Plug pulled on 2012 Puerto Rico Grand Prix masters meet
World-class long hurdler Tony Echeandia writes: “I am writing to tell you that the Gran prix meet for 2012 is being canceled. Unfortunately I received less than 40 entrants and that is not enough athletes to have the type of meet I was wishing to celebrate. I will try again next year or the year after; maybe I didn’t promote it enough.” A shock but not a surprise, given the relatively short notice. The meet was first mentioned in early March. Prize money was to be a draw, but it wasn’t enough to overcome other issues. Hope next time is a success.
Related posts:
- Puerto Rican payday masters Grand Prix meet website launched
- Prize money being offered in Puerto Rico masters Grand Prix meet
- Ottey wins IAAF Grand Prix meet 100
- Puerto Rico WMA meet suffers entry shortfall
- Germans to post entries to Puerto Rico WMA meet
34 Responses
Hello, I come from Belgium and i already have my flight ticket and hotel booked.
What do i have to do now?
Thanks
HANGOUT AT THE BEACH,DANCE SALSA/MERENGUE,LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL “MAMACITAS” DRINK SOME MOJITOS AND CUBA LIBRES.
If you HAVE TO RUN and have tix flexibility, look at the USATF calendar.East Region meet (Columbia,MD) on the 14-15 July OR Southwest Regional meet in Austin,TX July 28. No beaches,but look me up for Mojitos/Cuba Libres.
As with the fellow from Belgium, I (as a sports photojournalist) and at least one New York competitor I know of had already bought non-refundable plane tickets to attend the meet.
It’s unfortunate that Tony didn’t gauge potential interest in the meet before advertising it on a web site as a done deal.
Now it’s doubtful that people will have much interest in the future. A Grand Prix was a great idea, but I doubt that next year anybody would be willing to invest in plane tickets knowing that the meet might be canceled if not enough people register.
Water it down to an all-comers meet or something. Throw us a bone.
Buena idea= excellent idea Linda!!!!!!!!!
tryed to get info no one returned email,want hotel airport,transportation info,could not get flt. close to meet location.
wow
Maybe Tony can use some of the prize money he was hoping to award winners to reimburse some of the entrants who have already bought airline tickets to attend his now-canceled meet.
The original web site said that the location might be changed from San Juan to Mayaguez (which it was was), but the web site never said that there was a chance that the meet could be canceled if not enough people registered. A little bit of false advertising, which is actionable under law if anyone wants to pursue a claim in small claims court.
I’m wondering how many of the 40 people who registered had already bought non-refundable airline tickets.
Certainly, the fellow from Belgium in Post #1 is out a chunk of change. And, Panama Kid, to tell him to go to Puerto Rico anyhow all the way from Belgium to enjoy the “mamacitas” may be funny in spirit, but doesn’t put money back in his pocket.
The attempt to hold the meet was a well intentioned one, but apparently it was done so with some trepidation no one else was aware of. Based on the anticipated expenses that most, if not all competitors were going to incur, more disclosure should have taken place. It’s too bad that this may kill what could have been the start of something good. It could have possibly been salvaged by making people aware it was at risk before the decision to scrap the meet. When looking at registrations for the national events,the majority of activity takes p,aces right around the deadline before late registration kicks in. Everyone wants to be sure before committing, and it is quite likely this would have been the case. I for one am sorry to see it go down like this…..
Rob: Relax, SO what is YOUR “make the best of a BAD situation solution”? After he clears IMMIGRATION to get back on PLANE back to Belgium!!!!!!!!
Rob: Mierda ocurre=shit happens. Have you ever trained for a meet,bought ticket, made car and hotel reservations and the WEEK of the meet PULL/STRAIN” something and then have “pull-out/cancel your TRIP?
Hope the 40 people who entered the meet all read your blog, Ken, or else they will be arriving in PR with no place to go.
The web site for the meet is still up and says the meet will be held July 21-22 in Mayaguez, PR.
At least, the web site should be updated to reflect the cancellation. What a mess. No concern at all for the people who already entered.
Linda: Just spoke to “some PR masters” people in San Juan and their is TALK of implementing your IDEA.Lets see if it comes to “fruition”
Panama Kid – YEAH BABY! When the world throws you a lemon, grab some tequila and make a margurita. I hope they come up with something.
I hope the all-comers meet happens too. And I am sorry that the Grand Prix isn’t going to happen. The concept is great and I was planning to photograph it to help promote it in NYC media to make it even bigger and better next year.
What irks me is that the web site still says this morning (June 21) that a Grand Prix is going be held in Mayaguez July 21-22; emails go unanswered.
Unless people who have already entered read Ken’s blog, they will not know the Grand Prix has been canceled.
It’s like throwing a party and then not telling the guests it’s been canceled…after the guests have spent hundreds of dollars of get there. It wouldn’t take much to change the web site, but apparently Tony doesn’t care enough to do even that.
Maybe next year Tony …..No worries -just about to have my first Mojito by the pool….. 3 parts rum to 1 part ?? does it matter! Sully
Sully: Invite ROB and NOEL over.
Linda:If you or a friend will be at the Texas Masters this Sat;look me up at the 1 or 2 start line, have some PR info for you.
If there will be some sort of all comers meet in Puerto Rico this July please be sure to let all of us know!
I will not be at the Texas Masters meet but you can send me any info you have to carty30@yahoo.com. I
can hardly wait to see whats brewing!
will do my best to LET YOU ALL KNOW, ONCE I GET IT CONFIRMED…Have been talking to the people who put on the NCCWMA in 2010. They are trying to p/u where Tony left off and IT’S BEEN difficult.
Tony should have gotten you involved from the beginning, Panama Kid. Sounds like you know who to talk to and how to get things organized. Good going!
