AMERICA'S LARGEST HALF-MARATHON CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CRISIS
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2020 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

(17-Apr) -- The Popular Brooklyn Half, America's largest half-marathon in 2019 with 26,841 finishers, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis, race organizers said today.  Officials of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the event founders and organizers, said that the May 16 event would not be held, that runners could receive refunds, and that a free virtual racing opportunity would be offered. The decision was made in cooperation with government officials, NYRR said.

"Registered runners will have the option of choosing either a full refund of their entry fee or guaranteed non-complimentary entry for next year's Brooklyn Half in May, 2021," NYRR officials said in a statement. "Those runners who opt for entry into the 2021 Brooklyn Half will also receive 2021 TCS New York City Marathon qualifier credit and 2021 United Airlines NYC Half qualifier credit. All registered runners will receive an email in the coming days with more details."

The Popular Brooklyn Half is the second-largest race staged annually by NYRR after the TCS New York City Marathon, and the largest race in the not-for-profit's 2020 event portfolio to face cancellation due to the COVID-19 crisis. On March, 10 NYRR cancelled the United Airlines NYC Half, scheduled for March 15, a massive event which recorded 24,663 finishers in 2019. Three days later, NYRR made a further announcement cancelling all in-person events through May 10 which included iconic road races like the UAE Healthy Kidney 10-K (7,696 finishers in 2019) and SHAPE + Health Women's Half-Marathon (6,145 finishers in 2019).

In total, nine NYRR races have been cancelled so far. The city of New York recently announced restrictions on public events through May 31.

Moreover, according to NYRR's on-line race calendar, registration for events in June, July and August has been temporarily closed "in light of the ongoing precautions due to COVID-19," the NYRR website reads.

Always a strong community supporter, NYRR is taking steps to provide support to the people of New York City who have suffered due to COVID-19, especially front-line healthcare workers.

"Our community's healthcare workers are on the front lines, risking their lives every day to help," NYRR officials said in a statement. "Many of these same doctors, nurses, emergency responders, and medical professionals support runners at NYRR events. To help our heroes on the front lines, NYRR has recently donated $100,000 to the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund through the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. The running community can help as well by donating to the Mayor’s Fund in support of the many New Yorkers who need critical assistance during these unprecedented times."


GRAPHIC: 2020 Popular Brooklyn Half race logo (courtesy of NYRR)