Products, news and resources for event organizers during coronavirus outbreak

April 22, 2020

A number of organizations in the endurance sports industry are out in force launching innovative products, pivoting their businesses and contributing resources during the pandemic. In order to help event organizers and others find what they need (i.e. virtual race tools, software, mask resources and more), Endurance Sportswire has listed useful product announcements and key news related to the coronavirus outbreak all in one place. Scroll down to keep informed!

Product announcements:

VirtualSportsRacing.com Announces $1 Sign-Up for Event Organizers Hosting Virtual Endurance Events –  VirtualSportsRacing.com announced $1 per registration pricing for those looking to host virtual endurance, multisport and gym events starting any time in the months of May and June. MORE

RunSignup Releases Looking Forward Guidelines for Races – Created with input from race directors, governing bodies, and other industry partners, the guidelines are suggestions and ideas to consider as races look toward to restarting, while complying with government orders as well as health officials’ recommendations. MORE

Help Get Sponsors to Provide Free Software to All – Help Get Sponsors, Inc. is opening up its complete suite of sponsorship software tools available at no charge to users until the in-person live event business returns to a degree of normalcy. MORE

RunSignup Releases New Virtual Race Websites and Pre-Race Bibs for Virtual Runners – RunSignup has released a new virtual race website and Pre-Race Bibs for virtual runners to help race organizers put on virtual events. MORE

RunSignup Announces Free Virtual Results Bot for Virtual Events – RunSignup’s RaceDay Virtual Results provides outdoor events with flexible user submitted results via multiple mediums through RunSignup’s mobile race day app, RaceJoy. MORE

MYLAPS organizes webinar series for partners – MYLAPS introduces MYLAPS Bootcamp: a webinar series for timing partners to maximize product knowledge for their first post-Corona race. MORE

Announcing Virtual Race by Field General – Field General, a real time GPS asset tracking software company, has retooled its flagship product to launch and manage Virtual Runs: Virtual Race by Field General. MORE

RunSignup Reduces Reserve Requirement from 20% to 10% – RunSignup is reducing the required refund reserve for races from 20% to 10%, with the overall payment account reserve requirement falling from 10% to 5% in order to get race organizers payments faster. MORE

Race Roster introduces the awards tool to help seamlessly create and assign a variety of awards – The Race Roster team have introduced an awards tool to help seamlessly create and assign a variety of awards, acknowledging the efforts of race and event participants – even if they are participating virtually. MORE

Increasingly Events Turning to Motigo for Audio Run Experiences – Motigo, pioneer in delivering personalized audio to athletes during activities and races, works with events to help soften the blow of social distancing by enabling audio-based virtual runs. MORE

RunSignup Announces RaceDay Experience for Virtual Events – The interactive course maps, off course alerts, and directional audio cues help keep the participants on course, and provide flexible submission of participant results, text and email alerts and real-time scored comparative results. MORE

A Guide for Switching Your Event to a Virtual Race – Whether or not the virus has affected your future event yet, as a race director you need to plan what to do if it becomes unsafe to hold your race on its scheduled date. ACTIVE Network has laid out the pros and what to keep in mind if considering a virtual event. MORE

Race Roster, ASICS, and the Runkeeper™ app team up to offer a more rewarding virtual experience – Race Roster, ASICS and the Runkeeper™ app have teamed up to offer a rewarding virtual event experience, helping races transition to a modified format and keeping participants healthy and connected. MORE

Race Roster introduces a free innovative virtual event toolkit to support industry professionals – The toolkit includes: customizable results page, easy result submission management, tools for the collection of participant event preferences, communication tools and more. MORE

Series Solutions Offers Affected Races Easy Shipping & Fulfillment Solutions for Virtual Races – Shipping and fulfillment provider Series Solutions is offering event organizers with an all-encompassing plan for transitioning to a virtual race, offering shipping, fulfillment & data services. MORE

RunSignup Releases Tools for Coronavirus Emergency Planning – The Postponement Tool allows races to setup a message on the RunSignup website indicating the status of events, allowing participants to choose their preferred action. MORE

FitRankings Virtual Race Technology Provides Solution for Event Cancellations – FitRankings, a leader in virtual race technology, has scaled its operations in light of Coronavirus with a turnkey virtual race solution that can be set up quickly on an event website or an event’s native digital environment. MORE

Face mask and other medical supply news:

Headsweats Launches Face Masks and Gives Back to Grassroots Aid Partners – Headsweats has teamed up with Grassroots Aid Partners to donate masks for volunteers who provide hot food to communities. Its Elite Face Masks are made of triple-layered breathable material that is reusable, washable and one standard size. MORE

