IRONMAN Arvostelua 

Very disappointing company to deal with. Would not recommend them in anyway.
Signed up for an Ironman for 2020 that was cancelled due to Covid. I allowed the company to retain my payment and provide me with a credit as I knew that Covid was not their fault. I deferred entry to a year later then 2022. Unfortunately, I am unable to race this year due to injury and wanted to defer my race to 2023 when I would be healthy enough to compete.
The company refuse to even consider moving my entry to next year and my entire entrance fee is forfeit.

I am very disappointed that I didn’t demand my money back in 2020 rather than doing Ironman a favor by allowing them to retain my entrance fee. I will never be using this brand again and will talk to members of my triathlon team to do the same. It’s a shame but there are other long distance race brands out there that I would recommend instead of Ironman.

Transfer requests - why bother putting a transfer policy in place if you aren't going to accomodate transfers in extenuating circumstances? You have the ability to do it, you just refuse to help people out.

World Triathlon Corporation and Ironman Triathlon are crooks! I would highly discourage doing business with these guys... I broke my foot, had to have surgery, and simply asked them to hold the $400 I had already paid for this year's Waco 70.3 and place me into the following year's race instead, as my foot would be healed by then. After multiple emails and phone calls they agreed to give back $75, but NO MORE. And would NOT let me simply change my entry to the following year. Keep in mind, that this discussion didn't happen a week or even a month before the race, this happened 5 MONTHS prior to the Waco 70.3, so there was plenty of time to make the change, and absolutely ZERO risk to the Ironman organization. But instead, they very arrogantly and unapologetically said, too bad... There's nothing we can do for you. They made it very clear to me that they don't care about their competitors... they care about one thing. MONEY. I will NEVER do business with this company again, and strongly suggest you think & hard about this organization before giving them your money!!!

Draconian and insensitive refund policies for those who would give the organisation up to 6 months of advance notice of inability to attend an event to keep £600 worth of entry fees. Fully aware of the policies and what was on offer when I had to defer, but it doesn’t change anything. Disgusting. Beware.

I signed up for my first iron man 70.3 during covid and picked Finland, hoping restrictions would ease by the race. About 6 weeks before the race I contacted customer services to enquire if the race was still happening given the Finnish borders were closed. I was told it would be but I would get more information nearer the time. As the race drew nearer and still the borders remained closed, I was told I could defer my place if I wanted. This was therefore an extension of the 30 day policy Ironman normally places.
Communications continued with me asking for updates and Ironman telling me I could withdraw (and not receive a refund) or defer. What was failed to mention to me was the ‘transfer’ policy. When I found out about it, I asked to transfer given I had been training for months and didn’t want to lose £280. However, I was told it was within 30 days of my race and therefore couldn’t (despite the deferral policy extending). With the borders to Finland remaining closed to the UK, my only option was to defer.
In this deferral, which I was forced into despite there being no date confirmed for the following year, I signed away any right to transfer/defer (and therefore get a refund) should I not be able to compete. This is absolutely incredulous given I had been communicating with customer services for well over 30 days before the race originally, and was not told about the transfer policy. Furthermore, I have not once asked for my money back, simply to be able to race and put my hard work and training into a competition.
Having stated at the time I travel for work and cannot commit to deferring to an unknown date, I was told that withdrawal is my only option and must forgo a refund.
Again, for a company that takes in around £250 per competitor for a given race, I’d like to think I could have been given the option to race in a location I was able to get to, especially as the circumstances were not self inflicted.
This year, with the date confirmed, I am as expected, travelling for work, and am unable to compete. Having contacted customer services to ask to transfer given the above circumstances around my forced deferral originally, I have once again been told my only option is to withdraw (and not receive a refund).

This is absolutely absurd. I have not paid £280 to train for over a year to then not race, because the Finnish borders were closed and customer services failed to mention there was a transfer policy.
I have never once asked for my money back, only to be able to race and yet I’ve been blocked continuously.
Make sure you have no doubts in a race before signing up, as Ironman will steal your money otherwise, whether it’s your fault or not.

Never again spending a single dollar with this company. Customer service is slow and inefficient. But the worst is the total lack of empathy and consideration for loyal customers! I have raced almost 20 different events over the course of the last 10 years, only to realize that does not mean a thing to them. It's a machine designed to make money, do not expect them to help you out if you have any problems. Now, with a recently diagnosed heart condition, I was not able to have a refund, or deferral, or event a transfer...ridiculous. Spend your money somewhere else!

After a very long and painful battle (1 sided battle it seems) with IRONMAN over email, I have no choice but to give up and never race with them again. IRONMAN has by far the worst customer service I have ever witnessed and had to deal with. Other reviews quite clearly echo this statement.

I have raced IRONMAN for many years and spent absolute tens of thousands on races all across the world (literally), for yet, nothing in return.

I had two 70.3 races booked which both got cancelled/deferred due to covid in the past year or so. One of them being venice jesolo 70.3, which I am still unsure if its going ahead, while they hold on to everyone's £300+ entry fee. I have made countless attempts to make contact with them about what our actions should be, but I/we have heard nothing. This has been going on for over six months.

My time and money will now be spent with other and better brands like challenge and outlaw. Brands that value their customers, and not just robbing from the athletes.

