Mid South Gravel Race Canceled as Oklahoma Wildfires Escalate

“Canceled” was once the phrase organisers of The Mid South Gravel sought after to steer clear of, however as wildfires raged within the Stillwater, Oklahoma house, a proper announcement to scratch the 100-mile race, and better half occasions, was once made simply prior to middle of the night Saturday native time.

Organisers communicated with town companions and a security control group on Friday and primary cancelled night time actions when air high quality turned into very deficient, winds blowing heavy smoke into Stillwater and surrounding communities. They not on time the decision to cancel all novice occasions and the gravel race till overdue Friday. 

“Over the last few hours, we’ve watched these fires intensify and advance to the west side of Stillwater. It’s gotten bad, very bad. People in our community have lost their homes today,” stated race director Bobby Wintle on an Instagram put up made roughly 8 hours prior to the professional race was once to start. He showed that the concern was once on protection, with emergency staff excited by saving lives and buildings. 

“We’ve spent the last few hours getting updates from our city partners and agency heads. They’ve all been working non-stop to protect our neighbors, our friends, our families, our community and keep our town safe. 

“To place it merely, we can’t ask those crews to take care of those fires and reinforce the volume of riders we plan to have out on those roads the following day, and the quantity of people that could be downtown to have fun the ones riders completing The Mid South, The Mid South 2025 is formally cancelled.”

The 14th edition of The Mid South offered one of the richest one-day payouts in North America, with a $100,000 prize purse share equally between the women’s elite and men’s elite fields. Defending champions Lauren De Crescenzo and Torbjørn Røed were both set to take on stacked pro fields, while more than 2,500 other participants were in Stillwater from across the US and several countries to take part in two gravel ride distances as well as multiple running events.

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“Heartbroken [that] The Mid South is canceled this yr, but it surely’s the correct choice. Up to we adore racing, the protection of the group comes first,” three-time winner De Crescenzo posted to Instagram.

“Individuals are shedding their properties, emergency responders are stretched skinny, and with the air high quality at bad ranges, it simply wouldn’t really feel proper to line up and race thru all of it.”

Large fires closest to Stillwater raged on the west side of Stillwater and the neighboring county of Logan. Massive plumes of smoke were visible on Friday. Paige Onweller took to Instagram to post a screenshot of the air quality index, which was reported to be 158 instead in a healthy range under 50.

“That is me, reminding it’s ok to prioritise your well being, if somebody right here wishes to peer this. Irrespective of what occurs, I will be able to now not be racing at The Mid South the following day. That is the AQI from a couple of hours in the past and this is not going to transparent in a single day. I believe bummed riders are within the place to consider this,” Onweller posted to Instagram Friday.

“For me, I’m prioritizing getting house safely and out of the smoke. I will be able to now not race in unsafe prerequisites and jeopardize my well being. I want the group of Stillwater and all of Oklahoma neatly needs in restoring the damages from those wild prerequisites.”

Men’s elite rider Joe Laverick scheduled the stop in Oklahoma on his extended trip to the US, but made the all he would not compete on Friday before the race was cancelled.

“It’s 21:03 on Friday night time and I’m mendacity at the ground of an Airbnb which isn’t mine. We evacuated our position 5 – 6 hours in the past because of fires. We’re protected, let me be transparent,” Laverick posted to his blog overnight.

“There are wildfires at the fringe of the city, individuals are getting evacuated giant time, and I received’t pass out of doors with out a masks, however the race continues to be on. This weblog is a snappy one, with my point of view. I will be able to now not be racing the following day.”