Organisers of Run Galway Bay have announced the event will not go ahead this weekend, with Storm Amy prompting a nationwide weather warning and forcing a late postponement.
The race, which attracts thousands of runners from across Ireland and overseas, will now take place on Saturday the 11th of October instead.
In a statement, organisers explained that the decision was made following consultation with Galway City Council and in light of the storm’s sudden change in direction and predicted strength.
“The safety of participants and staff is our priority and the uncertainty this latest weather event may bring is the deciding factor to postpone. Even if winds subside, there remains a strong possibility of flooding and debris on the route.”
While the timing will frustrate many who had already made travel plans, organisers stressed that the call was unavoidable. With winds forecast to exceed safe limits and conditions on the promenade likely to be hazardous, officials say there was no responsible way to stage the event this weekend.
They added that postponement, rather than cancellation, means all efforts can now go into ensuring runners have a memorable race day next week:
“We love bringing this great event to our city and we are as disappointed as no doubt you are that the event cannot go ahead this weekend. We’ll be putting extra effort into making next week’s event even more special.”
Behind the scenes, the event team are now working to stand down infrastructure and suppliers before setting up again next week. Participants have been asked to bear with organisers as replies to queries may take longer than usual during the rescheduling process.
