The New York marathon, initially scheduled for November 1, was canceled this Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic. We quickly learned of the cancellation of the Berlin one.
The New York and Berlin marathons were officially canceled on Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, a further sign that the return of mass sporting events is not yet on the cards. Races late in the marathon calendar, New York and Berlin are also the two most followed, the first for its popular fervor and the second for its performances which set the stage for the discipline.
This is only the second time that the New York Marathon, initially scheduled for November 1, has been canceled, after the 2012 break following Hurricane Sandy. The 2020 edition should have taken on an exceptional character, because it was the 50th New York marathon, created in 1970, four years before the Berlin one, which had never been canceled in 46 years of existence.
Scheduled for September 27, the German event was suspended because it was subject to the ban on any gathering of more than 5,000 people in the capital, which runs until October 24. “As hard as we have worked, it is currently not possible to organize the marathon,” the Berlin organizers said on the official website. Since 2003, all world records have been achieved on the German course, which is flat and particularly favorable. The current world record belongs to the Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, in 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds, and dates from September 2018.
“Canceling this year’s marathon is a huge disappointment for all involved,” commented New York Road Runners CEO Michael Capiraso, quoted in a statement, “but that was clearly the way forward. with a view to health security. “
Globally, New York has been by far the city most affected by Covid-19, which has caused more than 22,000 deaths. New York organizers will offer registrants the option of having their registration fees refunded or postponing their participation to 2021, 2022 or 2023. “I applaud the decision of the New York Road Runners to make health a priority. and the safety of spectators and runners, ”New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in the statement.
Paris and Chicago waiting
Although far from being the most competitive in terms of times achieved, due to a difficult course, the New York Marathon is the most popular annual cross-country race in the world. During the 2019 edition, he broke the record for the number of participants who crossed the finish line of a marathon, with 53,640 runners. Contacted by AFP, NYRR vice president in charge of media, Chris Weiller, said that before the cancellation, the organization was counting on “more than 53,000” runners to finish this year, of which around 25,000 came. from abroad. Asked about the cost of this cancellation, he said that the organizing committee would benefit from compensation under an insurance contract.
The 50th New York Marathon is now scheduled for November 7, 2021. Boston and Tokyo already canceled, several of the most important marathons have not yet thrown in the towel. As for the Paris marathon, already postponed from April to October, the organizers “are still working to ensure that the marathon is held on the scheduled date (October 18)”, they told AFP. “If we postponed the marathon to the fall, it is precisely to give ourselves time and see how the situation will evolve”, explained a spokesperson for ASO (Amaury Sports Organization), organizer of the event. .
“We are not yet in a position to say whether the Chicago marathon will be held or not,” Alex Sawyer, communications manager for the event, scheduled for October 11, told AFP. “We are working closely with the authorities in the city (of Chicago) and will communicate our decision to our riders as soon as possible,” she added. Another major race on the calendar, the London Marathon plans, for now, to hold the event on October 4, instead of April 26 as initially planned.
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