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Rescheduled 2020 Bay To Breakers Race Canceled For Virtual Event Due To COVID-19

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The 2020 running of the Bay to Breakers, which had already been rescheduled to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been canceled.

John Kane, CEO of the Capstone Event Group which organizes the race, said, "After postponing the iconic Bay to Breakers race from May to September, we made the difficult decision to transition to a virtual event."

Kane said San Francisco city officials, along with race organizers, were not confident that it would be safe to host the large crowds and thousands of runners that gather for the annual race, which has been run for more than a century.

Indeed, the announcement came on the same day Mayor London Breed announced the city would delay the reopening of salons, museums and other businesses set for Monday, due to concerns about a rising number of coronavirus cases.

Organizers said they are now offering participants a chance to participate in a virtual 12K this fall, where they can run the Bay to Breakers distance at a place of their own choosing, presumably socially distanced. Runners participating in the virtual run would receive their t-shirt or tank, a medal, bib and a bonus hoodie.

For those unable to participate in the virtual run, participants can defer registration to either the 2021 or 2022 running of the Bay to Breakers.

The race, famous for its costumed runners, "centipede" group runners, and random naked participants, had been run every year since 1912.

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