In agreement with the city of Frankfurt, the organizer motion events GmbH has decided to cancel the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon 2021 planned for October 31st. In view of the continuing restrictions on major events and all the uncertainties that exist due to covid-19 virus mutations and another possible pandemic wave in autumn, this step has unfortunately become unavoidable.
Holding a world-class event requires safe preparation and planning, which is not possible for the organizer under the given circumstances.
Race Director Jo Schindler: “In the current situation, the event is not calculable for us, because currently no one knows what the legal situation will be on the day of the event. However, we would need a clear basis for planning at the latest now, less than three months before the race weekend. After all, a major event with as many facets as our Mainova Frankfurt Marathon cannot be implemented in just a few weeks. Despite a comprehensive hygiene and safety concept that has been drawn up and a provisional official permission, there is no guarantee that the event will not have to be cancelled at short notice, which would jeopardize the existence of Germany’s oldest city marathon. Our participants as well as our partners and we as the organizers need planning security, which is currently not given. We have thought about it for a long-time, looked for possibilities and wrestled with ourselves, but unfortunately, we do not see any chance of hosting Frankfurt’s largest street festival this year. As a sportsman and long-term organizer, my heart bleeds, but we have to make a rational decision based on the given situation and that’s why we are now pulling the ripcord.”
Every year, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon brings more than 25.000 runners onto the streets of Frankfurt, plus accompanying persons, and spectators. Runners from all over the world travel to Frankfurt to participate in the event. Since motion events took over the organization of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon in 2002, the organizer has succeeded in establishing the event as a top international event. Participants appreciate and praise the great organization of the race. “The quality of the event is of high importance for us and the participants. Unfortunately, it is hardly possible for us to ensure this quality under pandemic conditions”, explains Schindler.
In addition to the main competition, the marathon, the other competitions – relay marathon, mini marathon and shock-headed peter run, as well as the supporting program – have also been cancelled. The participants have already been contacted and comprehensively informed about the cancellation and the consequences. Primarily, as part of the reversal of the event, participants will be offered a voucher, which can be used for registration for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon in 2022 and 2023.
Markus Frank, City Councilor and Head of the Sports Department of the City of Frankfurt: “The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is one of our central major events in the sports city of Frankfurt. Germany’s oldest city marathon has long been an institution in both elite and popular sports and attracts thousands of athletes to the sports city of Frankfurt am Main every year. I have great respect for the decision of the organizers to cancel the marathon again in 2021 at an early stage. This cancellation hits us very hard. An adapted race with distance rules and much more, is not nearly the rousing event that we have known and appreciated for decades in Frankfurt am Main. That’s why we’re looking forward together and hoping for a good restart in 2022.”
Also, the title sponsor Mainova AG shows understanding for the cancellation of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Dr. Constantin H. Alsheimer, Chairman of the Management Board of Mainova AG: “Mainova makes Frankfurt Rhine-Main run with energy. We have great understanding for the postponement of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon to 2022 by the city and the organizers, even though we regret the decision from a sporting point of view. But the safety and health of everyone involved always comes first. Every year, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon brings together around 25.000 ambitious runners and inspires hundreds of thousands of spectators along the course and on the screen. We hope that we can experience this sporting highlight again next year.”
The organizer is now planning a new start in 2022. Preparations for October 30th, 2022 have already begun. When the starting gun then goes off at 10:00 a.m. for the 39th edition of Germany’s oldest city marathon, thousands of athletes, top athletes and amateur athletes, will once again be sent on their way through Frankfurt to the cheers of the spectators. “We are confident that the Corona pandemic will allow events on the scale of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon next year,” says race director Schindler “My team and I are already looking forward to the big reunion celebration at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon 2022. After two years without the race, it’s about time that runners finally fill Frankfurt’s streets again on the last weekend in October.”
