It's fair to say that the eyes of the triathlon world will be firmly focused on Paris next week as the Olympic triathlon aims to stave off the threat of the dreaded triathlon.
€1.4bn (£1.18bn or $1.5bn) has been spent cleaning up the iconic Seine in hopes of making it swimmable for the first time in a century. The 2024 Paris Olympics are expected to showcase the results of a triathlon swimming event on the Paris waterways. But there's one major problem.
As of now, it is uncertain whether the water quality for the events (men's individual race on Tuesday, July 30, women's individual race on Wednesday, July 31, and mixed relay race on Monday, August 5) will be sufficient for swimming. As it stands, the reserved days are in place (August 2nd for the individual event and August 6th for the mixed relay), but Plan C is relegating the race to the dreaded triathlon.
As swim/bike/run icon Mark Allen so eloquently wrote in his recent TRI247 column, if this happens, triathlon will be the biggest loser because of the format of the event. This will change a few hours before start (decision will be taken at 0400 local time on match day).
The latest news from Paris is not promising, with water quality levels in the French capital causing the first planned familiarization swim for triathletes to be canceled on Sunday (July 28).
As of this writing, there are only 48 hours left until the biggest dance of all, but there's still no guarantee the game will go ahead as planned.
It all seems to come down to the weather now – recent heavy rain has once again caused a drastic drop in water quality – so the weather forecast for the week ahead is absolutely crucial. Organizers are banking on sunshine and dry weather to bring about the desired results, but will they?
Paris Weather Forecast 2024
The current weather forecast for Paris over the next few days is as follows (correct time is Sunday 28 July 1300 local time/1200 BST/0700 EST):
Sunday, July 28: The maximum temperature is 26 degrees Celsius. Most of the morning will be sunny, followed by areas of sunshine and high clouds. No rainfall is forecast.
Monday, July 29: The maximum temperature was 31 degrees, another beautiful day. It will be sunny and very warm most of the time, with a negligible chance of rain (1%).
Tuesday, July 30 (Men’s Individual Triathlon): With a high of 35 degrees, partly sunny and very hot, it could be a hot day for the likes of Alex Yee, Hayden Wilde and Kristian Blummenfelt (assuming the water will do its job). The chance of rain is only 6%.
Wednesday 31st July (Women’s Individual Triathlon): It's another very hot day in the French capital, and swimming/biking/running promises an escape from the horrendous weather. The maximum temperature is 33 degrees, very hot, with sunshine in some areas and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Hopefully, potential thunderstorms will arrive too late to impact activities earlier in the day (departure time is 0800 local time). The chance of rainfall is 56% and the chance of thundershowers is 34%.
Thursday, August 1: The weather is slightly cooler, with the highest temperature still being 30 degrees. There are morning showers in the area; otherwise, it won't be that hot, but it will be humid and cloudy. The chance of rain again is 56%.
Friday, August 2nd (reserved day for individual triathlons): Highest temperature 28 degrees, partly sunny, very warm and not too humid. There is a 25% chance of rain in the afternoon.
Saturday, August 3rd: The high will be 29 degrees but with some clouds and a 25% chance of rain.
Sunday, August 4th: The maximum temperature is 27 degrees, and the sun shines through the high-altitude clouds. Chance of precipitation is 12%.
Monday, August 5 (Triathlon Mixed Relay): It's cloudy in Paris, with a maximum temperature of 25 degrees. Despite cloud cover, the chance of rain is only 14%.
Tuesday, August 6 (reserved day for the Ironman Mixed Relay): It was cloudy again in the capital, with a maximum temperature of 26 degrees. However, the chance of rain is very small (only 3%).
What does weather mean for a triathlon?
Simply put, we need hot weather and sunshine, and lots of it.
Water quality levels were below standard on Saturday (July 27) due to heavy rain during Friday's opening ceremony and Saturday's Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
According to organizers, problems in recent weeks have been caused by unseasonal weather, with frequent heavy rains. This puts pressure on the waterway system, creating stronger than normal flows and potentially causing raw sewage to be discharged into the Seine.
That's why organizers have been banking on the hot summer sunshine having the desired impact, ensuring athlete safety and events can go ahead as planned. So far, things haven't gone as planned and E. coli levels have been a major cause for concern.
Now, with time running out, all eyes will be on those skies, with everyone involved praying for clear skies and an incredible triathlon.
