Ticket-holders feel 'conned' after race rescheduled to venue 150 km away on different date
Some local fitness enthusiasts are looking for their money back after purchasing tickets to a popular extreme obstacle course race event.
A Rugged Maniac event was scheduled for May 28 at Chicopee Ski Hill in Kitchener. But, weeks before the event, it was rescheduled to a park in Uxbridge, Ont. more than 150 kilometres away with a new date of Sept. 3, 2022.
“We got kind of a standard email written back that just basically said ‘Sorry for the inconvenience. We’re not issuing anybody refunds,’ which I thought was not very honourable on their part,” said Tara Pedersen from Cambridge.
Pedersen said her gym, Proactive Training Cambridge, had about 100 members planning to go to the race as a team building event.
“Everyone was willing to go. Everyone was ready and excited to go, and they just pulled the carpet out from under us,” she said.
Pedersen said she’s feeling “a lot of frustration” and “anger.”
“With 100 participants they would’ve collected $7,000,” she said.
About 100 members at Proactive Training Cambridge signed up to participate in the Rugged Maniac event as a team building activity. (Submitted)
Now the gym is hosting their own event.
“We purely feel conned that we purchased tickets as a group being told that it was going to be hosted at a specific venue on a specific day,” said Emerson Petri from Proactive Training Cambridge. “Because of this we are now hosting our very own event called the ‘ProActive Gauntlet’ this Saturday at Dickson Park in Cambridge. We have worked hard over the last week to plan and organize our own family friendly outdoor workout event that will have various obstacles throughout the day”
COMPANY RESPONDS
CTV News reached out to the company who did not respond specifically to whether or not ticket holders are able to get a refund, but did say in an email statement:
“While we’re excited about our return to Canadian Rugged Maniac events, unforeseen circumstances have caused us to find a replacement venue prompting many with questions,” said Kaitlyn Greenleaf, VP, USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures Endurance. “We encourage fans to reach out to info@ruggedmaniac.com as we work to deliver an improved course and experience on race day!”
Rugged Maniac's website states that all sales are final, unless the event is cancelled due pandemic restrictions and that a date or venue change is not a cancellation.
Racers participate in a Rugged Maniac event in Kitchener in 2019. (CTV Kitchener)
“They consider moving it to a different time of year at a different location entirely as making changes,” said ticket holder Amanda Desjardine.
A local lawyer said buyers should ensure they read the fine print before purchasing anything online.
“A lot of us, nowadays, with everything very virtual, a lot of us click without reading it,” said Khaled Wahab from Wahab Law. “This may be the case where a lot of these buyers did not read the fine print. The fine print says we can change these events.”
CTV News reached out to Chicopee Ski Hill but did not hear back.
In an email sent to one of the ticket holders we spoke to, Rugged Maniac said those with tickets can transfer it to another runner or defer it to another event this year or next.
Another 2023 Rugged Maniac Kitchener event is yet to be finalized.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.