The Western States Endurance Run scheduled for this weekend will be canceled! iRunFar has learned from a very reliable source that after extensive meetings with the Forest Service the WSER board will, in fact, officially cancel the race and that a press release to such an effect should be posted later tonight.
Earlier this afternoon, the iRunFar staff heard rumblings from multiple, independent sources that the race was in serious jeopardy of being canceled, but rather than disseminate rumors ’round the world wide web, the decision was made not to post anything here before the Western States board made a final decision. That rumor was later confirmed in an email to race participants that was also posted on the WSER “Latest News” page. What was once rumor will soon be fact. Needless to say, many are WAY bummed about this. However, the board is a good group of long-time ultrarunners who would not have canceled the race had it not been necessary.
Update 6/25 11:25 p.m. EDT: While the decision to cancel the race is now OFFICIALLY official (no, entrants, you will NOT get a refund), read on for some important questions that remain unanswered.
One interesting question to come out of this is – does anyone win the 2008 Montrail Ultra Cup? According to the Ultra Cup website, a “[p]articipant must finish the 2008 WS 100” to be eligible for the Ultra Cup prizes, which total $10,000. Looks like the folks at Montrail will have something to think about over the unexpectedly quiet weekend. Any one know a good attorney? How do you think the MUC should be decided?
Also, should there be no postponement of the race (and we here at iRunFar don’t think there should be), should the Board simply carry over every 2008 entrant’s slot to next year? Should folks need to requalify? What about the decision re the two-time losers who were granted a slot in either 2009 or 2010? Looks like the WSER has much, much bigger questions to answer in the coming months than does Montrail!
