Organisers of the Ørsted Great Grimsby 10K have cancelled this year’s race following advice from the North East Lincolnshire Event Safety Advisory Group (ESAG).
The race was due to take place on Sunday 18 October but will now be a virtual event due to the concerns raised by the Group about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Race directors Neil and Nicola Pattison, from Tape2Tape, said: “The safety of the runners, spectators and local people is our top priority, we need people to stay safe.
“We’ve consistently assessed the ongoing situation and on the advice of ESAG, cancelling this year’s race is the right thing to do in these uncertain times.
“It’s disappointing for everyone involved, but we’ve had loads of support for our virtual races as a way for us to encourage people to get up and move more.
“We have contacted everyone who has already entered the race to explain the decision and give them the option to enter the virtual race or defer until next year.”
Emma Toulson, Lead Stakeholder Advisor at Ørsted, said: “While it’s a great shame that this year’s event has been cancelled, we understand it has been for absolutely the right reasons with community safety and health taking top priority.
“Many of the local charities and organisations who benefit from the event have been hit by the pandemic, so we’re delighted that many runners, including the Ørsted Team, have decided to take part in the virtual race to raise funds in a safe way. For those that can’t take part this year, we look forward to seeing you all in 2021.”
The Event Safety Advisory Group is made up of organisations including North East Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue and East Midlands Ambulance Service.
The group helps to monitor and discuss event health and safety and acts as the single point of contact for event organisers.
Stephen Pintus, director of Public Health for North East Lincolnshire, said: “The Ørsted Great Grimsby 10K is a highly valued and hugely popular event for the area, but regrettably, the prevailing COVID-19 position and Public Health advice means that the Event Safety Advisory Group could not support the race happening this year.
“We’ve been fortunate in North East Lincolnshire in that we’ve experienced very low numbers of coronavirus cases in the area and we must do everything we can to keep it that way, especially as the autumn approaches.”
The 2020 Ørsted Great Grimsby 10K was originally due to take place on Sunday 19 July but was postponed until October due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Since it started in 2015, the race has grown into one of the biggest town centre races in the region with thousands of pounds raised for charity.
The virtual race will provide much-needed support for charities and community groups, just as the physical race has done for the past five years.
As well as receiving a medal, all runners will be upgraded to a long-sleeved training top in preparation for the autumn/winter running months.
To enter the virtual race or find out more, visit www.greatgrimsby10k.com.