In the clear-cutting of the summer schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mare Nostrum became part of the list when it was cancelled Tuesday.
The European Tour announced via Instagram that it would nix its three summer dates, posting, “Unfortunately … see you in 2021.”
The summer circuit around the Mediterranean included stops in Monaco June 6-7, Barcelona June 10-11 and Canet-Et-Roussillon, France, June 13-14.
The annual slate of meets has become a fixture on the calendars for many stars, especially those from Europe. It serves both as a tune-up for major international meets later in the summers and an important financial stop for pros given the prize money on offer. As a result, the series’ meets have produced plenty of fast swimming through the years.
But with the Olympics postponed to 2021 and many swimmers unable to travel due to restrictions aimed at stanching the spread of coronavirus, the events in June were deemed impossible to put on.