Police in Tenby Ironman warning
SOME people are still planning on completing the Ironman Wales course this weekend – despite the fact that the event was cancelled three months ago due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The hugely popular event, which was due to take place tomorrow in Tenby, normally attracts thousands of competitors from across the UK, but the decision was made to cancel it on June 9 due to Covid-19.
Despite that, police have confirmed that some people are still intent on travelling to Tenby this weekend to take part in some or all of the course, which includes cycling, swimming and running.
While stopping short of warning people to not complete or race the course, police have issued advice to would-be competitors.
A spokeswoman for DyfedPowys Police said: “We’re aware some people are planning to travel to Tenby to race the Ironman route this weekend, and while we understand people have trained really hard to compete and are disappointed the race is cancelled, we are concerned about the impact of racing without any road closures or the usual support.
“Please don’t cycle in packs – our roads make the best Ironman route because they are challenging. They are also likely to be busy, as visitor numbers are still high, and are therefore very dangerous.
“If you’re planning on swimming, please ensure the conditions are appropriate and your swim doesn’t risk others who may be called to help you, and if you’re planning to take on that hill for the run, please consider the need for social distancing and give way to others. In part, the road is fast and the pavements are narrow.
“We look forward to welcoming athletes and supporters back to Tenby next year.”
Despite new cases of coronavirus being low in Wales compared to certain parts of the UK, a two-metre social-distancing guideline remains in place throughout the country. This, along with the potential for large numbers of people taking on the route without the usual infrastructure of the official event in place, has led to some concern.