The Homer Chamber of Commerce announced at 6:30 a.m. today that the 2023 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament is postponed until next Saturday, March 25.

Inclement weather beginning on Friday prompted the tournament committee to meet that afternoon to evaluate conditions and discuss the necessity of postponing the event to either Sunday, March 19 or the following weekend. The chamber posted Friday evening that they would make their final decision Saturday morning after NOAA updated the marine forecast.

The chamber cited continuing inclement weather as the reason for postponing the tournament to next weekend. The western Kenai Peninsula is also currently under a winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service, in effect until midnight tonight, with accumulating and blowing snow expected as well as winds up to 35 miles per hour.

“Recognizing the weather forecast shows gale force winds building tonight, we felt it was not safe for all anglers to be on the water this afternoon,” the chamber wrote in their Facebook post this morning. “The safety of our boaters is paramount in addition to a fair tournament for all. We appreciate your patience and understanding and thank you for your continued support of the Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament.”

If anglers currently registered for the tournament wish to have their registration refunded, they must email wkt@homeralaska.org by 9 a.m. on the day of the tournament and include their team name and angler names in the email, according to the chamber’s Facebook post. Refunds will be credited back to the card the registration was made under, the chamber posted.

Continuing updates and information on the tournament can be found on the Homer Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page or the Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament Facebook page.