Ironman Maryland postponed
Race officials called off this weekend’s scheduled Ironman Maryland event due to "projected flooding from abnormally high tides, heavy rain, wind, and the expected impact of Hurricane Joaquin."
In a media statement posted on the event website, the Ironman Maryland staff added, "Given the severity of the expected weather conditions, which may – depending on the path of Joaquin – require the evacuation of certain coastal regions on the Delmarva peninsula, we cannot guarantee that public safety officials will be able to provide the support necessary for the safe execution of the event."
Race officials asked all athletes not to travel to Maryland since forecasts predict heavy weather impact on the area. The statement concluded, "We are tentatively planning and have tentative approval to have the race take place on Saturday, October 17; however, no final decision can be made until the effects from the storm are fully assessed."
Race officials stated that there will be no further communication until 6 p.m. EST Tuesday.
Ironman CEO Andrew Messick confirmed to Slowtwitch that the language of the statement speaks for itself, which presumably means that the race is not canceled, rather postponed pending an assessment of the situation six days from now.
