Cemetery Circuit race cancelled

The famous Cemetery Circuit motorcycle race in Whanganui has been cancelled.

The first two rounds of the Suzuki International Series, at Taupo¯ and Manfeild in Feilding, were cancelled at the start of November.

Series organisers had hoped they would still be able to run the Cemetery Circuit event on Boxing Day, but this week announced it was also cancelled.

The Government this week brought in the new traffic light Covid-19 risk level system where regions were split into red, orange or green, and vaccination rates help determine the level.

The Whanganui District Health Board region is at a red risk level, despite having no cases of Covid-19 because it has lower vaccination rates. Under any risk level, businesses of any kind can open, but with varying limits on numbers.

A statement on the Cemetery Circuit website said it was with ‘‘huge disappointment, utter frustration and angst’’ they were forced to cancel the final round of the series.

The statement said it was because the Whanganui region was in the red alert level.

‘‘This decision that we have had to make hurts to our hearts and souls, but we cannot go on with constantly moving goal posts that we have been doing everything we can to align with for the past few months.’’

Series organisers said at the start of November they would not be able to run the first two rounds because of uncertainty and restrictions around Covid-19 alert levels.

The organisers were also unable to secure marshals and volunteers. They hoped to be able to run the series next year.