IT'S an announcement which will come as no surprise to Bathurst's Ironman 70.3 World Championship competitors: This year's event has been pushed back to 2021 due to COVID-19.
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But despite news they may have been expecting for some time it's still a tough thing to hear, especially when you consider the training which goes into such a gruelling event.
Bathurst's Peta Cutler, Mark Windsor and Terry Roberts had already booked their tickets to the event in Taupo, New Zealand, which has now been pushed back from November to a still-to-be-determined date.
Cutler was certainly prepared for such an announcement, and has already.
"You can pretty much write this season off. It's very hard to see anything going ahead at this stage unfortunately," she said.
"It's all up in the air. I've deferred my Port Macquarie entry to next year. I didn't want to be out training for three months only to have that cancelled.
"I'm glad I've made that decision now that worlds have been cancelled. It's very disappointing but what can you do?"
Western Sydney was also on the agenda for Cutler as a warm-up event but she will defer he entry to 2021 for that race as well.
With no carrot, in the form of a confirmed world championships date, dangling in front there's little reason for Cutler or the other Bathurst competitors to push themselves too hard.
"I think everyone's in the same boat. It's about maintaining fitness, then once there's a goal in sight you can train towards that.
"But for now there's no point training hard or putting in those long hours when there's no race on the horizon."
In Friday's announcement Taupo district mayor David Trewavas said the postponement was expected given the effect COVID-19 was having on New Zealand and indeed the world.
"This was no doubt a difficult decision, but the most important thing is that we as a community are ready to welcome these athletes when the time is right," he said.
"We are proud to be home to the iconic IRONMAN New Zealand triathlon and are ready to showcase exactly why that is to the rest of the world. Bring on 2021."
While the 70.3 Championship is yet to have a new date announced, the full distance Ironman World Championship in Hawaii will be running their race on February 6.
The Iroman 70.3 World Championship has grown in stature and popularity since its inception in 2006 and is now the culmination of over 100 different events around the globe.
Every year more than 200,000 athletes compete annually for a place among the world's best with over 5,000 athletes ultimately making it to the two-day event.