The Gloucester Triathlon had a nice three year run from 2009-2011. Over the last three summers the event drew big crowds to the Main Street area while being fully booked with 800 participants each year.
But unfortunately that run has come to an end as the event will not be back in Gloucester in 2012.
In October 2011 the Gloucester Fishermen Athletic Association decided not to host the event this summer as it has since 2009.
"The triathlon takes a huge amount of time and resources to organize and run, so the GFAA plans instead to focus on other efforts that better support our fundraising goals," The GFAA said in a written statement last October.
The triathlon appeared to be coming back as late this winter Streamline Events, headed up by Bill Burnett, who directed the 2009 Gloucester Triathlon, was working to get a permit for the 2012 Gloucester Triathlon this summer, but those efforts hit a snag and planning has been cancelled.
Just last week Stremline Events released this statement on the Gloucester Triathlon website, gloucestertri.com.
"Thanks to the incredible support from Mayor Carolyn Kirk and the many devoted followers of Streamline Events, we have been working hard to permit a triathlon in 2012 in Gloucester. We were thrilled with the invitation in part of staging the event because we felt that Gloucester deserved a high quality event. A triathlon in Gloucester provides an exciting new race opportunity for Cape Ann, and, it showcases what Gloucester has to offer visitors bringing a major economic boost to Gloucester. The City of Gloucester and all of the department heads have been extremely supportive of the event. Unfortunately, however, over the last month it has become clear that we do not have the 100% support of the community that all events like this need, particularly from interest groups and parties that have been involved with the management of races in Gloucester in the past.
As a result, and because we do not put on races that are not top-quality events with 100% community support, we feel it is in our best interest to cancel Streamline's plans to bring a triathlon back to Gloucester in 2012. We hope that at some point in the future we can bring the triathlon back to Gloucester with the full support of the community."
Instead Streamline Events and Burnett will be directing the With City Triathlon, a sprint triathlon similar in distance to the Gloucester Triathlon that will take place in Salem and Marblehead on July 29.
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