Queensland border changes: How Ironman Cairns is affected

Ironman organisers will be watching George St like a hawk for the next two months as they plan for their coronavirus-affected 2020 event.

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Ironman organisers will be watching George St like a hawk for the next two months as they plan for their coronavirus-affected 2020 event.

The Queensland Government on Wednesday declared Greater Sydney as a COVID hotspot, which will take effect at 1am on Saturday.

The declaration shuts the border to people from 34 local government areas around the New South Wales capital, and includes the Central Coast and Blue Mountains.

FIGHT TO CHANGE ‘INCONSIDERATE’ IRONMAN CAIRNS FESTIVAL

An event the size and scale of Ironman Cairns, one of the biggest on the Far North’s annual sporting calendar, relies heavily on travellers from interstate and overseas, and is already bracing for reduced fields due to the coronavirus’s impact on international travel.

Concerns have already been raised by some groups training for the annual event, regarded as one of the world’s best Ironman races, as to whether or not it will go ahead at all.

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Posted by Cairns Post on Thursday, 23 July 2020

But organisers will not rush into any decision after the Queensland Government’s decision, particularly with two months left until the multisport event rolls into town.

A spokesman said the organisation is currently monitoring the situation, and will keep working with relevant stakeholders and authorities.

He said there was plenty of time before they make a decision - if one had to be made at all.

The cancellation of the 2020 World Championship at Kona, Hawaii, which was postponed until early 2021, will spark a review of qualifying slots available to athletes who compete in Cairns.

A similar process will be under way for Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which was scheduled for November in Taupo, New Zealand.

The number of qualifying slots will depend on the global Ironman calendar and how many of those events will run.

Ironman Cairns was originally scheduled for June 6-7, but will now be held on the weekend of September 26-27.

Originally published as Queensland border changes: How Ironman Cairns is affected