Sports
Salem's Witches Cup Canceled For Second Straight Year
Organizers of the bicycle race said they still had a 'few more hurdles to jump" when City Council approved the race in May.
SALEM, MA — Organizers of the Witches Cup said they will cancel the event for a second straight year. City Council had approved the race for July 11 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. At the time of council's approval, organizers said they still "had a few more hurdles to jump" before this week's race was a go.
Then last week, organizers announced in a Twitter post the race had been canceled for 2019:
Unfortunately, the Witches Cup for 2019 is cancelled. Thanks to everyone from the Salem that supported the return of the race, volunteers that donated time in the planning process and of course, sponsors that had committed to the race. We can’t thank you enough. #10goodyears
— The Witches Cup (@TheWitchesCup) June 6, 2019
The announcement comes just weeks after organizers announced that the Beverly Gran Prix would be "on hiatus" for 2019. The Witches Cup was canceled in 2018, but organizers said at the time they were hopeful it would return this year.
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The race started in 2007 and was a criterium, which is a short, fast bicycle race requiring a mix of technical skills. It had been held annually on Salem Commons in August, and had attracted a wide range of local sponsors.
It's not the first time the race has been shelved. Following a boom in interest in the sport in the 1980s, the Witches Cup was started and drew elite-level cyclists to Salem. The race was canceled in 2000, but returned in 2007 with the effort of a group that wanted to "revive the strong bicycle racing tradition in downtown Salem." Last year, 67 riders competed in the men's pro race.
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