As the iconic Ironman World Championship in Kona nears, concurrent discussions have focused on Hurricane Nolo – both whether the storm could interfere with the race and, more importantly, the potential risk to those living on and visiting the Hawaiian Islands.

As reported by Jack Kelly on the Triathlon Hour podcast earlier this week (September 27th), Ironman has apparently held discussions regarding contingency plans for Kona should the hurricane impact its ability to proceed.

It was also reported that Reece Barclay sought to implement their own contingency plan to get Lucy off the island, where she had been staying for final preparations before the race. It seems Reece booked a private jet and flew to Los Angeles so that she could continue to train without interruption and so that if the hurricane hit Kona they would not be in danger.

 

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A post shared by Lucy Charles-Barclay (@lucycharles93)

(On a side note, this does lead us to believe that Charles-Barclay’s preparation has likely gone very well. She skipped Nice to prioritize this event, and we know another Kona win is the top goal for her and that she was incredibly close last year following a devastating DNF. Going to these lengths may be another indication of just how invested she is in this year’s race.)

The early stages of the storm also contributed to Casper Stornes’ bike crash, where he was thrown off his bike by the wind. The reigning world champion is very sadly now unable to race and defend his crown, although fortunately he did not suffer more severe injuries.

 

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A post shared by Casper Stornes (@casperstornes)

Current Weather Forecasts for Hurricane Nolo

As reported by the National Hurricane Center at 11:00am HST on September 29th:

Nolo is moving toward the north near 8mph (13km/h). On the forecast track, the center of Nolo will remain well southwest and west of the main Hawaiian Islands. Nolo will continue to move northward across the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument today. On Wednesday, Nolo will slow significantly and turn toward the west, then continue generally westward through the latter part of the week.

And the current report from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency says:

Hurricane Nolo continues to move away from the Hawaiian Islands, with the centre of Nolo remaining well southwest and west of the islands. Nolo is currently a category 4 hurricane but is expected to weaken tonight, with faster weakening through the middle of the week.

Swells generated by Nolo will affect south-facing shores of the islands for the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Recommended actions: residents and visitors should remain alert, avoid hazardous shoreline areas and continue monitoring official updates.

Based on the current forecasts, the outlook appears increasingly encouraging for both the Hawaiian Islands and the Ironman World Championship, with the centre of Nolo forecast to remain well away from the main islands. However, the storm is still producing potentially dangerous ocean conditions, and residents and visitors should continue to follow official guidance and avoid hazardous shoreline areas.