I haven’t received anything, but I see in the IMC FB groups that several people have received a refund without requesting it. I hope it is a mistake and not because it is canceled!

It's cancelled.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I know a couple of people who put on events in BC and Alberta and I heard the RSTBC (Recreation Sites and Trails) was not going to issue ANY permits this year regardless if public health restrictions are lifted.
Not sure how much that would affect IMC, but when I read that I knew IMC was probably dead.

I'm all for public health restrictions to save lives but I think the BC govt is being ridiculous here. Surely at the current rate of vaccination events will be viable by summer?

Axel Merckx Fondo was moved to September with restricted entries... also ridiculous.

Canada is WAY behind the US in vaccination rates.

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Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022

And catching up quickly. We will have supply to complete all first doses by June.

IMC is (was) end of August. Not an issue.

That's a very polite way of saying the Canadian government f$cked this up...which they did.

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Adrian in Vancouver

I assume this means ITU Age group worlds in Edmonton isn’t far behind- I keep waiting to even look at flights because i can’t believe it’ll happen.

How did the Canadian government screwed this one up exactly?

From Dave Christen today..
..
Hey guys,
Today Active erroneously refunded about 80 people for Subaru IRONMAN Canada. It was a mistake. It was not an indication of the event status. Our athlete services team will reach out to each of those individuals to help sort it out.
We are working with local and provincial officials to understand recent statements that were speculative and not an official order. We are planning for a great and safe event in August and the long awaited return to Penticton, BC!
DC . >

Every party had a hand in it. The right to patent was killed. Basically the government removed the incentive for innovative pharmaceutical business.

Canada lost its ability to manufacture vaccine within country...at least to the level we need for all our citizens, and now Canadians are in waiting mode.

Just compare to the USA the percentage of people that have been vaccinated. It is embarrassing really that Canada is so low.

Plus Canadians are far too polite and don't hold their government to account like other countries do.

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Adrian in Vancouver

Thanks for the info, hopefully it is just a mix up and easily fixed then a wait and see what transpires over the next few months. Will be reaching out to IM tomorrow.

Given our lack of domestic production we are doing quite well.
We couldn't get vaccine from the USA because they won't export until their own citizens are done (the AZ gift were doses set to expire), so we went to the EU.
Everyone had to wait on the Pfizer retooling delay.
Vaccine approval is done by bureaucrats, not the govt.
We've secured and are guaranteed enough vaccine to get everyone done by end of Q2, shortly after the USA is set to be complete.
I would say the procurement minister has done a very good job. Not a screwup at all.

Doesn't help when the USA buys up +500m doses (even though 200m people will actually willingly take it), the UK and every other EU nation is doing the same, India (the largest vaccine producer) has banned exports of vaccines, and "big pharma" refuses to relax their patents so small countries cannot produce locally.

Essentially, we'll have USA and rich countries completely vaccinated by end Q2/3, with poorer and developing nations scrambling to get any vaccines in 2022. This will probably lead to the emergence of new, vaccine-resistant variants (rendering the previous vaccinations obsolete).

Protectionist nationalism is going to ensure we'll be in this mess for another 3-4 years as the cycle repeats.

Never forget those 'Vaccine approval bureaucrats' are working in organisations set up by, funded by, and under the legislative control of, the Government.

I work in a different highly regulated industry, working on gaining Approval/ Authorisation in many EU countries (and further afield).
What I see and deal with every day and every week is differing levels of bureaucratic attitude. From actually really engaging and helpful regulators in some countries, through OK, to 'meh', right through to obstructive unhelpful obtuse w÷÷=&£$3rs who can't see (or don't want to see) what damage they do by their intransigence. No decision is in itself a decision in terms of dealing with Covid. Some are totally incapable of balancing risk.
You can see where on the spectrum each is by the success or otherwise in the vax rollout.
Germany ? Total fuckfest. France ? Total fuckfest. Italy ? Another fuckfest.
Finland, Estonia, etc. Going OK. Britain ? 4x the vax rate of France or Germany.

Looks like Canada is using the French model.

Should be a very Canadian field, if, it is going to be held. Does anyone want to speculate about Kona slots, or should I leave that to the folks in the know?

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

ironically the date of this occurring was the day WTC confirmed my full refund was being processed after I requested a refund as I am no longer racing triathlons.

one thing COVID has created is an appetite to do other stuff.

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@rhyspencer

Bikepacking and gravel cycling is the new triathlon. At least that's what I'm seeing from a lot of ex-triathletes.

i did sell my MTB to get a gravel bike. I sold my Speed Concept to get an Emonda. And I am having a tendency to buy trail running shoes like a kid in a candy store!

bike adventures on gravel and road coupled with marathon and trail ultras fills the cup up.

Ironically I moved to Penticton 2013 the first year of Challenge and now not racing triathlons the year IMC returns (we hope).

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@rhyspencer

 
Bikepacking and gravel cycling is the new triathlon. At least that's what I'm seeing from a lot of ex-triathletes.[/quote]
But what will people do for tattoos?

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Boots
Fleet Feet Rochester, NY
Fleet Feet Buffalo, NY
YellowJacket Racing, Rochester, NY

No need to worry about kona slots.......There is zero chance of this race (or IMMT) happening this Summer. No Canadian province is going to OK a 3000 person sporting event. Doubt they could even get insurance for said events.
As for the race directors etc going on like things are full steam ahead, that is no different than last Summer......until things weren't full steam ahead....

Such a bummer about IMC and IMMT and any race for that matter being canceled or postponed again. I know several people training for IMMT right now. I love MT, the IM events, the race venue, the people....but it's also a very busy place full of regular tourists, hotel and service employees, then racers, families, spectators, volunteers....I do understand why. Just bummed.

I was feeling almost certain my Sept IM in the US would go off, but now I think it's a wait and see. I may join the "bikepacking and gravel" crowd if my race is canceled or postponed again. I am getting too old for this. I can keep busy gravel grinding, open water swimming, trail running almost from my back door.

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Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

We are big fans of the MT area as well and plan to take a trip there as soon as covid travel restrictions are lifted, even if its not for a race.

There's no dominant gravel event series with an easy to tattoo logo. This is a marketing opportunity, lol!

I'm so thankful I never got an M-Dot tattoo. I know more than a few people now in middle age who are regretting it.

I'm sure plenty of people regret there ink but I would guess an equal amount don't. Now a tuff mudder tat..... Everyone regrets that!