How will COVID-19 affect PACE Multisport Dodge City X?

Like everyone else, we’re hunkering down, washing our hands until they’re raw and wondering if every little scratch in our throats is a harbinger of something worse or simply the natural effect of our incessant screaming at the mind-boggling decisions of our favourite lonely hearts on Love is Blind.

As someone with an interest in PACE Multisport Dodge City X, you may be wondering how the COVID-19 pandemic may affect your participation in Cumberland’s favourite off-road triathlon come September. The answer is . . . wait for it . . . we don’t know. Shocker, right?

Our hope is that we’re far enough away on the calendar to not be affected in any significant way by the current measures to combat the pandemic. We are, however, assuming that it may impact our event and coming up with plans to deal with the fallout whatever they may be.

Our number one priority is safety. Full stop. If we can’t host our event safely then there will be no PACE Multisport Dodge City X. We hope that doesn’t come as a surprise. Then there’s the matter of our refund policy, which, like most races, stipulates that if you want a refund, well, you likely won’t be able to get one. Most races adopt this policy because there are so many sunk costs that go into a race that by the time you have to cancel, typically a week or less prior to race day, all of the money has been spent.

In this case, however, we can see that trouble might be brewing. More accurately, we can see that trouble is already brewing and realize it might be a well-steeped cup of hot mayhem come September. Our current plan, therefore, is to hold off on major race expenses as long as we can. We’re still at the point where, other than our own donkey power, we haven’t yet invested too heavily in this year’s race expenses. We’re still at the point where we’re able to give full refunds for race registration fees in the event our event has to be cancelled. Unfortunately, that would not necessarily include the small fee added on by our registration system provider, and we don’t know yet if Triathlon BC is able to refund any race-day memberships (but we’ll find out).

At some point that situation will change. If we assume that PACE Multisport Dodge City X will happen on September 13, eventually we’ll have to start ordering supplies, paying non-refundable booking fees, etc. We don’t yet know when that date is but we’re in the process of figuring it out.

So here’s the take-away to you: If you’ve already registered for PACE Multisport Dodge City X 2020, consider your registration fee refundable (for now) in the event that we have to cancel. At some point in the not-too-distant future we will post another announcement, and send an email to registrants, that we’ve reached the point of no return, after which point no refunds will be possible in the event we have to cancel. At that point, if the threat of COVID is still real and menacing, we’ll give you a deadline to withdraw with a full refund.

That’s scenario A anyway. Scenario B involves us deciding that we simply can’t safely hold the race in September and we refund you all and say “see you in 2021.” We sincerely hope that doesn’t happen, but we have to recognize that it’s a possibility.

Anyway, we don’t have to tell you that the situation is fluid and it’s impossible to predict how this will all play out. We promise, though, to keep you in the loop and to treat you fairly while ensuring that we maintain our capacity to host this event well into the future.

Stay safe out there.