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Kanazawa Marathon to Go Ahead on Oct. 31


With special precaution measures having been lifted within the prefecture of Ishikawa, states of emergency having been lifted nationwide including within the major cities, the number of cases of COVID-19 sharply declining both within and without Ishikawa, and the steady rise in vaccinations, the organizers of the Kanazawa Marathon have committed to staging this year's race with adequate precautions on Oct. 31. 

The organizers ask all participants to monitor their physical condition for the 14 days prior to the race and to take steps to reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus in their day-to-day lives. Participants are also encouraged to get vaccinated wherever possible. The general public is asked not to come watch the race in person and instead to show its support by following TV or radio coverage.

Please be aware that in the event of situations such as a rapid increase in the number of infections, earthquakes, floods or typhoons in the time shortly before the race, the event may be canceled if it is deemed impossible to be held safely. 

For the race to go forward, no state of emergency must be in effect within Ishikawa prefecture. Both the prefectural and Kanazawa metropolitan governments must give final approval for the race to happen, and adequate medical staff must be available without placing a burden on the medical system's ability to cope with the pandemic.

If the race is canceled, a virtual race will be held over a two-week period in November and December. Entry fees will be refunded, with deductions made for actual costs at the time of cancelation and for entry fees for the virtual race. Refunds will be paid via cash vouchers. Participants' t-shirts and other goods will be sent to each entrant, but entrants will not be given priority for next year's race.

Translator's note: In its last running in 2019 the Kanazawa Marathon had 13,756 finishers, with winning times of 2:11:36 for men by Fumihiro Maruyama and 2:34:52 for women by Kaori Yoshida, both new course records. Kanazawa's announcement follows that a few days earlier that the Nov. 7 Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon will go ahead.

source article:
translated by Brett Larner

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