With the ever-changing announcements from the UK and Devolved Governments including recent changes to travel restrictions and the lessening of many restrictions on some sporting activities, the T & E Committee have considered what changes can be accommodated for our sport and our Championships in particular.
No-one expected to be in this terrible situation when our 2020 calendars were formulated, and our season has been devastated. Our main priority remains trying to keep everyone safe and also being respectful to our own ACU family and the wider communities where we enjoy our sport. This we feel is important as we move into better times and are very mindful of our responsibilities
After deliberations we have arrived at the following decisions:
ACU Permits are already being issued for Restricted events.
We believe this can now be widened to cater for Open and National events where organisers feel they can do so safely in all cases and an appropriate Risk Assessment must be provided along with Permit application and Supplementary regulations.
The ACU have produced Risk Assessment Templates as a guide to assist you.
Championships: It should be stressed here that the T & E categorically do not want to pressure any organiser to deliver a round already allocated. Equally, some organisers and riders feel they wish to recommence those Championships and have asked us to consider doing so especially later in the year. Those organisers already on the Championship calendar will be contacted for a view on how they wish to proceed. Again, it’s to be stressed this is entirely their decision. Some organisers who have had to postpone Championship rounds may wish to apply for new dates and these will be considered but it must also be stressed dates may be difficult and clashes are likely to occur which will have to be accepted. The T & E Committee will also take other factors into account before allocating any revised Championship rounds or dates.
To help accommodate this and enable clubs to have more time to consider, and also for riders to be able to plan ahead, we will put a deadline of August 10th for any new applications, with a calendar where applicable, formed and published a week later.
Where future Championship rounds are still on our existing calendar, they will be automatically accepted should they wish to run and therefore these Championship dates are still valid while organisers are consulted
Trials GB - Considerable work is already taking place regarding this series. Confirmation of the calendar and the Championship itself is likely to start earlier than the others In all cases, we acknowledge that National & Championship events will result in riders travelling from various parts of UK. It’s important that localities are not unduly concerned about this. Therefore, before a Trials Permit for Championship or National status can be issued specific written approval must be obtained from the Centre within which the event is to be run. We have worked on the principle that the Centre knows the circumstances of that area and can contact adjoining clubs etc. They may also know that some clubs will be a long distance from the venue and therefore not affected. We believe it is important for the future of trials that this initiative is respected, and a specific form will be produced. It is expected however that Centre Officials will contact their clubs and an expedient reply produced.
Championships - Final Assessment: There must be a sensible and equitable approach to these Championships, so our decision is below: For any Championship to be valid: In the Final Assessment, a minimum of 3 results must have been achieved. Less than 3 results by close of season the Championship will be void
Exception: Where the existing Championship regulations stipulate a day’s score can be dropped, the minimum number of results for Championship to be valid shall be 4.
Sidecar Championship: Unfortunately, whilst travel restrictions affecting some regular Sidecar Championship contenders remain in place and for other valid reasons including social distancing, there will be no further ACU Wessex Plant Sidecar Championship rounds held. It has also been decided that no sidecar classes can be accommodated in an ACU Trials Permit. However, the situation, and Government guidelines will be constantly monitored with a view to resumption of these events should it prove safe and practical to do so. Punch cards: In all Trials the use of individual rider punch cards that have to be used by an Observer to record scores is not allowed.