With the health and safety of our community being an utmost priority, and after further discussions with and direction from Weymouth Town Council and Dorset Council in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to confirm that the IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth triathlon originally scheduled for Sunday 20 September cannot take place in 2020 and will return in September 2021.
In a meeting earlier this week, Dorset’s multi-agency Safety Advisory Group was satisfied that IRONMAN’s proposed health and safety measures were well thought through and that participants, staff and the wider public would have been sufficiently protected from potential COVID-19 infection.
However, following discussions at both Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council yesterday (12 August), councillors have requested that IRONMAN reschedule the race to 2021, citing local community concerns around such a large event taking place during the pandemic and their feeling that the timing just isn’t right at the moment.
Athletes that are registered for the event are receiving an email with further details. While we are prevented from holding the event in 2020, we are looking forward to providing athletes with an exceptional event experience in the future.
So we are cancelling an event that by your own statement had been assessed as ‘well thought through’ and ‘participants, staff and the wider public would have been sufficiently protected’
Be interesting to have detailed who the councillors were that objected and what were the specific ‘local community concerns’ in light of the H&S measures that were being put in place?
Also find the decision ironic in that the beaches are still overwhelmed with visitors ignoring health and safety measures and 8 cruise ships anchored off Weymouth Bay polluting the water and the atmosphere!
Is ‘the timing not right’ to address these issues?
FYI, The Environment Agency have confirmed they have not tested the waters off Weymouth for over a year.
Think it was a classic case of ” tail wagging the dog ” for a reaction. Whatever the decision, for what ever the reason, the council should of been more proactive and taken the lead and not been forced to a decision by the organisation. It should never of got to the stage of delivering road closures maps. Buck up and do the job you were elected to do – all of you !
Sad decision, the risk from this event is minuscule compared with the daily bathing ritual….shame you caved in to the nimby brigade
Rather IRONic !
I would like to thank you for not haveing the Ironman this year .
Hooray!
I doubt if I’m alone in finding the Ironman event a thorough nuisance.
Road closures, road chaos, total mayhem, the lot.
Please cancel indefinitely!
This is an event I want to do but public safety is more important. It’s disappointing but not worth the risk. Roll on the vaccine!
We are heading for a second wave so this will be proven to be the right decision. If something doesn’t feel right it usually isn’t