The Bank of America Chicago 13.1, scheduled to debut on Sunday, June 7, has been canceled amid the coronavirus crisis to protect "the health and wellbeing of our participants, volunteers, event staff and spectators," organizers announced Thursday.
The new Chicago half-marathon, described as a "running tour of Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods," was scheduled to anchor a three-day health and wellness festival on Chicago’s West Side.
"We look forward to the future when we can once again come together to celebrate one another, our sport, and our city," organizers said in a statement. "For now, our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as the thousands of people on the front lines working and sacrificing their own health and safety for the benefit of our entire community."
The event added a third premier race to organizers' portfolio, which includes the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle.
"Registered runners for the 2020 Bank of America Chicago 13.1 will be contacted in the coming days with the option to receive a refund for their 2020 race entry or to defer their place and entry fee to the 2021 race," organizers said.
This year's Shamrock Shuffle was canceled in March after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the mandatory cancellation of gatherings of more than 1,000 people. Pritzker has since implemented a stay-at-home order as the coronavirus fight continues.
Read the full statement from half-marathon organizers below:
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When we launched the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 last fall, we challenged the running community to reimagine the run. Our hope was to provide participants with an experience that would connect us as a city and celebrate the vibrant and diverse nature of Chicago’s West Side through a world-class race and festival experience.
Today, our communities, our city, and our world are faced with the challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19). While we had hoped to hold an event that would celebrate the unique fabric of our communities, we also feel a responsibility to the health and wellbeing of our event participants, volunteers, event staff and spectators, as well as the city resources required to produce the race. With this in mind, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Bank of America Chicago 13.1, which was scheduled for June 7, 2020.
Registered runners for the 2020 Bank of America Chicago 13.1 will be contacted in the coming days with the option to receive a refund for their 2020 race entry or to defer their place and entry fee to the 2021 race (June 6, 2021).
We look forward to the future when we can once again come together to celebrate one another, our sport, and our city. For now, our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as the thousands of people on the front lines working and sacrificing their own health and safety for the benefit of our entire community.
For event updates and information visit chicago13point1.com.
