Heat wave forces cancellation of NYC Triathlon

The organizers of the NYC Triathlon announced that they have decided to cancel the race, scheduled to happen on July 21, as the city deals with a heat emergency. Temperatures are expected to soar above 100 degrees this weekend.

On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio called on the event organizers to postpone the event. The yearly race was expected to gather 4,000 athletes from 33 different countries. The triathlon included a 1,500-meter swim, 40K bike, and 10K run; starting at 99th Street and Hudson River for the swim, biking up to Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx, and finishing up with the run in Central Park.

“Race day temperature and humidity levels are projected to reach extreme levels,” Life Time, the organizers, said in an announcement. “After exhausting all options to mitigate athlete, volunteer, spectator and staff exposure alike, we are unable to provide either a safe event experience or an alternate race weekend.”

Participants will receive a full refund automatically within two to three weeks. But some events scheduled for the weekend will continue as planned, including today’s Triathlon Sports & Fitness Expo and the Diaper Derby (where “youngsters crawl 12 feet to victory across the finish line,” organizers say), both happening at the Hilton Midtown, at 1335 Sixth Avenue. The race will return next year, on July 19, 2020.

The Hydration Station will also be active (the location is still to be defined), on Sunday, and bottled water and Gatorade will be distributed to New Yorkers. It is the first time that the yearly race is canceled since it began in 2001.