Maybe the meet(s) should be held locally (i.e. stateside, europe, etc) and then internationally. Multiple people could also help with planning. This was a great idea, but the execution wasn’t there. Next year will be my first year running masters. This meet, WMA in Italy and Brazil def. played a part in putting on the spikes again. Lol. I would def. help plan and market a meet of this nature in the US. Things happen, but once the money is spent for tickets, etc people tend to get jaded. Maybe next time.
Got INFO…waiting for call from el “HOMBRE” (KEN) to decide on the BEST way to PUT it OUT.
HERE WE GO: Puerto Rico Masters has agreed to ADD an international segment to their National Masters, but that meet WILL be on July 14,NO DINERO, but you WILL get MEDALLAS. ALL INTERESTED PARTIES CAN CALL THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION at 787.299.0438.(Ms. ILKA CAREO) She speaks English, but it would be better if you spoke SLOWLY AND WITH AN eastern or west coast ACCENT (LOL).Hopefully this helps.
I’d like to thank everyone who entered the meet and I apologize to those athletes who bought plane tickets and made reservations. As I stated in my first notice of the meet and the Website created for the meet, I NEEDED ATHLETES TO ENTER the meet, not pay an entry fee, just enter in order to find out which events would be money events and have something to sell to the local Government. Unfortunately I only received 37 entries, which obviously were not enough. I will be trying to host the meet again next year, publicizing the meet earlier and I would appreciate any entries that we might receive. Again I apologize to those athletes that entered and I will be giving discounts to those individuals next year when we host the meet.
Regards,
Tony
Tony,
You might want to indicate on the website created for this meet that it has been canceled. It still says that it will be held July 21 and 22 in Mayaguez. Not everyone reads Ken’s blog
Rob: I was under the impression that ALOT of competitors were disappointed NOT only because meet was cancelled, but also that their WAS a monetary LOST of airplane tickets.I just put in a call to Ms.Careo and she stated, that to DATE,NOT a single call has been made to her to get particulars on MEET. I guess it was NOT has TRAUMATIC AS I WAS LED TO BELIEVE.
Panama Kid: The meet that you very nicely worked to get Grand Prix entrants an invitation to is scheduled the weekend before the Grand Prix was slated to be held…so your efforts are appreciated, but penalties are attached to changing the dates of plane tickets so perhaps that’s why Ms. Careo got no calls. If the dates for the two meets had been the same, maybe Ms. Careo would have gotten some calls and entrants to the replacement meet.
I lost a a few hundred dollars in plane fare and so did a friend of mine. Can’t speak for the guy from Belgium or anyone else. Lesson learned, I guess.
Looking forward to NCCWMA in Saint John, New Brunswick in August.
Rob: I feel you and I considered the change fee vs total lost of ticket when I spoke to Puertorican Masters,That’s alot of money “bro” to give away to airlines.Buena Suerte en Canada
Panama & Rob, I thank you both for your interest in the meet and I apologize to you both, I myself invested a substantial part of my time and money in putting this thing together as well as Ms.Ilka Careo, Luis Santos, Yoyo Ortiz & Santiago Ayala. Personally I received more requests for information and schedule change requests for a meet that never had a schedule then actual entries. For the 37 Athlete’s that actually entered I got 127 e mails explaining athlete’s personal issues, complaints and criticisms. I’d like to state that personally I don’t care what other Athlete’s issues are, I am Masters Athlete and one in good standing, I am a fierce competitor and Gentleman. I offered a chance to move Master’s Athletics to the next level and create something never done before but it required the input go ALL Master’s Athlete’s interested and the magic number was 37. The failure is shared by me and Master Track & Field Athlete’s, not the venue. Until recently I thought of tanking the idea because when I first approached meet Directors about having the meet, the consensus was that Master’s Athlete’s are problematic and no one wanted to get involved. Ms. Ilka Careo and Mr. Luis Santos took it upon themselves to get the Stadium in Mayaguez for Free and they did! I don’t think we will get it again for free, which is unfortunate but I thank them both. I recently was at a friend’s Birthday party and I ran into Mr. Aaron Thigpen and unless you live under a rock and don’t know Aaron, I will tell you he is an excellent athlete and person. Aaron told me how disappointed he was that the meet was cancelled and that he really wanted to compete and more importantly that a meet like this is necessary in order to advance Master’s Track and Field and I agree with him. Also The Puerto Rican Master’s Track & Field Federation wants to host the meet, so I am stating here on this site that we will try again but we will need participation from more than 37 athlete’s. I ask you all to think about it and when we launch again in the fall please send in a reply ASAP.
Regards,
Tony Echeandia
The administration and promotion was not followed through. As people say….e-mails were not answered, no status of entries, or updates so people could PLAN ahead but more importantly I have been to masters meets with very few people and the prize money could have been reduced by a percentage of the door receipts. I am sorry but if you think your in good standing then YOU are in good standing with yourself but I would venture to say this was an extreme blunder but I almost expected to hear it knowing what I know from the past. I see it was about money not about masters track or else it would have been seen through to its loss if that is what it would have been. No faith in track people.
Hey Mark,
I think you miss understood what I wrote but not a problem, the whole event was misunderstood. As I stated in my earlier post there were no entries to post no one entered, but you and Mrs. Latrica Dendy did enter the meet and sent in your checks (you were the only two people to send in checks and fill out the entry form. I am returning the checks to you both and next year when we host the meet and promote it correctly, I am inviting both you and Ms. Dendy to the meet personally and I am purchasing both of your plane tickets. I hope that makes up for the your disappointment and I thank you for your partisipation.
Regards,
Tony
Tony: Muy buen comentario y buenisina idea para los boletos de avion.
Leave a Reply