The executive producer of I During Qc, Marianne Pelchat
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July 15, 2020 11h18
Updated at 13h04
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Quebec is headed for a year without a marathon
Ian Bussières
The Sun
The announcement Wednesday of the cancellation of the Marathon SSQ Insurance of Quebec, from October 2 to 4, more provide a year without a marathon in the Beautiful Province. Only one of the races of 42,2 km planned by 2020 in Quebec, the Marathon of the P’tit Train du Nord from Saint-Jerome, has not yet been wiped off the map, but the organizers give themselves two weeks to take a final decision.
Earlier this week, institutions such as the Toronto Marathon and the Chicago Marathon also heralded the cancellation of their activities this year because of the pandemic of Covid-19 that has been raging for several months.
“It also comes to announce the cancellation of the Marathon de Granby and around the world, including six marathons, major, the London Marathon, scheduled for April, but as previously reported in October, which is not yet cancelled,” explains Marianne Pelchat, executive producer of the organization I run Quebec, which organizes the Marathon de Québec.
Difficult
It has, however, admitted that the decision had been difficult to take.”We believed until the end, we had done an in-depth work, but the entire risk and the state of the situation in Quebec, with the port of the mask is mandatory, the rules are a little hazy for the external events of more than 250 people, and the uncertainty as to the location this autumn we have brought them to make this decision. The risks were too high,” she continued, noting that his organization had discussed with the regional Direction of public health of the National Capital, the quebec Federation of athletics, the City of Quebec and its corporate partners before a decision is made to cancel the event and refund all participants.
“We believe we have taken a reasonable decision taking into account our role as a corporate citizen in the management of the pandemic. Running is a sport that promotes physical and mental health, then we would not want to become a vector of contamination,” adds Pelchat.
Try everything
The organization had all tried to save the event this year. “We had reduced the capacity of the event, amended schedule, scheduled departures in waves, but in the end, it remains a gathering of a large volume of people over three days of events. And with what we see in the bars, we know that it can become difficult to control the way people behave.”
For I in Quebec, as for many people, 2020 will be a year to forget. “But at least, we know why, because it’s easier to accept it. It is certain that the riders are all disappointed, because they love to compete, but we are working on a virtual race, whose details will be given in a month. The brand I run in Quebec city wants to continue to give people the opportunity to move around”, concludes Marianne Pelchat.
