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Saxon Shore Ultra Trails...
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Re. Extreme Runner Limited
It is with deep regret that I must inform you that the above company has ceased trading due to becoming insolvent. As you will be aware, Saxon Shore Ultra-Trails are operated by Extreme Runner Limited and, as such, all future Saxon Shore Ultra-Trail events are cancelled. The difficult decision to take this step has been forced upon me so as to comply fully with my responsibilities in law as a company director.
Unfortunately the company has no assets or funds to provide further payments, refunds or to appoint an insolvency practitioner and thereby initiate a voluntary liquidation. I assure you that all avenues have been fully explored to resolve this issue but I regret that, as sole director, I am not in a financial position to fund this personally having now lost my livelihood.
The company now lies in a state of 'limbo' until either Companies House strike it off the register or a creditor winds it up through the High Court, leading to the Official Receiver being appointed as liquidator. Having entered a 2014 event organised by the company, you are now a creditor of the company and you may wish to consider making this move so as to bring about the early resolution of the company's affairs. You may also wish to contact your card provider through whom you made payment.
I apologise again and regret the impact this has on you. Yours faithfully
Mike Jones
Director
Extreme Runner Limited
To be honest, I do have some sympathy for Mike - his races weren't particularly well attended and the outlay on temps to man checkpoints/village halls/food etc must have left very little money left. Just very disappointed he didn't wind the company up before opening up the 2014 series of races causing people to be out of pocket.
Sorry but I don't have much sympathy for him, yes its a shame that the races weren't overly well attended but to be honest with you, he hadn't really put much effort into the 100mile Thames Gateway race had he?
If he had, then he would have realised the route description he lifted from another race was arse about face for his event. Even the CP crew, when there was a CP didn't know what was going on or what direction the runners were due to come in from. Piss poor at the least & dangerous to the runner at the most. Safety has to come first for the participant in an event like this & the RD has a massive responsibility in their Duty of Care for anyone taking part in their events.
He should have cut his teeth a little more on the shorter races before jumping into the longer stuff.
I was one of the three finishers & as far as I know the other two had a good crew to get them round.
This was my experience.
http://ogeerunner.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/thames-gateway-103mile/
Ogee, this is the key bit of your report for me:
Traviss told me that the feedback on the last couple of races had been fairly poor but that the RD hadn’t made any significant changes with the structure of his races.
Organising one race and getting it wrong is poor, but forgivable. Continueing to organise races and send runners out unsafe and without the support they are expecting is a whole different level of bad.
Alan - I don't think anyone realised it was your comments until you've mentioned it there... It just appeared that Spen71 was making those comments.
Hmmmm.... so I just found this thread and seen the company has folded. I ran the TG60 in the summer and was banking on using the 2 points for the UTMB CCC entry. Any suggestions how I submit 'proof' I completed it? (I'm not sure how the UTMB validate claims)
I need the two points from the TG60 for my UTMB application as well.
Are the results recorded on any other official results website?!
If i don't get a UTMB place this year I will lose my 4 points from Lakeland 100 in 2012 and will have to find another 4 point race to do next year
Can anyone contact Mike to ask him to get the results uploaded somewhere?
Thanks daftwood, could you PM the results?
Anybody got the results file from the Saxon Trails 50 back in March 2013?
Thanks!
There is something odd about this company's public info. It does have one director, but its Denis Rice, not Mike Jones. The address is 38 HAVELOCK ROAD BRIGHTON ENGLAND, which is a private house according to the Google spycam on the company info site.
If this company really was his livelihood I would be surprised - how could anyone make a living from a few small events ? Although the website http://www.extremerunning.org/ also takes credit for organising London to Brighton and some navigational training courses so maybe he isn't as inexperienced as it seemed ?
The website is also registered to Denis Rice, although at a different address in Brighton - 124 Balfour Road.
Peronel is right about the fraud issue, but seeing as no-one has seen the accounts its impossible to know what was going on. Paying himself an inflated salary wouldn't perhaps be fraudulent, just stupid, but if there are no complaints he would be free to set up a new company and do the same thing again. Admittedly the dodgy builder scam is unlikely to work in such a small community but still....
Anyway, info if anyone wants to pursue it.
I think there is a mixup.
I've done London-Brighton a few times and really like that race. Navigation is part also of that race but contrary to the stories from Saxon Shore's races, they put effort in trying to help the runners navigate. I have a hard time believing that they (inkl Denis Rice) has anything to do with the Saxon Shore's Mike Jones.
It must be a coincidence, or another level of the fraud, that the names of the companies appear to be identcal (or ...?)
Edit: I just noticed that the Company names are not identical. Denis Rice: "Extreme Running Limited" Mike Jones: "Extreme Runner Limited". Thus no Connection between them.
Its a different company, nothing to do with Saxon shore at all, though I have reason to dislike extreme running of the L2B race he has nothing to do with this
By the way - Has anyone had any success in trying to get a refund of the registration fees from the credit card companies? Or tried to take it to High Court as Mike Jones suggested in his e-mail on Dec 7?
Well spotted Jan... Sorry about that. He obviously failed on originality as well then - it would have been easy to pick a more distinct name.
A small claims court would do the trick as judgment would be given and not satisfied, so the process would take over. The costs would then be far lower, as I suspect his reference to the High Court is trying to scare people off on those grounds. Try a Citizens Advice Bureau. But even the small claims fee will be wasted if there are no assets, so he knows he gets away scot free.The credit card companies are the best choice.
If some sort of court action is to be undertaken, then cooperation between the aggrieved parties, would likely be key to making it workable and financially viable.
Since I do not live in the UK I'm not the one that can take the initiative to a cooperative action when it comes to the small claims court (unfortunately).
In mid-December I filed a return-request for £160 to the credit card company but have not yet got a reply. A potential drawback might be that I used a debit card instead of a credit card when paying the two registration fees.
Jan I am actually embarrassed that you have had this experience, as an overseas runner wanting to visit the UK for an ultra.
We actually have a lot of really good races, that would have been worthy of your interest.
Thanks Ben. I've ran a few other ultras in the UK and I agree that you do have a few really good races (and organisers).
That I've likes most of the UK ultrs I've ran might be one reason why I trusted Saxon Shore too much when I registered. I've become more realistic now when I chose races. Unfortunately one often learn the hard way.
Just to let you guys know, my credit card (Halifax)company refunded my £50 Yesterday. Just sent them my entry details and a copy of the email sent out by organiser. Worth trying.
I have got a place in UTMB in the lottery - however, 2 of those points are from Thames Gateway 60 last year.
Does anyone have a copy of the e-mail they wouldn't mind sending onto me?
Just in case I need some evidence of what's happened to Saxon Shore when the UTMB guys do the verification of the points collected for my application.
Thanks
Neil - Check your runners page on the UTMB site as I think all the verification has been done already. Mine says it has been so may be ok?
mine are still showing as 'waiting for validation' - starting to get concerned now, spent money on flights, accommodation etc.
Neil, can't you email the UTMB Team and ask them directly?