No re-run for the Weston Beach Race
By TMX Archives on 14th Oct 09
Following on from the red flag incident in the solo race of Sunday's Weston Beach Race we unfortunately announce that the race at present cannot be re-scheduled. After two days of meetings with 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 berestarted last Sunday as the emergency services weren't able to regrouptheir ambulance services within reasonable time. With 17 riders beingtransported to hospitals around the area, combined with the additionalstress created by civil emergencies (car crashes etc) elsewhere, a saferestart of the solo event was not possible. We would like to reassurethe public that more than adequate medical services were on site at theevent and in fact this year we invested in engaging doctors as well asparamedics on our front line of medical cover.
Gareth Hockey, RHL Activities: "We have spent the last twodays in intense meetings with the local authority and medical servicesto try and rescue the solo race for this weekend. It is clear now thatthis will not be possible the requirements on organisers andauthorities are now much more stringent than they were in 2002 when wemanaged to reschedule that year's race.
"We hope to be able to issue further information on the status of thisyear's solo race within the next week. Like many, we have been deeplyupset by the injuries and trauma the riders suffered in the accident onSunday, and particularly to the young rider still in ICU our thoughtsare still very much with him and his family at this terrible time as wewait and hope for an encouraging report on his condition."
