Aloha,
It is with much sadness that I must inform you of the passing of a great
event whose existence of twenty-three years in the Kona community created
lifelong memories for thousands.
In spite of our best efforts this event has been dealt a fatal blow. As a
result of a competing event being deliberately placed on the event calendar
in our community one week after our event date, we were unable to attract
sufficient registration to safely conduct the 23rd annual race.
The undercurrent of manipulation by people who control the sport as an
industry will continue to convert what attracts athletes to events into
dollars for personal gain until the quality and spirit of an event no longer
exists. As long as the athletic community does not speak out against this
type of corporate greed the quality of many events will continue to
diminish.
To each of you that have registered for the 2005 event, I thank you for your
courage and support. To all the participants that have experienced the warm
aloha of this great event during the past 23 years, I wish you fond
memories. To each of you who have been here in support of an athlete and
those that have spent countless hours volunteering, you were the soul of
everything this event stood for. To all of you I extend my heartfelt thanks.
Shortly you will receive a check that represents 100% of your registration
fee received by the event. Unfortunately the electronic transaction charges
by “Online Registration” and the “Credit Card” companies are not refundable.
Please be patient and allow us a couple weeks to get the checks in the mail
to you.
I sincerely regret that we are forced to issue this notice and hope that
each of you is able to adjust your race calendar and enjoy a safe and
rewarding season.
Mahalo for all of your support,
Joseph Ackles
Race Director
Keauhou Kona Triathlon
PO Box 2153, Kailua-Kona HI 96745
Phone 808-329-0601 Fax 808-326-7329 kkt@keauhoutriathlon.com