Vancouver Sun Run cancelled as province bans large gatherings amid COVID-19 concerns
Posted March 12, 2020 4:07 pm.
Last Updated March 12, 2020 4:55 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A popular 10-kilometre race in Vancouver has been cancelled on the heels of the province’s health minister banning large gatherings.
The Vancouver Sun Run was called off Thursday afternoon after seven more cases of COVID-19 were announced by the province.
Tim Hopkins, Sun Run spokesperson, says 33,000 people were registered for the April 19 race at the time it was called off.
“We’re moving forward with something that we never imagined at the start of this year, and the start of our planning,” he explains. “We’ve been working countless hours over the last couple of weeks on our COVID-19 policy and how we can move forward as an event. At this point, with everything going on in North America and around the world, we have not been given the possibility of postponing.”
Hopkins calls the cancellation “heartbreaking” for all involved and says the decision was difficult, but inevitable in the wake of the announcement by Health Minister Adrian Dix banning all gatherings of more than 250 people.
BREAKING: The Vancouver Sun Run, which was supposed to take place on April 19th, has been cancelled due to #COVID19 concerns. A statement says, "2020 registered runners will have the opportunity to defer their registration to the 2021 event." Details on @NEWS1130.
— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) March 12, 2020
Runners will be able to defer participation to 2021 for a $15 fee.
Registration fees will not be refunded because organizers have already incurred significant costs.
“Those costs are incurred over the weeks and months leading up to the race. In other words, we’ve spent your money on all of the things that go into producing the Sun Run for you (think race shirts, venue rental fees, equipment, advertising, communications, etc.) and cannot refund money that has been spent,” reads a statement on the website.
With files from Lasia Kretzel
