11.10.2020

54th CEZ Jizerska 50 will take place despite strict limitations. The organisers are preparing for various options

This year’s Jizerska 50 had fantastic conditions. There was sunshine in the Jizera Mountains, there was enough snow and all the planned races took place, plus with a record-breaking participation. You might be asking how things are going to be next year, more specifically between the 12^th and 14^th February 2021 when the 54^th edition of the race is to take place in Bedřichov. The organisers are now working with a range of scenarios of how to organise the race in spite of strict hygienic measures and with a possible cap on the number of persons per event.

“We know that we can manage to organise the race even if there is a cap of 500 persons, so under the same conditions as there were in June this year. It becomes more difficult with a lower number, but we’re working with a few scenarios for different epidemic situations so that we can manage to organise the 54^th CEZ Jizerska 50 for all cross-country skiing fans while observing all the hygienic and safety rules.” David Douša from the organising team says with a positive tone in his voice.

In the spring no one was able to tell what mass sporting event organisation would be like during the summer holiday. Thanks to the Za zdravé Česko initiative the races took place in the end. Jizerska 50 RUN took place too, and despite limits on the number of race participants, there were almost 3000 runners who set out in waves.

 “We separated the start area from the finish. We regulated people’s movement in the base. We wore face masks and paid attention to hand sanitation. During the summer season we learned a lot that will help us organise the winter races safely. Now we hope our responsible behaviour will have an effect and the numbers of newly infected will fall so that the current strict limits can be lifted. Only a third of places are still available for the main 50K run. The capacity of the 10K route is already full. Jizerska is in a fair way for a successful continuation of a tradition,” says Douša.

In recent yeas the organisers of CEZ Jizerska 50 have managed to put up with bad weather, so they think that they will successfully face the strict measures that the epidemic situation may require. They are looking forward to first signs of snow in the Jizerské Mountains and to the first training and immunity building in the tracks of the Jizerská Magistrála skiing trail.

Registration for the 54^th edition of Jizerska 50 are still open at www.jiz50.cz. We recommend foreign participants to check whether their travel insurance includes insurance against race cancellation because of Covid-19. There are options where it’s possible to get already-paid accommodation and travel fees reimbursed.