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Xterra Asia-Pacific Championship cancelled because of Coronavirus COVID-19

Triathlon is seeing the first race cancellation because of the coronavirus COVID-19 as Xterra announces the cancellation of its Asia-Pacific championship in Taiwan.

Scheduled for March 28, Taiwan’s Xterra Asia-Pacific Championship has been cancelled due to “health and travel concerns related to the coronavirus COVID-19.”

Photo: xterrataiwan.com

About half of the sold-out field were international participants, who will be given the option of either receiving a refund for this year’s event, or getting an entry to the 2021 race.

“The health and safety of our participants is our primary concern thus it was imperative to remove the risks associated with international travel for both those athletes coming from outside of Taiwan and the local community as well,” said XTERRA World Tour president Janet Clark.

The race will take place this year, but for Taiwan-based participants only – according to a release posted on the Xterra website: “To best protect the local community from the virus, visitors from off-island will not be allowed to participate.”

The first Xterra Taiwan event took place in Kenting National Park in the south of Taiwan in September, 2018, and the event was named the Asia-Pacific Championship later that year. The race includes a 1.5 km swim at Little Bay Beach, followed by a 26 km mountain bike ride that climbs up Menmalou mountain and finishes with a 10 km run through the Chihniuling forest.

“We’ve seen this event grow from strength to strength since its debut in 2018 and are confident we’ll return in grand fashion next year,” Clark said in the release. “It’s an epic adventure destination, the course and facilities are world-class, and the hosts are warm and welcoming. I encourage the Xterra Tribe to add it to their bucket list and join us for the celebration next year.”