January's Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon Becomes Third 10,000+ Japanese Marathon of 2021 to Cancel

We would like to extend our thanks to all of you for your understanding regarding the ongoing situation around our ability to stage our event. We have explored every option to hold the 40th anniversary edition of the Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon as scheduled on Jan. 10, 2021, but in the interest of preventing the further spread of the novel coronavirus and with the health and safety of our runners, volunteers, and local supporters being our top priority, we have decided to postpone the race for one year.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but ask again for your understanding. As an alternative event, we plan to hold a virtual race to commemorate our 40th anniversary. Details will be announced later, but we hope that by taking part you can still experience some of the beauty of our course and the bounty of locally-produced specialties, even from far away. We will continue to work with all our ability toward holding the 40th anniversary race in January, 2022 and look forward to your continued support and encouragement.

Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon Organizing Committee

Translator's note: Ibusuki Nanohana follows the Katsuta and Kumamoto Castle marathons, and the Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon, in the first wave of major 2021 Japanese races to cancel. Along with the announcement of Ibusuki Nanohana's cancelation, the Nov. 16 Oita International Wheelchair Marathon announced its postponement to an unspecified date in 2021, and the Nov. 29 Shonan International Marathon, the last 10,000+ marathon of 2020 yet to cancel, announced a press conference on Aug. 4 to discuss the fate of this year's race.

A breakdown of the current situation among Japan's 29 main marathons from October through December, representing over 300,000 finishers total among each race's previous edition, and 2021 announcements:

Oct. 4: Tohoku Miyagi Fukko Marathon (7,457) - canceled
Oct. 4: Matsumoto Marathon (6,455)- canceled
Oct. 11: Niigata City Marathon (6,784) - canceled
Oct. 18: Chiba Aqualine Marathon (9,541) - canceled
Oct. 25: Kanazawa Marathon (10,408) - canceled
Oct. 25: Mito Komon Marathon (9,995) - canceled
Oct. 25: Shimada Oikawa Marathon (6,589) - canceled
Oct. 25: Iwate Morioka City Marathon (5,729) - canceled
Nov. 1: Yokohama Marathon (25,195) - canceled
Nov. 1: Toyama Marathon (12,603) - canceled
Nov. 1: Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon (8,650) - canceled
Nov. 8: Okayama Marathon (13,491) - canceled
Nov. 8: Fukuoka Marathon (11,349) - canceled
Nov. 8: Ibigawa Marathon (5,818) - canceled
Nov. 15: Kobe Marathon (19,444) - canceled
Nov. 22: Tsukuba Marathon (11,461) - canceled
Nov. 23: Fukuchiyama Marathon (6,429) - canceled
Nov. 23: Ohtawara Marathon (1,697) - canceled
Nov. 29: Osaka Marathon (31,594) - canceled
Nov. 29: Fujisan Marathon (7,200) - entries suspended, decision whether to go ahead by July 31
Nov. 29 Nagasaki Peace marathon (1st running, field of 10,000) - canceled
Dec. 6: Shonan International Marathon (16,821) - entries suspended, announcement about race's fate on Aug. 4
Dec. 6: Naha Marathon (14,660) - canceled
Dec. 6: Fukuoka International Marathon (370) - TBA
Dec. 13: Saitama International Marathon (13,340) - canceled
Dec. 13: Nara Marathon (11,137) - canceled
Dec. 13: Aoshima Taiheiyo Marathon (8,043) - canceled
Dec. 20: Hofu Marathon (2,724) - entries suspended
Dec. 20: Mie Matsuzaka Marathon (1st running, field of 7,000) - canceled

2021

Jan. 10 - Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon (10,954) - canceled
Jan. 31 - Katsuta Marathon (10,627) - canceled
February - Kumamoto Castle Marathon (10,444) - canceled

source article:
http://ibusuki-nanohana.com
translated by Brett Larner

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