Following the postponement of the Ironman World Championship earlier this month, Ironman announced Tuesday this year’s 70.3 Hawaii triathlon, also known as Honu, has been postponed once again, from Aug. 15 to Nov. 21.
The annual triathlon in Kohala was originally scheduled to take place May 30 of this year, but was moved back to an August date in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“After careful consideration with our local partners and authorities as we continue to monitor restrictions and recommendations in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Ironman 70.3 Hawaii triathlon has been further postponed from Aug. 15, 2020 to Nov. 21, 2020,” a statement released by Ironman said. “In what has been a continually evolving and challenging time globally, we thank our athletes for their commitment and look forward to providing them with an exceptional race experience in the future.”
Ironman 70.3 Hawaii is a qualifier for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the Ironman World Championship. Twenty-four spots for Kailua-Kona’s Ironman World Championship are traditionally reserved for Hawaii state residents who finish in the top of their age group at the Ironman 70.3 Hawaii race.
Dan Berglund, Ironman global director of communications, confirmed this week in an email that slots will still be allocated at the 70.3 Hawaii triathlon this year to local athletes for the Ironman World Championship, which was pushed back to Feb. 2021.
The Ironman 70.3 Hawaii triathlon course will begin in Kohala with the starting line near Hapuna Beach and will then run north to Hawi for the bike course. The race will finish with the run portion in two loops near the Fairmont Orchid hotel.
The triathlon consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run. More than 1,000 athletes competed in last year’s race.
San Francisco’s Justin Riele won Honu last year in 4 hours, 14 minutes and 34 seconds.
In the women’s race, Natia Van Heerden, from South Africa, finished in first at 4:50:20.
On May 14, the Ironman World Championship was postponed from Oct. 10 to Feb. 6, 2021. The Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, was also rescheduled from Nov. 28 this year to a date yet to be announced in early 2021.
Berglund also confirmed this week in an email that the local athletes selected in the 2020 Ironman World Championship Hawaii drawing will still have their spots for the February race.