The 2020 Citizens Pell Bridge Run is the latest event to be forced to change plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Foundation and title sponsor Citizens, regretfully announce the cancellation of the 2020 Citizens Pell Bridge Run scheduled for October 18, 2020, due to concerns about health and safety during the current global pandemic”, event organizers announced on Monday.
Over the past nine years the Citizens Pell Bridge Run has hosted upwards of 3,500 registered runners and walkers annually as they cross the Newport Pell Bridge from Jamestown into downtown Newport. This award winning, 4.2-mile road race has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities over the years.
“The iconic Citizens Pell Bridge Run has become the largest road race in the State of Rhode Island and raises over $100,000 for local charities annually.” said event director, Matthew Gray of Gray Matter Marketing in the announcement. “COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of events of this kind across the world since early March. We remain optimistic that we can get back to racing again at this scale in 2021.”
Citizens has been the title sponsor of this race for all nine iterations of the event. Citizens is based in Providence, Rhode Island, and has been very active in supporting the mission of this event since it was founded in 2011.
RITBF and Citizens plan to host the 10th running of the Citizens Pell Bridge Run on Sunday, October 17, 2021. Registration for next year’s race is expected to open next spring.