Dear trail running friends,
Since the 17th March when it was announced that France would enter a state of ‘confinement’ it was clear to everyone that 2020 would be a very different year.
In order to comply with the new public health measures put in place following our President’s address to the nation on the 14thApril, we were forced to cancel the June date for the Mont Blanc Marathon. Whilst we waited to hear the details of the plans for ending confinement (which were announced on the 30th April) we continued to explore options to reschedule the race later in the year. This led us to consider moving the event to September.
As of today there are certain things we know for sure:
- Both the national and international calendars of events are full and our event would actually interfere with other events
- There are considerable financial risks to our organisation as many of our sponsors are unable to fulfil their contracts
- Many of you will not be able to travel for personal or professional reasons
- The weather conditions in the mountains are different at the end of June and in mid-September
To this we must add a number of uncertainties:
- What will the health situation be in September?
- Would organising the Mont Blanc Marathon pose a risk to runners, volunteers and the wider population of Chamonix?
- What type of authorisations will we have? Will we have to limit the number of runners? What refreshments will we be able to offer?
- Will our event be able to be as fun as we would like it to be?
These certainties and uncertainties have occupied our thoughts both day and night…. For over 40 years our organisation has dedicated itself to offering safe, high-quality races with a fun, family atmosphere in the heart of the Mont Blanc mountains. Our job is to make decisions and we’re sure you understand that today we are not in a position to honour our commitments. It is therefore with a heavy heart that we are forced to cancel the 2020 Mont Blanc Marathon.
We understand that you will have many questions about refunds and the allocation of race places for 2021….
As a reminder the Club des Sports de Chamonix is an association ‘loi 1901’, which enables its 3500+ members to enjoy sporting activities across its 25 different clubs. It is also tasked by the communauté des communes of the Chamonix Mont Blanc valley with delivering international sporting events to promote the region; which obviously includes the Mont Blanc Marathon. We pride ourselves on having a reasonable, mature and responsible approach, both on an administrative and human level. As we say in France ‘être un bon père de famille” (to be a good father to the family).
Our rules and regulations state that in the event of a cancellation we will refund 60% of the registration fee. However, given the current crisis and the enormous efforts that we are all having to make, we have decided to calculate the level of refund based on the charges incurred to date (salaries, equipment purchased, communication, administrative charges …) and will provide:
- A refund of 80% on registration fees
- A refund of 100% on the following items: Additional buffet meals purchased / Personalised medals / Cancellation insurance
- Charitable donations (public utility associations (RUP) and charity bibs) will remain with the organisations they have been donated to
Runners wishing to sign up to the 2021 event will have:
- A separate race registration at the start of October
- A guaranteed place in the same race they were signed up for in 2020 without having to take part in any draw
This refund will automatically be made to your bank or credit card and you will not need to request it. However due to the number of refunds to be made there could be a delay of several weeks. If you have still not received your refund by the end of July please contact us by email: club@chamonixsport.com
Finally, I would also like to remind you that you are always welcome to refuse the refund. In doing so you will help support all the children who are members of the Club des Sports de Chamonix. This will help us to ensure the continuity of their sporting activities, in what are financially sensitive times for our organisation. Please click here if you do not require your refund.
We wish you all the best for the days and months to come and we are eager to see you all again for the next Mont Blanc Marathon which will take place between the 24th and 27th June 2021.
With kind regards,
The organising committee
