Following on from our statement last week, and in response to the latest Covid-19 update, Cycling New Zealand Schools can now provide further updates on the 2021 SKODA National School MTB Championships.
This event was scheduled to take place on 11-14 October in Blenheim.
As our previous announcement indicated, this event cannot proceed under Alert Level 2, and with the latest Government update extending Level 2 for the country until at least the 4th of October, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to cancel the event.
Event organisers, Marlborough MTB Club (and, we understand, many Schools) were due to incur significant non-refundable costs in the next week. With the Government indicating its decision to not review Alert Levels until Monday 4th October (and with no certainty on what its decision will be) this has left us with no other option but to cancel.
On behalf of Cycling New Zealand Schools, we would like to say a special thank you to the team at Marlborough MTB Club for the huge amount of time and effort that has gone, not only into organising the event, but also into working through the options to give the event the best possible chance of going ahead.
As with the announcements already made, these decisions by us have not made lightly. We recognise that the cancellation of this event is disappointing. Our thoughts are with all our school riders, particularly the Year 13 riders who should be celebrating their schools cycling journey with a final opportunity to represent their school. We do however fully support the intent of the Government guidelines, the national health response and the guidelines from School Sport New Zealand.
A special thanks to SKODA New Zealand for their support of Schools Cycling events across the board and thank you to event partners; WK Advisors and Accountants, Thomas’s Department Store, Mons Royale, Cycle World, Maxxis, Race Face, Pak n Save, Victoria University of Wellington, Gear Up, Butt Drilling, Ground Effect, Wilkes RM, Brendon Price Computers, Bluebridge, Ultra Quip Hire, Scaffold Marlborough, Marlborough Roads, Chateau Marlborough, Marlborough District Council, Redwood Trust, One Forty One and Air Rescue and Community Services.
Cycling New Zealand Schools will be working with Marlborough MTB Club on event hosting opportunities for the future.
Updates on the SKODA South Island School Track Championships will be communicated later today.