Loskop Marathon Series cancelled
The Loskop Marathon Series is cancelled and runners will be refunded.
A virtual meeting was held to determine the way forward with the 34th Loskop Ultra Marathon and 14th Loskop Wild Challenge in what has been a continually evolving and challenging time.
A decision was reached that all entrants would be receiving a full refund for the tickets purchased. With the health and safety of all entrants being the utmost priority, a unanimous decision was recently made to cancel the Loskop Marathon Series amid Covid-19 and the global spread thereof.
The proclamation of President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 23 that the country is in a nationwide lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the subsequent announcement of Risk-Adjusted Strategy Regulations effective from May 1 to contain the spread of coronavirus have understandably caused much distress to many.
Kobus Tait, managing director of Forever Resorts South Africa and main sponsor of Loskop Marathon Series, said, “Due to the overwhelming uncertainty of when sporting events may resume in the future, we have utilised this time to deliberate the best options available to accommodate our dedicated running community.”
Furthermore, a decision was made by the Loskop Marathon series committee that all entrants who have purchased race tickets for the race, which was set to take place on April 18, would be receiving a full refund for their tickets.
Refunds will also be on any additional purchases made at the time of entry through the official channels of the Loskop Marathon Series, which will exclude any bank transactional fees incurred at the time of payment.
Due to these unforeseen circumstances, the entrants of this year’s Loskop Marathon series will not be receiving the popular marathon T-shirt or race pack. The refund process is set to begin on June 1 and the Loskop Marathon office will be in communication with those who purchased tickets.
No action will be required by entrants who utilised the official online platform as refunds will automatically be made to the debit/ credit card utilised at the time of entry.
Upon verification, the refund is expected to reflect on the entrant’s bank statement within four to five weeks. For manual payments, entrants will be contacted directly to arrange the relevant refund.
Any donations made by individuals at the time of entry will be paid to the relevant charity.
If you are unsure of an email or want to check its validity, contact the Loskop Marathon Office on loskopmarathon@foreversa.co.za or loskop@peaktiming.co.za.
“Understanding the financial hardships that many households will endure over the coming months, we feel this is the correct decision for all concerned following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic within South Africa,” said Tait.
At this stage, the Loskop Marathon series committee cannot announce a date for the next marathon