BOCO Gear Launches Custom Fabric Face Mask Line – BOCO Gear, makers of custom performance gear and accessories, debuts 2-layer Face Mask collection – breathable, reusable, water resistance face coverings available in both adult and children’s sizes. MORE

LJI Does Quick Pivot and Adds PPE to Their Product Line – Leslie Jordan, Inc. has expanded their product line of apparel and accessories to include disposable masks and gowns for both medical and public use, as well as a line of customizable, reusable cloth masks. MORE

BibBoards launches 4EARS Face Mask Snaps and Hooks for front line heroes and communities – BibBoards is now producing face mask snaps and hooks called 4EARS “Be Safe in Comfort,” to snap and hook the elastic bands to hats, skull caps and bandanas. MORE

Kitsbow Partners with Local Outdoor Industry Manufacturers to Accelerate COVID-19 Face Shield Production – Kitsbow, Industry-Nine, Oweee Products and Watershed have joined forces to source raw materials and manufacture PPE shields for first responders and medical providers. MORE

Chrome Industries Rallies Maker Community to Aid Face Mask Production – Chrome Industries, makers of bags, technical apparel and footwear, is using its own resources and mobilizing makers to rally and sew masks for the front line of healthcare. MORE

Orucase to produce face masks for COVID-19 battle – Orucase, makers of travel bags and accessories, has decided to redirect its efforts from helping cyclists explore the world to providing protective face marks. MORE

Business news:

Will Triathlons Come Back This Year? What Will They Look Like? As the world tries to limit the spread and fatality rate of the COVID-19 pandemic, race directors grapple with the possibility of no mass events in 2020. Interesting article on Triathlete.

Run specialty stores plot recovery. The owners at Charm City Run, Big Peach Running, Brooklyn Running, and Playmakers talked with SGB Executive about the adjustments they’ve made and their challenges and opportunities ahead in the face of COVID-19. Read more on SGBMedia.

I lost my tri job due to COVID-19—Here’s how the industry is coping. Triathlete contributor Jay Prasuhn finds himself unemployed due to the the COVID-19 pandemic. He looks at the various arms to the industry to see how they’re coping and adjusting during this trying time. Read more here

When might racing return, and what will it look like? What’s “normal” during this pandemic changes almost daily, including the ever-growing pileup of canceled or postponed races. At some point, however, racing will return. Based on interviews with several running insiders, Runner’s World outlines ideas about what the near future of road racing might look like.

RRCA Launches Survey to Understand Runner Attitudes Related to a Return to Group/Event Running in the U.S. – The Road Runners Club of America has launched a nationwide survey to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected participation in running events and locally organized group runs and training programs. MORE

PeopleForBikes Launches Ride It Out Campaign to Support Retailers and Suppliers, Activate Virtual Bicycling Community – PeopleForBikes is launching Ride It Out, a campaign to encourage responsible riding during the COVID-19 crisis and give retailers and suppliers the resources, communication and engagement tools they need to inform their biking communities. MORE

Cycling-World governing body UCI to furlough staff, reimburse event fees. Cycling’s world governing body the UCI said it was furloughing its entire staff, either fully or partially, in a bid to “weather the storm” caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Read more on Reuters.

Endurance Sports Coalition unites organizations to secure COVID-19 relief – The grassroots coalition creates one united voice for the endurance sports industry and plans to educate Congress and the White House about the need for relief and support for operators of endurance sporting events and their supporting industries. MORE

Federal Government Recognizes Bike Shops as Essential to Stay Open – Following a request from PeopleForBikes, the federal government has recognized that bike shops are essential to the nation’s transportation infrastructure during this critical period. MORE

USA Cycling expecting 30 percent revenue shortfall in 2020. Governing body to reduce staff by 15 percent and furlough a further 25 percent as revenues expected to plummet. Read more on VeloNews.

BibRave and 50 Launch Partners Unveil “Release the Runner” Movement – Grassroots digital marketing firm BibRave and 50 launch partners representing more than 200 races, brands and companies, have teamed up to promote “Release the Runner,” a collective initiative to grow the number of people running and racing. MORE

Professional Triathletes Organisation Pays Athletes $2,500,000 In Response To COVID-19 – The Professional Triathletes Organisation announced its response to COVID-19 by increasing its Year-End Annual Bonus Programme from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 and paying it all immediately. MORE

Event news:

What will endurance races look like when they come back? Marathons. Cycling Races. Triathlons. So many have been wiped out, but organizers are already planning how to bring them back. Read more in the New York Times.

World Athletics and IIRM form outbreak prevention taskforce for mass events. World Athletics has joined forces with the International Institute for Race Medicine (IIRM) to set up a medical taskforce to provide endurance events that include mass gatherings with guidelines for outbreak prevention. Click here to see the many industry organizations that are on board.