The Ironman Kona World Championships have been canceled for the first time since its 1978 inception.
“Based on the schedule, the continuation of existing travel restrictions worldwide, and other circumstances beyond our control, Ironman’s world championship events cannot proceed as rescheduled,” according to a release, citing the continued coronavirus pandemic.
Ironman Kona was originally scheduled for Oct. 10 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. On May 14, organizers announced it was postponed to Feb. 6, 2021, due to the virus. Now, it’s been canceled altogether.
The Ironman combines a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile marathon run, taking the top men around eight hours and the top women nine hours.