ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSE BEACH RACE DELAY AT SWANSEA

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSE BEACH RACE DELAY AT SWANSEA

The Welsh Beach Race in Swansea has been delayed to give organisers more time to put further environmental safeguards in place.

Race organisers, RHL Activities Ltd, will apply for a licence from the Marine Consents Unit (MCU) to stage the event at a later date.

The event was due to be held at Swansea Beach from March 2 to March 4.

Gareth Hockey, Director of RHL Activities, said they were working to address the environmental issues raised since the race was given the go-ahead.

Mr Hockey said: “We have staged beach races in Weston for many years and we have an excellent track record of managing environmental issues.

“We take this responsibility very seriously and we have taken steps to ensure we have addressed the issues raised.

“We will be applying for a licence from the Marine Consents Unit which will reassure people that all the necessary steps have been taken to protect Swansea Beach.

“Unfortunately, this means having to delay the Welsh Beach Race but we will be looking to stage the event in Swansea in the future. We now need to find suitable dates before discussing options with Swansea Council.

"We want to put on a sustainable event at Swansea, an event that will run for at least the next ten years and eventually attract the same number of visitors as the well established Beach Race at Weston does on the other side of the Bristol Channel. In 2008 more than 100,000 people travelled to Weston to see the Beach Race, and there's no reason why Swansea shouldn't surpass even these figures in the future.

"I can only apologise to the hundreds of competitors and spectators who have already entered or bought tickets to the Beach Race at Swansea,' said Mr Hockey. "Everyone will be contacted directly to explain the situation."

Posted: 17 Feb 2012

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