Athletics club forced to cancel 40-year-old road race after Doncaster Council dispute

Askern District Running Club, which organises the annual Norton 9 athletics race, says it has cancelled the upcoming event along with ‘all future road-based events for the indefinite future.’

And officials blamed the decision on an ongoing battle with Doncaster Council over safety provision for road races in the city, adding: “It is extremely frustrating for them to end this way.”

Releasing a statement announcing the cancellation of the race and other upcoming events, a ADRC spokesman said: “It is with the deepest regret that we must cancel the upcoming Norton 9 and all future road-based events for the indefinite future.

"This was an incredibly tough decision but ultimately our hand has been forced by the local authority’s conditions for starting races on public roads. We are not alone in this issue either in the borough or other boroughs.

"After staging last year’s Norton 9 and trying to organise the Askern 10K in May, we have had continual dialogue with the council.

"We staged the 10k at a deferred date after believing we had satisfied the conditions to staging future races, alas it seems not.

“We have spent eleven months and thousands of pounds on certified training and equipment attempting to comply, but ultimately, we feel that unless a third-party traffic management is professionally employed that running road races is not acceptable to DMBC anymore.

“Our club’s ethos has always been to provide the lowest cost races possible for all, but with a focus on providing for other clubs – we have been extremely proud of this and flattered when local clubs choose our races to be part of their GP series.

"The cost structures required to employ third-party traffic management would double the entry fees, if not more.

“Our three races have 30+ years of history - we believe the Norton 9 in some form is 42 years old.

"We have adapted to challenges in the past including extreme weather, foot and mouth, and Covid.

"It is extremely frustrating for them to end this way, the local authority having decided that they can no longer agree with the long established traditions of running local events including short traffic delays at race starts.

"This is after 40 years of incident free operations in the community and as a rules based decision seems completely without context or justification.

"For some of us in the club these races take on a heightened personal association.

“We would like to thank everybody who has contributed to the previous success past and present.

"This list includes runners and clubs, members, officials, sponsors, local farmers and businesses, medical providers, timing services, local villages and many others who have given their time either voluntarily or at a minimum cost. This loss is also theirs.

“We will take stock and are determined as a club to still provide to the running community.

“Again, it is with regret, and we hope you understand our position.”

All entrants of the Norton 9 will receive a refund from BookItZone in the coming week, the spokesman added.

We have contacted Doncaster Council for comment.