Thousands of athletes were scheduled to compete in a triathlon at the IRONMAN race in Nice on Sunday. City officials decided to cancel the event with less than 48 hours’ notice due to extreme heat and high temperatures in France and Europe.
It was a safety decision.
Although IRONMAN hopes to reschedule the triathlon for a future date, this sudden cancellation will leave scheduled participants and their supporters out of their investments. That applies to their time and training in addition to their finances.
IRONMAN did not cancel the triathlon in Nice.
The IRONMAN France and IRONMAN 70.3 were scheduled to take place in Nice on Sunday. The course, which hosted the world championship in 2019, is nestled between the sea and the mountains with the finish line on the Promenade des Anglais.
However, the Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture issued a notice of cancellation on Friday morning. Both races have been canceled.
This decision was not made by the IRONMAN organization. It was made by the administrative district because of heat.
“IRONMAN can confirm that the Alpes Maritimes Prefecture has issued a notice of cancellation of the Ramify IRONMAN France Nice and the IRONMAN 70.3 Nice triathlons, scheduled to take place this Sunday June 28 in response to the rising temperatures.
“The safety and wellbeing of our athletes, volunteers, staff, and the wider community is always our top priority. We respect the decision of the authorities and have been working in close coordination with the City of Nice and relevant stakeholders throughout this process.
“We understand the disappointment this news will bring to the thousands of athletes who have travelled to Nice to participate, as well as to their families and supporters and we share in that disappointment.
“IRONMAN and the City of Nice are working collaboratively to determine appropriate solutions including a potential replacement date. Further details will be communicated as soon as possible. We thank our athletes, partners, and the local community for their understanding.”
Approximately 4,500 athletes were signed up for the competition. They spent months (if not years) training for the race, which is a process that can cost thousands of dollars for access, recovery and equipment. They spent hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on lodging and travel to Nice for an even that no longer exists. It is not an easy or cheap trip!
All of that money spent for nothing and now they are stranded. Their flights home are not for a few days. They don’t have anywhere to go or anything to do. Brutal.
France is dealing with extreme temperatures amid an ongoing European heat wave.
Wednesday marked the hottest day ever recorded in France. Power is out across the country. Businesses and schools are closing. People are dying.
Most of Europe is not equipped to handle such extreme temperatures. Air conditioning is rare, if not nonexistent. It’s a mess.
Hospitals are busier than usual as a result of the heat. Medical professionals are stretched beyond their limits.
Added stress on health and safety officials had a large role in the decision to cancel the IRONMAN triathlon for Sunday. The Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture released the following statement:
“The weather conditions, combined with the extension of the orange heatwave alert in the department and the context of a prolonged heatwave episode that has affected the national territory for the past ten days, have led us to cancel both the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events in Nice scheduled for Sunday, 28 June. This decision has been taken both to safeguard the health and safety of all participants (athletes, organisers, and the security and emergency personnel mobilised for the event) and to avoid placing any additional strain on emergency and healthcare services, which are already under significant pressure across the region.”
Authorities in Nice are already stretched thin because of the weather. To send 4,500 athletes into a 70.3-mile race in the sweltering heat would create more problems. Therefore, it is canceled. Competitors are out thousands of dollars for a race that won’t be raced.
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Ironman Triathlon Canceled With 48 Hours Notice Leaves Athletes Stranded In France During Extreme Heat Wave
Pinoy Human Rights
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