Covid-19 September 2020 update

Dear runners,  

Like us we are sure that you are all acutely aware of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it may influence events like the 2021 edition of the Dragon’s Back Race®. At this stage (still twelve months before the 2021 edition) we’d like to reassure you that managing the COVID-19 risk to everyone involved in the event is top of our priority list.

Earlier this year, our race director, Shane Ohly, was the lead author for the COVID-19 guidelines written for race organisers on behalf of the International Trail Running Association. During the development of this document and ever since, he has been personally tracking the latest research and ‘COVID-19 safe’ protocols that are being published by various governments, public health agencies and sport governing bodies. As you can imagine there is considerable variation between all these organisations as the science, research and public opinion rapidly shift with time.

If we were to finalise and publish any COVID-19 protocols now, they would be out of date by September next year. Whilst we have made some provisional plans, we are not expecting to publish any information on these until early next year. 

We would like everyone who is planning to take part in the Dragon’s Back Race® next year to be reassured that our first concern will be the health and safety of everyone taking part in the event. We will follow the latest good practice guidance and will only go ahead with the event if it is safe to do so. We will always follow guidance on events from the UK Government as the safety of our team and participants is always our first priority. It is highly likely that extra measures will be put in place to make the event COVID-19 safe. 

We are also aware that international travel in particular is a contributing factor to some participants’ decisions about their ability to take part. Whilst such matters are sadly beyond our control, we would encourage those participants to ensure they have robust travel insurance policies in place.

If, as a worst-case scenario, it turns out that we cannot run the event safely then we will offer free transfers or refunds to all our participants, which is what we offered to all the participants at our cancelled and postponed events in 2020.

At this stage, please have absolute confidence that we will do the right thing to organise a safe event, and that we will keep you updated about our plans.

Yours in running,

The Dragon c/o Ourea Events

Climbing Cadair Idris on day three of the 2019 Dragon’s Back Race ©No Limits Photography