The Komen three-day walk for breast cancer is walking away from Colorado.

The cancellation of the Denver 3-Day for the Cure event for 2011 was announced on the event website, citing tough economic times.

“We launched the Denver event in 2008, and it just didn’t meet financial goals,” said Wendy Fitch of the Chicago-based public relations firm that handles calls for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “It didn’t grow as we expected.”

Fitch said she did not know what those specific financial goals were, but she did say participation in Denver was “not on par with other markets.”

Overall, the three-day walks have raised more than $500 million since 2003, she said. Seventy-five percent of money raised goes to breast cancer research, according to the Komen website.

Michele Ostrander, executive director of Komen’s Denver affiliate, said last year about 800 participants walked 60 miles from Colorado Mills Mall through Littleton, Cherry Hills Village and Washington Park to City Park.

In comparison, about 4,000 people participated in the San Diego three-day walk last year, according to media accounts.

Ostrander said she couldn’t say why the event didn’t catch on here, particularly when Denver consistently posts some of the nation’s highest participation in Komen’s annual 5K Race for the Cure.

In October, an estimated 50,000 people participated in the race in Denver. Nationwide, the run raised $171 million in 2008-09, according to Komen’s annual report.

Organizers say timing may have helped doom the Denver three-day walk.

“We started two years ago at the same time we had challenges with the economy,” Ostrander said. “It just never gained sufficient traction to make it a significant event in Denver.”

Walkers have to pledge to raise at least $2,300 to participate. That, along with the duration of the event, could be a deterrent, Ostrander said.

However, she said, “the people who have participated in 3-Day have really enjoyed the unique experience.”

The event is scheduled this year in 14 other cities.

Fitch said the decision to leave Denver was made in December, and those who had already signed up to participate were notified.

Karen Auge: 303-954-1733 or kauge@denverpost.com