Monday, November 2, 2009

Cancelled

Temporarily Disappointing News

Hey Gang,

I'm afraid I have some disappointing news for you all. The crew and I will be scaling back the 2010 Rock and Ice Ultra to just the 1-day Cold Foot Classic; we have no choice but to cancel the K-Rock and Diamond Ultra next year.

The whole 'global economic crisis' has, in fact, been quite devastating to the mining and mineral exploration industry. Despite working in mineral exploration for nearly 20 years I have not been able to secure enough work this year to fund the Rock and Ice Ultra. We have the most amazingly supportive sponsors with BHP Billiton, MATRIX, Arctic Response and others but the operational costs for this event are many times more than that of a 'hot' desert race.

The crew and I have also just landed one of the very, very few exploration contracts in Canada and it will keep us working all through the winter. We have to take this work, there is nothing else out there and it will get us back on our feet so we can plan for Rock and Ice 2011.

This is very disappointing to me, the crew and our sponsors but we are committed to race again in 2011.

4 comments:

Kimberley said...

Disappointing YES! Upsetting YES! Costly YES! Flights are booked, gear including expensive coats all purchased.

SO SO upset about this love! Even more so for the disappointment of the unreached goals and all the training and anticipation and planning. :( Very, very upset.

I'm SO sorry David. As you said 'speechless'.

David said...

Just the tip of the ice burg - what we have put into this already over the last 7 months. So disappointed.

But the economy is what it is and there is nothing we can do - I know Scott and the R&I crew are none to happy about it.

We will find some place really really cold to go.

Eliza Ralph-Murphy said...

David and Kim,
That really SUCKS!!! What a shock to see both yours and JD's Headlines with the news. I really thought you were kidding. Didn't think it possible. I hope you can recoup some of the money you spent.
EJ

Derrick said...

As I said David, really disappointing for such an amazing race to pull the plug. I just feel terrible with how much you have already put into it mentally, physically and financially. I hope that things work out ok with the refund and flight stuff.

Take a few days to let this absorb, then look for something else just as exciting.....possibly including some of the links I sent.