The XIX edition of the Zegama-Aizkorri that we had planned to celebrate on June 6 is suspended after analyzing the current health situation and due to the respect that citizens, volunteers and runners deserve. In 2021 we won't be together, but Zegama goes on.

From the Zegama-Aizkorri organisation, due to the current health situation, we have decided to SUSPEND the 2021 edition.

The year 2020 was a tough year for all of us and we have had to experience situations we have never met before. We have had to face situations that we might never even got to think. But like everything else, what we have experienced has given us lessons and we will remember several moments of this year throughout our lives. Even the smallest initiatives, gained strength and we felt more than 12,000 "crazy people" from all over the world a week in May in Zegama, doing 42 km and arriving at the finish line with a big smile.

Trying to fill last year's gap, we have worked with more enthusiasm and at the same time with more uncertainty than ever. But if the past has taught us anything, is that it is very difficult to fight against what is not visible. We have found ourselves under rules which we do not yet know well, and that changes depending on the moment. But again, this year, we cannot guarantee everyone's safety.

We might say that Zegama-Aizkorri have four important pillars. The first, the runners, runners who patiently wait several years for the draw. Runners who mark us as a challenge to do it once in a lifetime. For many we would have been the most important objective of the year, if we have been a silver lining to continue training during this pandemic and if it has served to keep the illusion alive, don’t give up!

The second pillar is the elite runners who come to our race every year from all over the world. They have given us the level of an international race throughout all these years, they have helped us share our name. In this small sport with almost no professional athletes, the year without races has been really hard for these elite athletes. Because the survival of many of them is limited to what they earn from the races.

Our third pillar, and of which we are very proud, is you. Our spectators, both those who follow us in our networks, but especially, you are the ones who push the runners with your roars on the Sancti Spiritu climb. You are the ones who make corridors in the fields of Urbia, so that no one gets lost. You are the ones who are shouting that the slope is over with rain, wind, or sun at the top of Aizkorri. You are the ones who have made us known internationally as "Basque fever". You are the ones who make us special among so many races in the world.

And the last pillar, and the most important, is our volunteering. Those of you who have managed to associate the name of Zegama-Aizkorri with a smile, those who seeing a Zegamas' Buff or T-shirt around the world, and something moves inside you. Many of you are from Zegama, but also those who come from nearby towns and become almost one more of the town for a weekend, like zegamarras. We have no words of thanks to you!

These are the beams that keep our house standing, of course we could make a shelter without a pillar, but from the Zegama-Aizkorri organization we are clear that this would not be Zegama-Aizkorri. A race with only elites would not be within our values, a Zegama without a spectator would not have any charm, we would commit enormous disrespect to the draw runner who has had so much trouble getting the bib if we did not maintain the four pillars.

Under the circumstances, it has not too hard for us to make the decision, in this moment of uncertainty, our choice has been to guarantee safety. If for that one more year we must stop celebrating the Zegama-Aizkorri as we have known it until now, we will not celebrate it. We organize this great non-profit sports festival and the least that our town, volunteers and runners deserve is respect.

Therefore, one more year we will keep the bibs and waiting lists assigned in 2020 and consequently, in 2022 the pre-registration period will not open.

But we continue working so that you can live the Zegama experience in a short period of time. In the meantime, let's keep taking care of ourselves!

See you soon!

IN 2021 WE WON’T BE TOGETHER, BUT ZEGAMA GOES ON
 

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