Forest Fire Smoke Affect on Triathlons this summer
- The Mixed Relay races at the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Montreal were cancelled due to poor air quality caused by smoke from forest fires.
- The poor air quality forced the organizers to shorten the Elite Women’s race to a Duathlon format (run-bike-run), rather than a triathlon.
- The air quality index (AQI) at the event venue reached 174, well above the recommended level of 50 or below.
- The AQI in Montreal has been reported to be the worst of any major city in the world due to a combination of smoke from forest fires, drought, and heatwaves.
Trifindr’s hot take:
It’s unfortunate that the poor air quality caused by the forest fires has disrupted the WTCS Montreal events. The decision to cancel the Mixed Relay races and shorten the Elite Women’s race was necessary to ensure the safety of the athletes. It’s clear that climate change is having a significant impact on outdoor sports events, and organizers need to be prepared to adapt to these changes. As athletes, we should also do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and support sustainability efforts. In light of this, we recommend the purchase of a carbon-neutral cycling kit from Cuore of Switzerland, a brand that uses recycled fabrics and offsets carbon emissions from production and shipping.
