The North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Chatoyer Endurance 10K, which was slated to take place this Sunday from Gordon Yard to the Sharpes Playing Field, in the North Leeward area, has been cancelled.
Organised by Team Athletics SVG (TASVG) and funded by NACAC, the event, a staple on the local road racing calendar and dubbed the ‘World’s Most Challenging 10K’, was forced to be shelfed for this year, because of the “lack of funding.”
Also weighing heavily in favour of the cancellation was the absence of the international category.
Word from TASVG is that it could not have justified funding from NACAC for an event with an international slot, with no guarantee of participation from overseas athletes.
The current coronavirus pandemic and the mandatory health protocols, inclusive of quarantine, is the main cause of that lack of interest from persons outside of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Since the introduction of the International Category in 2015, participation has come from across the Caribbean region, inclusive of Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Guyana and Jamaica. There have also been entrants from as far as Kenya.
In the introductory year, Kenyan Kenneth Rotich took the Male International category, with Trinidadian Tonya Nero inking her name on the Female category.
From 2016 to 2018, Vincentian Junior Ashton was the Male International winner. He was toppled by Kenyan Alex Akesa last year.
However, in the Female category, it has all been Vincentian Linda Mc Dowall. She has topped the podium from 2016 to 2019.
Apart from the International category for both males and females, local athletes compete for honours in the Under-20 and Open categories.
With the NACAC 10K cancelled, the next calendar event for TASVG is the Pre-Season Relays, which are scheduled for 11th December at
