The New York Marathon, originally scheduled for November 1, was canceled Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, announced the New York Road Runners association, which is organizing the event. This is the second time that the world’s most popular cross-country race has been canceled, after the 2012 break after Hurricane Sandy.
No candles for the 50th anniversary
The canceled edition should have been exceptional, as it was the 50th New York City Marathon, created in 1970. “Canceling this year’s marathon is a huge disappointment for all associated with it“, commented the CEO of the New York Road Runners, Michael Capiraso, quoted in a press release, “but that was clearly the way to go from a health security perspective.“
The satisfaction of the mayor of New York
New York was by far the city in the world most affected by Covid-19, which has caused more than 22,000 deaths. The organizers will offer the possibility to registrants to have their registration fees reimbursed or to postpone their participation to 2021, 2022 or 2023.
“I applaud the New York Road Runners’ decision to make the health and safety of spectators and runners a priority“said the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, cited in the press release.
Although far from 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. In the 2019 edition, he broke the record for the number of participants who crossed the finish line of a marathon, with 53,640 runners.
Berlin imite New York
Contacted by AFP, the NYRR vice-president in charge of the media, Chris Weiller, indicated that before the cancellation, the organization was counting on “more than 53,000“runners to finish this year, including around 25,000 from overseas. The 50th New York Marathon is now scheduled for November 7, 2021.
On September 27, the Berlin Marathon was due to take place. But the organizers, shortly after the announcement of those for the New York race, made the same decision. “As hard as we have worked, it is currently not possible to organize the marathon“, indicate the organizers on their site:”Pleasure, good humor, health and success are the elements that characterize“the Berlin marathon,”but we are unable to guarantee all of this at this timeSince 2003, all world records have been achieved on the Berlin course, which is flat and particularly favorable.
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