DUBLIN MARATHON ORGANISERS are “cautiously optimistic” that it will go ahead on the October Bank Holiday weekend, with a call to be made in late June.
A general view of the 2019 Dublin Marathon. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Speaking to RTÉ Sport as the virtual format of the KBC Dublin Race Series was announced today, Race Director Jim Aughney conceded that “vaccination is key” in efforts to host a full, in-person showpiece event on Sunday, 24 October, for which entry is now open.
The 2020 edition — which was due to take place on the same weekend last year — was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, though all entries for the 26.2-miler and the KBC Race Series remain valid for the 2021 races.
Further updates on the likelihood of the 2021 Marathon taking place were provided today.
“For runners who have secured a place for the 2021 KBC Dublin Marathon on Sunday 24th of October, it is still too early to say definitively if the event will go ahead due to Covid 19 restrictions,” a statement reads.
“Entrants will receive official confirmation by Friday, 25 June. Event organisers are cautiously optimistic that there is still potential for it to proceed.”
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In that same statement, Aughney said: “We are still working towards holding the 2021 KBC Dublin Marathon in October. The detailed planning by the organising committee is onoing and we continue to engage with the relevant authorities.
Entries are now open for the 2021 KBC Virtual Dublin Marathon & Race Series. Organisers are still working towards holding the #KBCDublinMarathon on 24th Oct & will let runners know by 25th June if the race can go ahead #RunYourTownpic.twitter.com/PCpsiQuUaB
— KBC Dublin Marathon (@dublinmarathon) May 5, 2021
“We wanted to be transparent with runners to let them know the date we will make the final decision while also offering runners who have not secured a place, an option to enter our virtual marathon.
“We are making the final decision as late as possible so we can review the state of play while also ensuring we can start the critical event management needed to provide the quality of race for runners that we pride ourselves on delivering.”
Delving deeper into the current outlook with RTÉ, Aughney continued:
Vaccination is key. The greater number of vaccines we can get approved and get out there, that’s going to be key for us to try and organise an event.
“We can actually look after the participants very, very safely by testing them when they come into the RDS and making sure that nobody gets into our footprint.
“The one thing I suppose, the unknown for us, will be the spectators. Again, the vaccine is going to be key for that, to get everybody vaccinated and if that is the case, we’re still hopeful that we can run an event.
“We’ve pushed out the date to 25 June to leave it as late possible because at that stage the runners would have four months to prepare and we would have four months to prepare.
We’re working away in the background and have Plan A and B and probably have Plan C and D, with different combinations of what might be possible.
“We’re talking to the relevant people and the news is changing weekly, so what we thought might be possible last week might be a little bit more positive next week.”
A full field is unlikely regardless of what happens, he did admit.
“The chances of 25,000 people being allowed to run in the streets of Dublin might be slim at this stage but I think we, the organisers and the number of runners, we could get into it would be delighted with any number being able to run.
“In any of these events you’re going to be restricted to start off in smaller numbers and over time build it back up again.
“Our chances of running 25,000 might be slim but if we can get 10,000 or 15,000 or whatever number we can get, it would be great news for the city and great news for the runners.”
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Dublin Marathon organisers 'cautiously optimistic' it will go ahead, as 'vaccination is key'
DUBLIN MARATHON ORGANISERS are “cautiously optimistic” that it will go ahead on the October Bank Holiday weekend, with a call to be made in late June.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport as the virtual format of the KBC Dublin Race Series was announced today, Race Director Jim Aughney conceded that “vaccination is key” in efforts to host a full, in-person showpiece event on Sunday, 24 October, for which entry is now open.
The 2020 edition — which was due to take place on the same weekend last year — was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, though all entries for the 26.2-miler and the KBC Race Series remain valid for the 2021 races.
Further updates on the likelihood of the 2021 Marathon taking place were provided today.
“For runners who have secured a place for the 2021 KBC Dublin Marathon on Sunday 24th of October, it is still too early to say definitively if the event will go ahead due to Covid 19 restrictions,” a statement reads.
“Entrants will receive official confirmation by Friday, 25 June. Event organisers are cautiously optimistic that there is still potential for it to proceed.”
In that same statement, Aughney said: “We are still working towards holding the 2021 KBC Dublin Marathon in October. The detailed planning by the organising committee is onoing and we continue to engage with the relevant authorities.
“We wanted to be transparent with runners to let them know the date we will make the final decision while also offering runners who have not secured a place, an option to enter our virtual marathon.
“We are making the final decision as late as possible so we can review the state of play while also ensuring we can start the critical event management needed to provide the quality of race for runners that we pride ourselves on delivering.”
Delving deeper into the current outlook with RTÉ, Aughney continued:
“We can actually look after the participants very, very safely by testing them when they come into the RDS and making sure that nobody gets into our footprint.
“The one thing I suppose, the unknown for us, will be the spectators. Again, the vaccine is going to be key for that, to get everybody vaccinated and if that is the case, we’re still hopeful that we can run an event.
“We’ve pushed out the date to 25 June to leave it as late possible because at that stage the runners would have four months to prepare and we would have four months to prepare.
“We’re talking to the relevant people and the news is changing weekly, so what we thought might be possible last week might be a little bit more positive next week.”
A full field is unlikely regardless of what happens, he did admit.
“The chances of 25,000 people being allowed to run in the streets of Dublin might be slim at this stage but I think we, the organisers and the number of runners, we could get into it would be delighted with any number being able to run.
“In any of these events you’re going to be restricted to start off in smaller numbers and over time build it back up again.
“Our chances of running 25,000 might be slim but if we can get 10,000 or 15,000 or whatever number we can get, it would be great news for the city and great news for the runners.”
For more details on the Dublin Marathon and Dublin Race Series, visit http://kbcdublinmarathon.ie
Originally published at 16.15
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Dublin Marathon eyes on october