Ragnar Trail Wisconsin is taking place after Marathon County confirmed its outstanding invoice had been paid in full.
Several financial issues have dogged Ragnar and its parent company, FitLab, in recent months. Hybrid Fitness Media has been following the story of race cancellations, unpaid bills, and uncertainty around the future of the brand.
After initially denying Ragnar Trail Wisconsin’s permit for this year, Marathon County gave Ragnar until August 28 to pay outstanding debts and sign a new agreement. That payment has now been made.
“I confirmed this morning that the invoice has indeed been paid in full,” said Marcus Aumann, Assistant Director of Community Services for Wausau and Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry.
Earlier this month, Tanner Bell, Ragnar Co Founder who sold his shares in 2021, said he was working with a group of industry leaders, investors, event operators, and others connected to Ragnar on an interim agreement with FitLab.
“After several years away from Ragnar, I’m working with an incredible group of industry leaders, investors, event operators, and people who care deeply about Ragnar to do everything we can to save these events and this community,” Bell wrote.
Bell said the agreement would provide the funding needed for Ragnar Trail Rainier and Ragnar Trail Soldier Hollow to move forward in August, while the group also worked toward a broader agreement to acquire Ragnar and put the company on more stable footing.
Ragnar Trail Rainier took place as planned last weekend, and Ragnar Trail Soldier Hollow has just gotten underway as of press time. Ragnar Trail Wisconsin will be the third event to move forward under the effort Bell described.
Not every Ragnar event has been saved, however. The Reach the Beach road race will most likely not take place this year, as we reported this morning.
Ragnar Trail events may be easier to preserve because they generally require a single agreement and payment to one host venue or land manager. Ragnar Road relays, by contrast, often rely on permits and agreements with multiple towns, municipalities, and agencies, any of which may be owed money or unwilling to move forward.