Will history repeat itself? In 2018 hurricane Florence forced organizers to cancel the kur to music finals at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. Now at the 2021 Olympics Games in Japan, typhoon Nepartak is arriving Tuesday morning 27 July and forecast to disrupt at least some parts of the Games.
The typhoon, which is the eighth of the year, is making landfall in the Kanto and/or Tohoku regions of Eastern Japan in the afternoon of Tuesday 27 July and will move northward from the Pacific.
On Tuesday late afternoon and evening the dressage team medal competition - the Grand Prix Special - is taking place at the Baji Koen equestrian centre.
Tropical Storm
According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the typhoon is a mid-grade tropical storm (grade 3 out of 5). Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected the start in the night of 26 to 27 July. There is also a lightning warning.
The sports of archery, rowing and sailing have already adjusted their Tuesday schedules, but dressage will go on as planned.
For the Baji Koen equestrian centre, the maximum wind speed is expected to be 10m/s, but there is a lightning warning.
Reports, however, differ much about the intensity of rain and wind expected in the Tokyo area. Some reports posts that most rain will have ended by the late afternoon.
Dressage Not Rescheduled
"The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee is working with the IOC, International Federations and other relevant organisations to make sure that the processes and plans that are in place to respond to any inclement weather are activated, should the need arise," an official press release issued at midnight.
It continued, "At this time (as of 23:30 on 26 July), there are no plans to change the schedule for any of the other events due to be held on Tuesday 27 July. We will continue to monitor the latest weather information to ensure the safety of all those involved in the Games."
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