Announcement from U.S. 100K Team manager Lin Gentling. Lin has been a USATF National Championship liaison for many trail and ultra championships and lives in Minnesota.
Dear Runners, today we were informed that the International Association of Ultrarunning (IAU) has cancelled the 100K World Championships due to be held on September 12th in Winschoten, The Netherlands. This was in response to the world wide COVID-19 pandemic. There was no indication of this being re-scheduled. Please find the exact text below from the IAU Council:
Following the development of the coronavirus situation in the Netherland, across Europe and globally, it is with regret that we have to inform you on the cancellation of the IAU 100 km World Championship that was planned for September 12th 2020 in Winschoten, The Netherlands. This also applies to IAU 2020 Congress. We will work with the IAU Council on the future date of the Congress and elections.
The current international situation would have seriously compromised the championships as many countries are now restricting international travel, invoking quarantines and advising citizens to remain indoors to prevent infection. Even if the situation eases before September, any capability for international participation would be considerably reduced. First and foremost we had to consider the health and well-being of our athletes, officials and spectators in making this decision.
Matt Flaherty at the 2015 100 km World Championships in Winschoten, Netherlands.
Although this is disappointing, it is certainly the right decision given the current times. Even if the COVID-19 virus was under control by this summer (unlikely), there are athletes all over the world who are finding themselves in financial uncertainty, are from heavily infected areas, and many who are unable to train in their home environments due to the restrictions in place. The conditions are very restrictive throughout the world.
International borders might be closed right now, most of us are sheltering in place, and social distancing is the norm. We are all in this together and given the cooperation of all those in our world, we will defeat this pandemic and the world will hopefully be better, stronger, and more compassionate.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Meanwhile, please be safe, stay healthy, and BELIEVE!!!!
Regards, Lin Gentling
Editor’s Note: Be safe as we continue to navigate the uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic. Please continue to follow the recommendations and updates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including proper hygiene practices. Also consider reading iRunFar’s COVID-19: A Trail Running and Ultrarunning Community Guide.
