2021-04-14

Liverpool races cancelled again

Local Journalism Initiative Reporters

The two annual Run Nova Scotia events that occur in Liverpool - Run Our Shore and the Liverpool Privateer 5-mile road race - are cancelled for 2021 for the second straight year.

"I think we are all kind of disappointed to have to cancel again; it lets a lot of people down," commented Richard Lane, director of the host group, the Active Living Options Society. "Certainly, we are not only race organizers, but we're runners ourselves. Not having the races is disappointing, both from a participation point of view and also not being able to welcome people to our town."

The races are part of the Run Nova Scotia race series and are organized locally by the Active Living Options Society, a non-profit organization.

Run Nova Scotia had cancelled the 2021 series earlier this year and Lane said they support their provincial body in doing so.

The Run Our Shore event, which would have been their eighth annual event, was scheduled to take place April 17 this year. Prior to the cancellation of last year's event, there were 175 racers entered. Those racers were given the option for a refund or just to defer their registration. Lane said only about 10 people decided to take the refund.

In the last Run our Shore event, 250 runners competed.

The Privateer 5-Mile race, which has been held for more than 40 years, takes place during Privateer Days at the end of June. According to Lane, racers were waiting to see if it was going to be cancelled before registering.

"We are expecting things to change, but springtime is just too soon for the Run our Shore event," he said. "The five-miler is later in the year, but with Privateer Days already being cancelled, and looking at the vaccine schedule, it just made sense to cancel that as well."

He noted that some races have gone ahead, but they are unsanctioned and the hosts would have to look after their own insurance and take responsibility for the race on their own, without the help of the provincial body.

In the case of the Liverpool races, it would have required a lot of extra work, including adding more porta-potties and making sure social distancing was maintained.

"We would also have to have enough people willing to travel out of Halifax, which is our main market," he said. "Would we have enough to make it worthwhile? If you have reduced numbers and increased costs, there is that element of making it viable."

Lane hoped that the pandemic would slow down enough so both events can run next year.