21/08/2026
-- UKAT 2027 World Championship -- Change of dates
After careful consideration and in light of the exceptional weather conditions experienced in France this year, we have decided to change the dates for the 2027 UKAT World Championship.
The dates originally scheduled were July 22, 23, and 24, 2027.
We now propose holding the World Championship on September 9, 10, and 11, 2027.
This decision was not taken lightly. We initially wanted to stick to the usual schedule and host the event in July again, as has been done previously. However, weather patterns are changing, and we believe it is now necessary to adapt.
Why this change?
The summer of 2026 gave us a very real glimpse of the challenges we might face.
France experienced several episodes of extreme heat. Notably, June 2026 was the hottest June ever recorded in the country, and the nation was hit by multiple heatwaves. In July, temperatures exceeded 42°C in some areas,
For a competition of this scale, these conditions pose a significant challenge for athletes, organizers, and volunteers alike.
Throwing for hours in extreme heat, maintaining focus, managing rotations, officiating, and handling setup and overall organization become much more difficult when temperatures reach such levels.
But comfort is not the only issue.
A genuine risk to the event taking place
In the event of extreme heat or a heatwave, authorities may require sporting events to be modified, postponed, or cancelled if conditions pose a health risk. The Ministry of Sports specifically recommends adjusting schedules, providing shaded or cooled areas, bolstering emergency response measures, and reassessing whether an event should proceed when heat-related risks become very high.
Official guidelines also outline specific measures regarding the postponement or cancellation of sporting events in the event of a "red" heatwave alert.
The problem, therefore, is that we could find ourselves—just one or two weeks before the World Championship—facing weather conditions that force us to radically alter the event's organization or even cancel it entirely.
For a championship bringing together competitors from numerous countries—involving travel and accommodation bookings, volunteers, infrastructure, and complex logistics—this risk is far too great.
Additional organizational challenges
Holding the competition during a heatwave would also require us to significantly ramp up the resources deployed.
All of this entails extra time, logistics, and costs for the organizers, without entirely eliminating the risk.
Why September?
Choosing September 9, 10, and 11, 2027, allows us to avoid the period of highest risk for extreme heat, while still ensuring favorable conditions for hosting our championship outdoors.
The goal is obviously not to guarantee perfect weather, no one can do that, but to significantly reduce weather-related risks, and above all, the risk of having to cancel or alter the competition at the last minute.
We therefore prefer to plan ahead now rather than having to deal with an emergency situation just days before the Championship.
For us, the calculation is quite simple:
We have everything to lose and nothing to gain.
We initially intended to stick to the established schedule and keep the July dates. However, given changing weather conditions, we believe it is now necessary to adapt and find new dates that allow competitors to gather under better conditions.
We sincerely hope you understand the reasons for this decision.
We feel terrible for the few early entrants who have already booked accommodation for next year.
We hope you will be able to get a refund easily.
Thank you for your understanding and trust.
The UKAT 2027 World Championship Organizing Team
28/08/2026
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