The Spartan Race is not returning to 麻豆社国产in 2013.
Race organizer Dean Stanton told The Chief that 麻豆社国产didn't turn out to be a good fit for the obstacle course race series.
"Part of it is where we had the event wasn't ideal and some of the routes weren't ideal," he said. "But that's the nature of the beast with 麻豆社国产right now. It's very difficult to put on events there."
Stanton said he hasn't completely shut the door on a return to 麻豆社国产but that he wouldn't run the start and finish line at the Loggers Sports Grounds, where the event was held last summer.
"I wouldn't run it at the Loggers Sports Grounds," he said. "That place is kind of falling apart and it didn't work well for what we wanted and the price was pretty high for what it was."
He said the race could have used a bigger field area for the start and finish but the group didn't have permission to use the fields at Brennan Park.
"The Loggers Sports Grounds is sort of aging and in my estimation is falling apart," he said. "麻豆社国产is going to have to invest some money in it and improve it or in five or 10 years it'll be gone."
The Spartan Race has expanded to include races in Red Deer and Sun Peaks instead of 麻豆社国产and Stanton said the response has been better than what it was locally. He said there are more than 2,500 signed up for the Red Deer race in early September, with over 300 for Sun Peaks, which takes place the end of September. The 麻豆社国产race drew a little under 1,000.
Stanton said he'd ideally like more unique terrain closer to the start and finish like that he had in last year's course.
"We need access and a cool trail," he said. "This was the most complicated event in terms of land deals by far. We had to deal with private landowners, the district and native reserves. It's nobody's fault, but it's just the nature of the beast in Squamish."
He said he looked at a course near Quest University and that could potentially be part of the plan if the race returns in the future.
The Spartan Race move comes on the heels of the announcement from organizers of the Coast Mountain Trail Series (CMTS) that the Survival of the Fittest Race, originally planned for this past Saturday (April 13) in Squamish, was also cancelled.
The Chief's efforts to reach CMTS organizers for comment by press deadline were unsuccessful.
