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Forget the Rumor Mill...the Drama Mill is running overtime :-)
You'll need to read the full blog post by Grant Killian of UntamedAdventure.com to get all the details, but it looks like his plans for a race in New England next summer just got a bit complicated now that PQ has announced that the race is set for June 21st:
...I'm not under the impression that after our meeting, Don Mann circled the June 21st date with blood and summoned his pack of evil monkeys to start working on a June 21st race start for PQ. Don wasn't gunning for me or the Untamed New England race. He probably just forgot and/or doesn't care. Untamed and I just don't warrant the concern and respect, in their eyes. It's not the first time Don has been part of an adventure race date conflict, after all, and I don't think this is nearly the magnitude of what went down between eco-challenge and Don Mann's Beast in 2000. It's just frustrating, particularly when we've been trying to work with PQ in so many other ways (technology, GPS tracking, etc). So, it is frustrating to be disrepected so clearly -- even if it is unintentional...Don's planning a BIG ASS RACE with a lot on the line. He's not going to steer clear of a date that works for the sake of another race. That's just business.
posted by Yak @ 12:01 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
I think both races can coexist. Perhaps Grant is more upset at the prospect of having to postpone/cancel his race if he desires to have any level of participation in PQ.
I don't know, the Untamed NE race certainly looks more economical to me... If I'm going to spend that kind of $$ on a race its going to include an overseas plane ticket too.
Grant has a right to be upset. I know how bad he must feel. But I would like to set the record straight. PQ dates were confirmed this week. When I met with Grant neither he nor I had set dates, only time frames.
PQ does not want to conflict with Grant's race or any other AR. It is my hope and goal that we can all work together as much as possible.
Don Mann
Primal Quest
Mann's comments avoid the issues. Which are : 1. Did Grant tell him that he had picked out the June 21 date? 2. If so, did he assure Grant that he could move forward with the June 21 date? Saying that Grant has a right to be upset is, IMHO, an admission that he went back on his word-
after all - if Mann did not know of Grant's June 21 date, then why would Grant have a right to be upset?
From the looks of it, Grant isn't going to be able to respond for a few days. He's moving to Europe right now which makes the date conflict that much harder to handle for a smaller organization like his. He can't exactly meet with the land managers to move the permitting etc.
Plus, Don said that time frames were mentioned at the meeting. Knowing that Untamed is looking at the same time frame, wouldn't you want to hint at a possible conflict? Then again, he is running a "BIG ASS RACE." May be a 60hr race is only a "BIG RACE." Would the extra $10,800 bring the "ASS" to the title? Just Kidding, I love PQ just like the rest of you.
Are you calling me a BIG ASS?
Does it always have to come back to you? If you want to be called a BIG ASS then you should rename your blog to Yak "THE BIG ASS" Blog. Just know that I'm not calling you a BIG ASS unless you actually have two large gluteus maximus. Only one large muscle and I'd call you half-ass.
You just seem to belittle Grant's race because it was only 60hrs. So what races qualify as BIG ASS RACES? PQ, RAID, Patagonia, MIX, S. Traverse, ECO, Xstream, Baja Travesia. So what qualifies a race as BIG ASS?
Back on topic, they talked and discussed time frames at a minimum. Whether exact weekends were discussed doesn't matter seeing that PQ covers at least two weekends. No?
Yes, it's my blog so everything HAS to come back to me :-)
My original point was really just to say that all's fair in love, war and business. You are the one that is inferring that I even have an opinion about Grant's race.
The idea that Don (or any other RD for that matter) is going to compromise what's in his/her best interests for the sake of the interests of another party is wishful thinking.
What's going to motivate a business owner more? The prospect of another promoter getting more racers at their event or making more money?
It's the economy stupid...
Before you accuse me of calling you stupid I'll just come out and make sure everyone realizes that I was quoting James Carville, who made the point so eloquently, that in politics everything takes a back seat to home economics.
If the voters are feeling a financial pinch nothing else matters. The same holds true for AR promoters. Everything is ultimately going to take a back seat to the almighty dollar. Taken to an opportunistic extreme that can clearly be a bad thing, but it is ultimately what will motivate business owners to be creative and offer better quality events.
Don't believe me? Ask Gordon Gecko :-)
The notion that what this sport needs is for everyone to hold hands and drink a coke is based on irrational optimism. It sounds great, but it's not going to get results.
Look at any market (AR represents a segment of the outdoor recreation market and companies are already making money) and you will see that competition drives innovation and customer service.
"Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called Adventure Racing."
-- Gordon Gecko
Get out your flamethrowers...Yak's running his mouth again :-)
I would strongly encourage all of you to look past the humor to realize the point I am trying to make.
Triathlon isn't an 800lb gorilla of multi-sport racing because all the aspiring promoters went camping to sing Kumbaya and draw up a Gosplan .
It is what it is today in large part because of brilliant, ambitious, creative, hard working..."greedy"...entrepreneurs created things like Ironman and Xterra.
THAT is what this sport needs and it needs it real bad right now.
FYI, Xterra lost their title sponsorship this year. Hmmm.
"It's the economy stupid..." That would mean everyone would be signing up for other expedition events in 2008. Economically speaking, all of the other expedition races I listed come in under $3000 per team. Most if not all of them are unsupported.
So what is so special about PQ and ECO? TV or PRIZE MONEY? I'd say everyone wants their mug on TV for the simple fact that Nike won almost every race. Sure the rest of the top 10 will get a small split of the 100k but outside of 1st you wouldn't cover your costs.
We'll find out on Sunday :-)
How will we know on Sunday? Unless the event fills up on Sunday. If it fills in one day then Grant has nothing to worry about.
I'd guess that we won't know until months from now. Unless you have inside information on the number of teams that sign up each day.
:-)
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