This is an e-mail I recently wrote to Ironman withdrawals and transfers. I got no response, in my opinion, they abused the COVID pandemic for company gain. Truly awful customer service.

Hi X,

Thanks for confirming; none of the below is personally towards you X, you’ve been accommodating.

I was looking back at the two options I was offered when the Ireland 70.3 got cancelled due to the COVID.

How to select your option: 
 
I want to defer my entry to the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland

No action required now.  You will receive a deferral link to validate your registration upon our official 2022 Registration Opening. 

I want to request an event credit voucher for Ireland

As you know I took the first option and now unfortunately I can’t race. The other option is to get a voucher, under Ironman Withdrawals rules it says

"A refund is also excluded for athletes who paid the entry fee in whole or in part by redeeming a voucher credit at the time of registration.”

There is a similar policy under the deferrals.

What Ironman has done here is essential claimed everyone’s race entry even though the race was cancelled due to the COVID, to me this is an abuse of situation and extremely disappointing.

I know the way Ironman works means they’ve spent most of race entry fees before the event on set up cost and wages, I’m involved in an events venue where we run a very similar business model.

If you defer/transfer my entry then I take a place for someone new to bring more money into the pool, I understand that.

The difference is that we as the venue did our utmost to accommodate our current clients valuing them over new clients.

There are going to be 1000’s of people in my position giving way over 6 months warning that they can’t race. It upsets me that they're going to get the same response as me.

In my opinion, Ironman is the peak of the endurance races, I really want to compete for my mental and physical well-being. Going forward this experience has been extremely disappointing, the way Ironman essentially took my money due to COVID and now won’t offer me anything even though I’m keen to do another race just baffles me.

In a business where repeat customers/word of mouth is key I feel let down.

Thanks for all your help X, please withdraw my entry from Ireland 70.3 because I can’t race and I hope someone else can have the experience. - Please confirm this

Any compensation would be appreciated if you re-sell the place or on any other level.

Kind Regards

Rückzahlung Startgebühr immer noch nicht erfolgt aus einer Zahlung Ende 2019! Erreichbarkeit 0, Antwort auf Emails 0. Ich habe rechtliche Schritte eingeleitet.

Absolutely disgusting Customer service from Liverpool rock and roll events team!!!
Awaiting my refund due to them cancelling next years half marathon!!
I have an email confirmation stating the money will be paid back into my account.
I am still waiting and no one is replying to any of my emails regarding my refund of myself and my husband!!!!

Due to Covid I had to cancel my Ironman Hamburg ticket and was promised a refund 14-days to a month later on.

Now several months later I still have not heard anything. I keep calling Ironman Hamburg at their listed number but no ones picks up.

I believe I have sent 20-25 emails regarding this and no ones answers.

So bad customer service - this is not the way to treat athlethes that pay overprices to participate in your events.

Without a doubt the last time I race a German Ironman event...

Der Firma kann nicht getraut werden. Die Rückzahlung der Startgebühr für die abgesagte Bemer Cyclassics in Hamburg wurde trotz Zusage (Zahlung sollte bis zum 09.11.21 erfolgen) nicht überwiesen. Telefonisch ist die Firma nicht zu erreichen und stellt sich tot. Bearbeitungsnummer wird zwar erstellt und einem standardisiert (Mail) mitgeteilt aber es geschieht nichts.

Took 1.5 months for Ironman Staffordshire to reply to my emails, shocking. They are totally useless.

Constant errors when trying to book Ironman events through Active.com, impossible to reach anyone.

Turns out Active.com's software doesn't work properly with some browsers like Chrome. Basic, basic requirement

And on top of that, they charge you a massive booking fee on top of a very expensive event. Total joke.

Would have given them a big fat zero if that was an option

Awful customer service, they literally just ignore you!!!

Do not pay these cow boys.
No customer service
Money grabbing corporate thieves
Do the same distance with an alternative company for a fraction of the price, avoid.

Best organized events

Have done several races and always satisfied. Last race took place in 2018 though could not enter the proper date here.

Customer service non-existence. If you like to donate your money because of incompetence please choose another charity.

Wenn es um Rückerstattung geht, verhält sich dieser Veranstalter sehr unseriös. Wegen Corona wurde IM Kraichgau nun zum zweiten Mal verschoben. Bei meiner ersten Aufforderung zur Erstattung wurde dies rigoros abgelehnt (wg. AGB's und höhere Gewalt). Dann bekam ich plötzlich doch die Option angeboten, dass eine Erstattung erfolgt. Was folgte war eine lange Hinhaltetaktik und bis jetzt kein Cent...
Der Kundenservice ist sehr schlecht. Antworten kommen, wenn überhaut, sporadisch. Knapp 300.-€ kassiert, ohne Gegenleistung.

I would not recommend this organisation. They appear to be involved with a myriad of other organisations and connections eg Active.com; Booking Protect etc etc. None of them are any good and they seems to play one off against the other. The result is you get absolutely nowhere when you want to find things out or things change after you have paid your money. It's all seems so easy and glossy when they are taking your money but once you've paid it's a total different story.

Jeg er enig med alle andre. Jeg har ikke mulighed for at deltage efter, at det hele er blevet udskudt. Det er simpelthen for dårligt, at man ikke kan få pengene tilbage eller må sælge sin billet videre, når løbet igen, igen er blevet udskudt. De er for pengegriske!