Forced to cancel the race scheduled for Sunday, the organizers of the Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant have found a solution to satisfy everyone, especially the participants: the event will be held on August 20, at the same time as the Triathlon full distance Mont-Tremblant, a competition in the North American Vinfast series.
For the triathletes who were planning to deploy their greatest efforts last weekend, it is a balm on a wound caused by the consequences of the forest fires raging in Quebec. The poor air quality prompted officials to abandon the start of the event, provoking many reactions of disappointment. Nonetheless, IRONMAN Group Regional Manager Dave Christen said he was happy with the outcome to come, so obviously everything is going as planned by then.
Read also: Bad air quality: Ironman 70.3 in Mont-Tremblant canceled
“From the moment we had to cancel the event, we worked with our partners at Événements sportif Mont-Tremblant to quickly identify a solution and provide all of our athletes with a variety of racing options. This is why we are extremely happy to be able to offer a new date to our registered athletes and to combine two great events, celebrating the best of sportsmanship. With our loyal regional partners, we have spared no effort to ensure that the infrastructure can accommodate this unique triathlon event,” he said in a press release.
“We recognize the dedication and resilience of all the athletes registered for the Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant and we really wanted to offer them the opportunity to experience this unique race in our magnificent setting in the Laurentians, added Patrice Malo, President and Chef. operator of Station Mont Tremblant and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tremblant Resort Association. Our destination is always proud to host IRONMAN events and we are very pleased to be able to accommodate athletes for both distances in August.”
Inevitable
Also, the non-presentation of the race, Sunday, was a must because of the risks to the health of the participants. The air quality index was around 300 at certain points along the route, which is above the acceptable threshold.
“The decision to cancel an event is always heartbreaking, but the safety of our attendees, spectators, volunteers, staff and everyone involved with the event always remains our highest priority,” Christen said.