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Vikes forced to cancel marquee events including Brown Cup regatta, Keg Cup

Cancellations take out Vikes spring sports events
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UBC Men’s Varsity 8 takes a lead on UVic as they race down the Gorge Waterway towards Victoria’s Inner Harbour during the Brown Cup race. This year’s event has been cancelled. (Black Press Media file photo)

In addition to cancelling all face-to-face classes this week, the University of Victoria’s athletics arm has confirmed the cancellation of its string of marquee spring events.

As of Monday, UVic and the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities shut its doors for the foreseeable future in an attempt to contain the novel coronavirus.

Not happening are the Keg Spring Cup soccer tournament, set for March 21-22, and Brown Cup rowing regatta in which the Vikes and UBC Thunderbirds race on the Gorge Waterway March 28.

The two rivalries with UBC are among the biggest annual competitions for any Vikes athlete.

The university has also cancelled the annual Celebration of Champions Banquet (April 1) at the Victoria Conference Centre.

Along with handing out the yearly athletic awards, Vikes alum Christina Proteau and Trish Wellmann-Fougner would have been inducted into the UVic Sports Hall of Fame.

READ ALSO: Vikes women bring play-in to CARSA

The Graduating Athletes Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates varsity athletes who have spent at least three years at UVic and any graduating athletes with the Vikes.

Last week’s closure of the B.C. Premier Rugby League put an early end to the Vikes men’s 15s rugby season.

The Vikes women’s rugby team had already ended the season on a high note two weeks earlier when they won the Canada West 7s competition.

The early closure also ends the men’s and women’s golf season.

For information about other future events, programs and activities, please visit to our website and the UVic COVID-19 website for updates.

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reporter@oakbaynews.com