The Wanderers appeal to the USA Track & Field has been rejected. The Wanderers had asked the USATF to reverse a decision to not include the performances of club members in the team standings for the February 22 Ugly Mudder trail race because the team application and fee for 2009 had not been filed.
“I received your appeal,” wrote USATF mid-Atlantic membership chair Norm Green in his pink slip issued to the Wanderers. “However, I have been instructed to enforce our rule that club membership cannot be made retroactive. Your scores for club #92 (the Wanderers club number) will count as of 2/27/09.”
The application and fee for 2009 was submitted to the USATF immediately after it was learned that the paperwork had not been sent in. The club is now a member in good standing, but it is too late for the Ugly Mudder results.
“Of course, I am disappointed by the decision,” said Carnage. “We have no other option now except to soldier on.
“I apologize to all our runners, especially Chris and Polly, who performed so valiantly at the Ugly Mudder that their results will not count in the team competition. This was my mistake, although it would have helped if the USATF had sent a reminder notice. ”
The USATF series consists of eight trail races, for which seven count and one result can be discarded. All results will count in the team standings for the rest of the USATF season now that the Wanderers are again members in good standing.
“However, now we have no margin of error,” said Carnage. “Also, all the excellent performances turned in at the Ugly Mudder including Sharon Schmidt’s first place finish in the women’s division will not count in the team results.”
All Wanderers who signed up as individual members of the USATF had their results at the Ugly Mudder count toward the individual competition. The next USATF race is the Tyler Trail 10k cross country run on April 4.
