Boston Rowing Marathon cancelled

The 2011
Boston Rowing Marathon has been cancelled, amid safety concerns on the River Witham.

The
65-year-old event had been due to take place on Sunday, with crews from around
the country expected to arrive in Lincolnshire to race, raise money for
charity, or simply enjoy the challenge of rowing the 31-mile course between
Lincoln and Boston.

‘It is with
deep regret that we have to announce that this year’s Boston Rowing Marathon
has been cancelled,’ the Boston Rowing Marathon Committee said in a statement.

‘Weed growth
on the river has been a greater issue than normal this summer. British
Waterways have been attempting to make sure the river is clear for the event,
and we have been carefully monitoring their progress.

‘However, when
we completed one of our scheduled inspections of the river today it became
apparent that the situation had deteriorated in the last few days to such an
extent that we were left with no choice but to cancel [the event].

‘We will,
in due course, be organising refunds for all entries.’

This is only
the second time that the Boston Rowing Marathon has been cancelled, with the
event called off for the first time in its history in 2000 because of a fuel
crisis.

For the latest
updates on the cancellation of this year’s event, visit the Boston Rowing
Marathon website.