bicycle fall. At the same time as the press release, the cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic landed in the athletes’ mailboxes by personal email on Wednesday night.

“We were hopeful that we could welcome our athletes, their families and fans to these events, but the ongoing impact of the pandemic makes that impossible,” said Ironman boss Andrew Messick. After a postponement, the cult race of 3.86 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running from October 10 was rescheduled for February 6, 2021.

“With a heavy heart” the cancellation was announced. It’s the first time since the race premiered in Hawaii in 1978. The 2020 World Cup over half the Ironman distance will not take place either. “It is tough to make this decision in July, but that brings the necessary clarity for athletes, hosts and partners,” emphasized Messick. Defending champion Frodeno had already been critical of the postponement in May: “That makes it a bit silly at some point to have a February world champion and an October world champion,” he emphasized.

The qualification criteria were also a problem, although the organizers subsequently adjusted them. Due to the global spread of the coronavirus, no Ironman races have taken place this year, most recently the Ironman Hamburg, which was initially postponed to September, was canceled, the EM in Frankfurt was and does not exist this year.

In the past few years the triathlon classic in Hawaii was a German affair. Kienle started an era with his 2014 triumph. In 2015 and 2016 Frodeno won the title before Patrick Lange won twice in a row. In 2019 Frodeno returned to the throne. Anne Haug ensured the first victory for a German woman. The 37-year-old is now hoping for smaller competitions in Germany this year.

In the end, all athletes have no choice but to hope for the World Cup in October 2021. “We will take it and look forward to the day when the greatest professionals and age group triathletes come together for the crowning of the world champions,” promised Messick. For the new owners from the USA, the company Advance, which has taken over the entire Ironman division together with the subsidiary Orkila, the cancellation is also a severe financial blow.

The acquisition of the global series from the Chinese conglomerate Wanda is said to have cost an estimated 730 million euros, which is only worthwhile if triathletes around the world pay high entry fees to fulfill their dream of participating in Hawaii in these qualifying races. If this longing cannot be fulfilled, the whole business model falls. But nobody has to feel sorry for the owners: The purchase was made in the middle of the Corona crisis – so you knew very well what the risk would be. But the background explains why Ironman is having such a hard time canceling all races. And especially with Hawaii. with dpa

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