NO RE-RUN FOR THE WESTON BEACH RACE
Following on from the red flag incident in the solo race of Sunday’s Weston Beach Race we unfortunately must announce that the race at present cannot be re-scheduled. After two days of meetings with the North Somerset Council and the emergency services, while RHL Activities and their contractors were able to go ahead with a rerun of the solo race for this Sunday (18th October), it has been concluded that the full complement of local medical and emergency services cannot be put in place in the time available.
RHL Activities would like to clarify that the solo race could not be restarted last Sunday as the emergency services weren't able to regroup their ambulance services within reasonable time. With 17 riders being transported to hospitals around the area, combined with the additional stress created by civil emergencies (car crashes etc) elsewhere, a safe restart of the solo event was not possible. We would like to reassure the public that more than adequate medical services were on site at the event and in fact this year we invested in engaging doctors as well as paramedics on our front line of medical cover.
Gareth Hockey, RHL Activities: "We have spent the last two days in intense meetings with the local authority and medical services to try and rescue the solo race for this weekend. It is clear now that this will not be possible – the requirements on organisers and authorities are now much more stringent than they were in 2002 when we managed to reschedule that year’s race.
"We hope to be able to issue further information on the status of this year’s solo race within the next week. Like many, we have been deeply upset by the injuries and trauma the riders suffered in the accident on Sunday, and particularly to the young rider still in ICU – our thoughts are still very much with him and his family at this terrible time as we wait and hope for an encouraging report on his condition."
Posted: 13 Oct 2009
