St Ives Biathlon back on in September after June washout

Rain, high winds and a sea in no mood to co-operate made the decision for organisers on the morning of 6 June. Now the start line is going back up, the entry portal is open again, and the race will be run at a time of year it has never been run before. That last part changes race night in a way nobody has had to plan for.

A new date, agreed inside a week

St Ives Surf Life Saving Club’s 2026 St Ives Biathlon, sponsored by Cornish Riviera Holidays, will now take place on Saturday 12 September. The event is the annual flagship fundraiser for the charity and is in its 28th year. It was postponed on the morning of 6 June because of rain, high winds and difficult sea conditions.

Plenty of other events around Cornwall were called off the same day. Organisers consulted the RNLI before making the call, and a replacement date was agreed within a week.

Duncan Wilson, Treasurer for St Ives Surf Life Saving Club and Biathlon organiser, said: “Due to the weather and sea conditions, consulting with the RNLI, we took the tough decision to postpone the Biathlon. We were bitterly disappointed, but the safety and wellbeing of all involved had to come first. We would like to say a huge thank you to all our sponsors, supporters, volunteers and the RNLI for their support, and to all our competitors who we know will have been disappointed, we would like to thank them for their understanding.”

Why the start times have moved

This is the first time the Biathlon will be held in September, and the shorter evenings have forced a rethink of the timetable. The Junior and Novice races are being combined, with both now starting at 6:30pm. That allows the main open race to be brought forward to a 7pm start.

From the Sloop Slog to a 28-year fixture

The race began around 50 years ago as the Sloop Slog, with everyone who finished celebrating over a Cornish Bakehouse pasty and a scoop at The Sloop Inn afterwards. That tradition is still going.

In 28 years of the surf life saving charity running the annual Biathlon, the club has only had to cancel the event outright once, when COVID restrictions made it impossible.

The sponsors who made the rebook possible

Chris Simpson, Chair of St Ives Surf Life Saving Club and Biathlon Event Lead, said: “We were delighted to have a new date agreed and circulating within a week, thanks to the determination and cooperation of the RNLI, St Ives Town Council, title sponsors Cornish Riviera Holidays, St Ives Signs, Meor Designs, Cornish Bakehouse and The Sloop.”

Chris continued: “We are extremely grateful for the understanding of all of our supporting sponsors: Dales Cornwall, Aspects Holidays, Tregenna Castle, Carbis Bay Holidays, RRL, Hub St Ives, Yellow Canary, Greenwood Wilson, Carbis Bay Hotel, Ayr Holiday Park, Polmanter Touring Park, Luxury Coastal, St Ives BID, Poynton Bradbury Architects, W J Winn Funeral Director, Penwith College, Symons Construction, Hager-Vor, CVC Solicitors, A1 Cars, SplashRobe, Cohort Educational Trips, Tegen Mor Fisheries Consultants Ltd, Bespoke Sports Medals, The Custom Clothing Experts, Jollys, Cornish Spliced, Shaun Paisley Photography, The Sloop, Cornish Bakehouse, MEOR and Eventy – Marketing & Fundraising.”

The online entry link is available through the club’s Facebook page, and there is more about the Biathlon and the club on Instagram.

Duncan added: “It is thanks to all of these organisations, our amazing volunteers, helpers behind the scenes and our fantastic competitors for their patience and understanding that we were able to schedule a new date so quickly. We would also like to say a huge thank you to Engine House who look after our entry portal, helping us to communicate with everyone that had already entered and getting the portal back open and running so smoothly. We are looking forward to the event going ahead next month and encourage entrants to continue registering to make this the best Biathlon yet!”