2020 Lewa Safari Marathon Canceled To Stop Possible Spread Of Covid-19

The 2020 edition of the Lewa Safari Marathon has been canceled as Kenya and the rest of the world grapples with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s edition, powered by Huawei and Safaricom PLC was slated for 27^th June 2020 allowing participants from all over the globe to compete whilst running through one of Africa’s most breath-taking conservancies.

“Hosting a race in a wildlife conservancy comes with a unique set of challenges. For the past 20 years, we have worked to mitigate these challenges and offer all 1400 of our annual runners what we hope is an optimum running experience. Having all of you at Lewa has always been the highlight of our year. Despite our great willingness to push on, having weighed all factors, we have come to the very difficult decision to cancel this year’s race,” said the CEO of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Mr. Mike Watson.

On March 25, the Kenyan Government announced 28 cases of COVID19 within the country and banned all international flights effective 25 March.

A significant number of marathoners, whose contributions are key to the success of the event, are overseas runners from the UK and the USA. In light of the new travel restrictions and the severity of the situation, they will be unable to participate.

The Government has also issued a public declaration advising Kenyans to avoid all non- essential public gatherings.

“While we’re sure all efforts are being made by the Kenyan government to contain the spread of the virus, it is paramount we heed the presidential directive to avoid all non-essential public gatherings and play our part in flattening the curve until all of this is behind us,” Mr. Watson added.

Mr. Charlie Mayhew Tusk CEO shared, “The importance of the Lewa Safari Marathon to Tusk’s operations in Kenya cannot be overstated. It is our flagship fundraising initiative and undoubtedly a highlight of the Tusk calendar for the hundreds of international runners we host every year at the event. This event regularly generates over $500,000 (KES 50,000,000) for numerous conservation, education and community projects across Kenya, so its cancellation this year is a massive blow. However, the safety of runners, supporters and local communities amid this global crisis is paramount. We will return next year, stronger than ever, and meanwhile, we are committed to continuing supporting our partner projects as best we can,”

“The marathon is not just a running experience, it is a force for good. It not only helps us protect Kenya’s wildlife, but it brings communities together and transforms lives. The extraordinary sums generated go directly toward our conservation efforts on the ground. It is an event like no other.”

Additionally, holding such a highly competitive event to its usual standards may impose a financial strain on the event’s co-sponsors who in this tough business climate will struggle to support the event as they have done before.

The event organizers will offer the participants the chance to defer their entries, as well as claim full or partial refunds. The cancellation policy can be accessed in full here: https://www.lewasafarimarathon.co.ke/cancellation-policy/. Participants can contact marathon@lewa.org or call +254 717 117 223 in case of any further questions.

For the past twenty years, the marathon, held on Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, co-organized by Tusk and title sponsored by Safaricom PLC has become a permanent fixture in Kenya’s sporting calendar, with 1,400 local and international runners actively participating in what has been termed one of the most challenging and exciting races globally. Runners of all abilities have taken part – from elite professionals like Marathon World Record Holder Eliud Kipchoge to amateur runners and walkers.

Over and above its identity as a sporting event, the marathon has also been a vehicle for the advancement of education, healthcare, and conservation efforts in Kenya, raising close to KES 800,000,000 for these causes since the year 2000.