Cork City Marathon 2021 is going virtual! Despite the best efforts of the organisers, it won’t be possible to host a traditional Cork City Marathon on the June Bank Holiday this year. Every possible option for a road race was explored, but the safety concerns for all involved – the runners, spectators, volunteers, medics, suppliers – were overwhelming. Plans to postpone the full event until 2022 and to go virtual for 2021 were finalised today.
Announcing the decision, Race Director, Adrienne Rodgers, said:
It has been our pride and joy to host thousands of runners from home and abroad on race day since 2007, and we’re very disappointed not to be in a position to do so again this year. However, we’re concentrating on the positive. We are delighted to announce the Virtual Cork City Marathon 2021. It won’t replace the elation of race day, but it will give us all a focus, to work safely towards a shared date this June Bank Holiday Weekend.
The Virtual Cork City Marathon is an individual and team race that is open to runners, joggers and walkers of all abilities. Cork’s younger citizens, aged 16 to 18, are also welcome to take part in the Youth Challenge, as part of the main team event. The event will be supported by Cork’s 96FM/C103, who will provide regular updates and information as we countdown to the June Bank Holiday weekend.
The Cork Marathon has a proud community ethos whereby elite athletes and casual runners share the same course. While participants can’t share the course this year, they can still celebrate their own achievements, be it completing a leg of the team event, a half marathon or the classic marathon distance. Participants are urged to run for charity, run for fitness, or to run for no reason other than because they can! If a carrot is needed, there will be lots of goodies to be won throughout the next few months too!
You can find out more information about the virtual event at www.corkcitymarathon.ie or follow the Cork City Marathon on Facebook and Instagram @corkcitymarathon or on Twitter @TheCorkMarathon #MoreThanAMarathon
About the Cork City Marathon
The Cork City Marathon was revived by Cork City Council in 2007 after a break of 21 years. It reflected a growing interest or a rekindling of interest in road running that had peaked in the mid-1980s but had waned in the intervening years.
One of the innovations in the Cork City Marathon was the inclusion of a Team Relay challenge, with teams of between two and five members combining to cover the 26.2 mile distance. In 2013, a Youth Team Relay was introduced, providing an opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 to participate in what is one of the most challenging and rewarding sporting and personal achievements.
Due to the effects of COVID-19, the event had to be postponed last year and again this year. Those who are already entered for the 2021 Cork City Marathon will have their entries automatically transferred to the next live Cork City Marathon – Sunday 5th June 2022. If participants can’t make that date, they have the option of deferring to 2023 or even 2024. All currently registered participants can also avail of a complimentary entry to the Virtual Cork City Marathon 2021.
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