The aQuellé Midmar Mile in KwaZulu-Natal has been forced to make a last minute decision to transfer all 2021 entries to the Virtual aQuellé Midmar Mile event.

1. Unfortunate DecisiontoCancel the 2021 aQuelle MidmarMile
It iswithhuge disappointmentthatthe organisersof the 2021 editionof the aQuellé MidmarMile
have beenforcedtomake a lastminute decisiontotransferall 2021 entriestothe Virtual aQuellé
Midmar Mile event.
Thisfollowswhatitselfwasalate-in-the-dayannouncementbyEzemveloKZN Wildlife thatthey
were turningdownthe EventManagementPlanforthe 2021 aQuellé MidmarMile despitemany
weeksof attemptstoconvince seniormanagementthatthere wasnodangerof the eventbecoming
a super-spreaderof Covid-19.
Race DirectorWayne Riddinsaid:“Itwas broughtto our attentionrecentlythatEzemveloKZN
Wildlifewere notallowingeventstotake place attheirfacilities,despitegovernmentregulations
allowingeventswithinrestrictions.Ipersonallyrequestedanurgentmeetingonseveral occasions
but seniormanagementwere notable tomake themselvesavailable.All documentationwas
submittedtoEzemveloKZN Wildlife,withwrittenpermissionsinplace fromthe necessary
authorities.We have beenlockedinnegotiationsuntil yesterday(Tuesday,2March) to save the
2021 event.”
Riddincontinued:“We are devastatedthatwe were unable toconvince EzemveloKZN Wildlife of
not onlyourintent,butalsoour capabilitytorunMidmar Mile safelyduringthe pandemic.There is
no doubtthat the eventwasgoingto lookverydifferentthisyearaswe made huge alterationsto
accommodate restrictionsinplace.The protocolspreparedanddocumented wouldhave beenof the
higheststandardand,as isalwaysthe case at Midmar Mile,swimmers’safetycomesfirst.
“To have to informour sponsors,participantsandservice providersof newsof thisnature atthis late
stage is unacceptable andIoffermyheartfeltapologiestoeveryone whohadputtheirconfidence in
us to stage a world-classeventdespitethe challengesinvolved.”
The Race Committee hasreceivedpermissionfromEzemveloKZN Wildlife tohostthe elite menand
women’sracesonSunday,7 March and the 8 Mile and 16 Mile CharitySwimeventsscheduledfor
Thursday,11 and Friday,12 March at Midmar Dam.
“We have justunder160 swimmerssigneduptoswimtheir8 or 16 Mile eventseitheratMidmar
Dam or via the virtual platform,”explainedRiddin.“These swimmershave alreadyraisedoverR500k
towards6 majorcharities,one of whichisEzemveloKZN Wildlife.Thisfigure issettorise
significantlyasmore fundsroll in.”
Riddinhasorganisedthe world’slargestopenwaterswimmingeventfor30 yearsand statedthat
“experience inthisregarddoesnotappearto have beentakenintoconsideration.The past12
monthshas hadeventorganisersontheirtoesandreadyto adapt.The Capital Kopenwaterswim
was successfullyruninNov2020 at Midmar Dam as a testrun for processesintendedforMidmar
Mile and we hostedfurtheropenwaterswimsatCradle Moonin Muldersdrifton29 Novemberand
21 February.Publicreportsof these eventssadlyfailedtomake animpressiononthe senior
management.”
The Race Committee iscommittedtomakingthe bestof a badsituationandto lessenthe
disappointmentfacedbyaround4000 participantswhowere headingtoMidmarDam overthe next
twoweekends.

2. Riddinexplained:“We hadfortunatelyintroducedthe VirtualaQuellé MidmarMile for2021 to
accommodate the manyoverseasswimmerswhowouldhave beenunable tovisitusatMidmar this
yearso it isthisplatformthat will nowhostall race entrantswhowouldlike thatoption.Our
immediate concernisobviouslyforthose whoare unable tochange theirarrangementsandmaystill
arrive at Midmar Dam thisweekend(6and7 March) to swim.We will atleastmonitorthe Midmar
Mile course overthe weekendforthose whomaynow swimtheirvirtual mile instead.”
The Race Committee canconfirmthatall paidentriesintothe 2021 aQuellé MidmarMile willbe
transferredtothe virtual platformatno charge.Detailswill be publicisedassoonasfinalisedinthe
nextfewdays.
All virtual entrieswill countforthe 2021 aQuellé MidmarMile andwill receive theirmedal inthe
postalongwiththeirracing swimcap,theirprintablecertificate andanofficial race result.Entrants
whohad orderedGlodinatowelsandt-shirtswill be contactedanddeliverywillbe arranged.
Midmar Mile will alsosetupan online shopforall 2021 merchandise.