Both Santa Rosa Ironman events postponed until the fall due to coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed back Santa Rosa full and half Ironman triathlons to the fall.

The half-distance event - 70.3 miles of swimming, cycling and running - did not take place Saturday as scheduled because of prohibitions on large group gatherings. The full-distance race, which is set to be phased out after this year, will likewise be postponed from its initial July 25 race date.

“Over the past couple of weeks we have continued to monitor the direction and recommendation of public health agencies and local authorities while working diligently with various host city partners to secure a new date in the fall,” the Ironman Group said in a statement. “We are expecting to announce a decision by the end of May, after which we will be reaching out to registered athletes to provide a further update.”

The full-distance triathlon that runs from Lake Sonoma to downtown Santa Rosa is set to be the last in Sonoma County for the foreseeable future, though the half-distance race that uses the same start and finish points will continue.

City officials had decided to scale back the local commitment to the large event following wildfires in 2017 and 2019, as well as the widespread blackouts imposed by PG&E. The city and Ironman characterized the cancellation as a mutual decision.