Does anyone have any experience with Endurance Sports Travel (endurancesportstravel.com)?
They seem to have a lot of slots for closed events but wasn’t sure if it was a hook to pull in people for a giant sales pitch or forced into a high stress situation just to get into a race. Are they legit and easy to work with?
I traveled with them to IM Florida. We had a very good experience, so I can only give them my warmest reconditions. I think you get great value for money.
I will travel with them to Kona even though I have the slot J
Super legit, great to work with - this is Ken Glah’s company.
Used EST to get a spot to IMAZ 2009 when it was sold out.
I traveled with them to IM Florida. We had a very good experience, so I can only give them my warmest reconditions. I think you get great value for money.
x2
They speak of a ‘ground package’ on their site. What does the ground package include?
See under the event at their website - in Florida we had:
EST’s Ground Package to Ironman Florida includes:
•Accommodations at the Summit Tower Condominiums
•Transfer from Panama City Airport to the Summit Towers
•Daily Breakfast
•Daily Local Transfers (Shopping, Dinner, Entertainment, Ironman Awards Dinner)
•Bike Mechanic Services (Exclusive to EST Clients)
•EST Welcome Dinner
•Daily Group Swim Sessions
•Daily Group Bike Rides (On the Course)
•Bike Course Tour (by Van)
•Run Course Tour (by Bike)
•Transfer from Summit Tower to Panama City Airport
•Message Therapist (Optional - Available Upon Request - $55 per hour)
And on Race day:
Breakfast for family and friends
EST tent set up and food and drink available for all EST clients watching the race
And more….
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I will ABSOLUTELY vouch for them! I used them for race entry and ground package at IMAZ. They did an awesome job of taking care of the race entry as well as taking care of my wife and I while on site at IMAZ. They basically arranged race entry and then took care of all logistics once on the ground there, including hotel accommodations and shuttling us around to all race functions, race sites, grocery store, pharmacy etc…GREAT group of guys. In short, they basically took care of a lot of the logistics that cause stress and allowed me to show up, enjoy the weekend and not have to stress about anything but the race itself. I think they had about 40 something athletes that they were taking care of at IMAZ and everybody we talked to were very happy.
Between EST for the travel stuff and TriBike Transport taking care of the bike stuff, I cannot see how I will ever not use them if taking part in one of the events they support to alleviate event and travel stress.
BTW, I also had no idea who Ken Glah, the owner was, until I got there and Googled him - He’s a triathlon god…but humble and down to earth as can be, would never have guessed it!
Michiel Espach
Very Highly Recommend, Ken is very approachable during race week even during Kona week when he was racing!
Another recommendation for EST. I traveled with them to IM Brazil a few years back and they put together a great and simple way to race overseas. Ken is such a personable and helpful guy too!
100% agree with the above. EST is excellent. My wife and I used EST for IM New Zealand and IM Western Australia. We had a great time the entire time and loved working with Ken. We see him at other races and he still takes the time to talk with us.
Wow! some great reviews on this company. I will be doing Kona for the first time in 2012, traveling with my mom and dad. Are there any specific recommendations anyone has? ie. what specific condo? sounds like they have tons to choose from. snorkeling? cliff jumping? etc. anything else I should be sure to sign up for?
Also, would anyone like to share a bigger condo with my parents and me? It would probably be somewhat cheaper, PM me.
We did Ironman Swizerland with EST in 2009 and it was a great experience (course scouting, sightseeing, fun group atmosphere, etc, etc.)
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One more vote for Ken Glah. I went to Brazil with EST. Great service.
Just did IMAZ with them. I was very happy with them. Highly recommended
I have travelled with them several times (China, Pucon twice, Germany) and can assure you they are the best if you are travelling with a spouse, girlfriend (or both?) in making sure they get around and with extra activities. Ken does a great job with airport transfers and course intel as well! Its worth it!
They’re awesome.
Have been with EST to Brazil, Western Australia, and S. Africa and headed to IM N. Zealand with EST in March.
Larry
does anyone know if they ever have any discounts or “sales”?
I went to the 2008 Pucon Chili 70.3 with EST. They are what they say they are. I recommend them. Tim
yet another vote for the whole group. i used them for kona this year and they were freaking amazing. i was SHOCKED by how helpful and flexible they were…also shocking (i’m not a big IM historian) is that this year was his 28th or 29th STRAIGHT kona!!! like, whoa.
we DEFINITELY got our value from the cost. they were fabulous.
FYI, i asked ken what his fav IM was and he said hands down it’s Brazil. I will definitely be using them again in 2014 or 2015 to go there!!!
Wow! some great reviews on this company. I will be doing Kona for the first time in 2012, traveling with my mom and dad. Are there any specific recommendations anyone has? ie. what specific condo? sounds like they have tons to choose from. snorkeling? cliff jumping? etc. anything else I should be sure to sign up for?
Also, would anyone like to share a bigger condo with my parents and me? It would probably be somewhat cheaper, PM me.
we stayed in kona for 13 days. i could write a book of places to go. it was an unbelievable trip.
we stayed at alii villas and LOVED them. they were decently close and very nice. if this is your first kona, i would highly recommend staying as close to the action as you can. the environment canNOT be beat.
we had left the last two days of our trip open so we could go to another part of the big island (volcano ) if we were sick of kona. after 11 days we didn’t want to leave so we just stayed in kona our last two days as well. it’s an amazing place.
i didn’t do any of the trips with EST. we did rent a car. i would do that again in a heartbeat. i’d be happy to talk more about what to do and where to go as it gets closer.