Tornados and Tulsa … (don’t worry – it’s supposed to be nice this weekend!)

This weekend some of the world’s top triathletes are on hand to compete at the Ironman North American Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, including four-time Kona champ Daniela Ryf (SUI) and two-time Ironman world champion Patrick Lange. Ryf will face some of the sports biggest names including Skye Moench, Sarah Crowley and Heather Jackson, while Lange will contend with the likes of Patrik Nilsson, Cody Beals, Florian Angert, Sam Long, Bart Aernoets and Andy Potts. (To see all of the stacked field, click here.)

We all know, though, that weather conditions can be as tough as your fiercest competition, especially if you’re heading to a spot renowned for its tornados. According to discovertulsa.net “Since 1950, Tulsa, Oklahoma has had over 200 tornados and has an average of 3 tornados a year.” Those occur most often in April and May.

Over the next few days the Tulsa weather report is calling for thunderstorms and thundershowers, but things are supposed to clear up for Saturday and Sunday, when they are expecting partly cloudy conditions with highs of 29 C.

When a meteorologist from Oklahoma City, about 160 km from Tulsa, posted on Instagram about the possibility of “severe weather” over the next few weeks (picture above), triathlon video producer and photographer Talbot Cox was quick to have some fun and welcome competitors to his home state on his Instagram feed:

“I would like to welcome all the @ironmantri Tulsa competitor’s to the incredible state of Oklahoma!” he wrote. “I am looking forward to showing you all our crappy roads, strong winds and most importantly our mind blowing Tornados! 🌪😍 I sure hope you can all make it to the race start! 😉 ps I am charging $25 a head at my house for our tornado shelter. There is 9 more spots available. No ride ups welcome reservations only.”

He continued the fun with a video featuring some of the race favorites in the water and on the bike course. Here’s hoping that the weather reporters are on the game and the athletes enjoy a great day of racing this weekend!

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Talbot Cox (@talbotcox)

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