FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
B.A.A. Announces Entry Fees, Registration Insurance, and
Participant Safety Updates for 125th Boston Marathon
BOSTON-The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that the
entry fee for the in-person 125th Boston Marathon for qualifiers will
remain $205.00 USD for United States residents and $255.00 USD for
international residents.
There will be an additional fee of $25.00 USD for all entrants which will
support efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 including additional
precautions focused on the health and safety of participants, volunteers,
vendors, staff, community members, and the general public. For the first
time, participants will also have the opportunity to purchase registration
insurance at the point of registration, which is explained in further
detail later in this news release.
Participants in the in-person race may be expected to produce up to two
negative COVID-19 tests prior to Monday, October 11, regardless of
vaccination status, in order to mitigate spread to participants and
community members. The B.A.A. will continue to follow the data and science
and will share more information in the coming months on testing timelines
and requirements.
On March 15 the B.A.A. announced the field size was established as 20,000
entrants to allow for social distancing throughout the course. To further
enhance participant safety, the B.A.A. will eliminate the staging area in
Hopkinton (Athletes' Village) where athletes traditionally mingle, stretch,
hydrate, and fuel prior to the race. Athletes will instead be assigned
specific start times and participate in a rolling start in Hopkinton. The
rolling start procedure will be directly aligned with the bus loading times
in Boston and transportation to the start.
"The B.A.A. is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the health
and safety of participants, volunteers, and the public," said Tom Grilk,
President and C.E.O. of the B.A.A. "We will continue to follow the science
and adapt the event plan to reflect guidance from our local, city, and
state partners."
Since September 2020, the B.A.A. has been regularly convening a COVID-19
Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group to establish a framework to
advise the B.A.A.'s leadership, board of directors, and staff how to safely
resume the Boston Marathon and other large, in-person B.A.A. road races.
"Working closely with the B.A.A., a group of experts in public health and
endurance race medicine has developed and continued to refine strategies to
ensure a safe and enjoyable Boston Marathon," said Dr. Aaron Baggish,
Co-Medical Director for the B.A.A. and Boston Marathon, Director of the
Cardiovascular Performance Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Heart Center, and co-chair of the advisory group. "This group recognizes
the rapidly evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and will strive to
ensure that an autumn 2021 race is safe for both participants and the
hosting communities."
Participants who elect to purchase registration insurance, offered by
RegShield, will be able to have entry fees and the COVID-19 health and
safety fee refunded for multiple reasons including loss of job, pregnancy,
illness, and injury. Terms of the policy will be available on baa.org and
at the point of registration. Refunds may only be eligible for those who
purchase the insurance policy at the point of registration. Entries in the
Boston Marathon cannot be transferred, deferred to a future year, and only
those who elect to purchase registration insurance may be eligible for
refunds.
Registration for the 125th Boston Marathon will be held through the
B.A.A.'s online platform, Athlete's Village, Tuesday, April 20 at 10:00AM
ET–Friday, April 23 at 5:00PM ET. The selection process will remain
consistent with prior years: applications and qualifying times submitted
between April 20 and April 23 will be verified and ranked by the B.A.A.
based on the amount of time an athlete has run under their respective
qualifying standard. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or
non-acceptance once the B.A.A. has verified all qualifying times and
applications.
In addition to the in-person road race, the B.A.A. is also holding a
historic virtual Boston Marathon in celebration of the 125th running of the
Boston Marathon. Registration for the virtual race opened on March 30 and
has already seen athletes from 84 countries and all 50 states register. The
virtual marathon will take place over race weekend October 8–10.
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.)
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through
sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The
Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with
international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York
City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been
John Hancock. The 125th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on
Monday, October 11, 2021. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit
www.baa.org.
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