In 2016, about 1,400 runners participated in the Drenthe Loopfestijn. For this year, the number of registrations is provisionally at 180. “The concerns are quite great,” says Jan Sorgdrager, chairman of the running competition in Klazienaveen.
The race has different parts: the 4 miles, 10 kilometers and the half marathon. For children there is also the 1 and 2 kilometers, and students of the Esdal College participate in the Esdalrun, of 3 kilometers.
To achieve a successful running event, some 500 participants are needed, Sorgdrager believes. “We’ll make it a party anyway,” he guarantees. But that party, that is with so few runners, may be the last. Fewer participants means less income. And that while sponsors have also disappeared and the subsidy from both the province and the municipality has been reduced.
“The costs for the walking festival have actually increased.” For example, the organization spent more money on crush barriers and traffic controllers. “We still had a jar of money, that’s enough for now. But that jar is almost empty after this edition.”
Still, Sorgdrager doesn’t see the event disappearing immediately. He wants to prevent that with the board. This year the 38th edition is on the program. The start and finish of all parts are in the center of Klazienaveen.
“There are people everywhere along the course who are encouraging, making music, giving extra water sponges and even barbecuing. It is really a party in Klazienaveen.”
The explanation of the lower number of registrations throws Sorgdrager on the consequences of corona. “You see that at all running events.” If the number of registrations remains low, he believes there is a real chance that the start and finish will no longer be in the center, but in an outlying area. “That saves costs: fewer fences and fewer traffic controllers.”