Yesterday (23rd June) the Wirral Hundred’s Committee decided to start its 2020 race season at Anglesey with a meeting over the weekend of 15th & 16th August, two weeks later than was being planned in recent weeks.
In England with the easing of the Government’s lockdown restrictions, Clubs are now scheduling race meetings for the rest of 2020, beginning in late July and early August.
The situation in Wales, however, is much more difficult, with travel restrictions of just five miles, no easing of the severe social distancing limitations, and the continuing closures of hotels, B & B’s and camping facilities. However the next statement from the Welsh Government is expected to announce a series of measures, effective from 6
th July, that should remove the requirement to ‘stay local’ and should help the tourism industry kick-start its summer season. Obviously this easing of the lockdown measures in Wales will depend on the continuing decline in new Covid-19 cases, and in particular those on Anglesey, a particular black-spot in recent days.
Consultations with the circuit management revealed that serious doubts existed over the ability to get the necessary consents and Covid-19 preventative measures in place in order to run the planned meeting on 1
st & 2
nd August. However, NG’s cancellation of their Anglesey meeting meant that 15
th & 16
th August became unexpectedly available, hence the decision to go ahead with the detailed planning for the meeting, on this later date. Provided the Welsh Government’s lockdown restrictions are eased as expected, and provided the circuit has obtained the necessary health & safety and medical permissions, we hope to finally confirm, on or about 12
th July, that the meeting will go ahead.
By that time we expect that the Club will have new regulations and entry forms, complying with the ACU’s requirements concerning Covid-19, available on the Club’s website, and will have compiled various steps ourselves to minimise the risks of infection to the paddock community, marshals and officials, whilst present at the circuit.
This so far has been a miserable race year for riders, marshals and officials – and we hope that they will welcome this opportunity to return to action in just eight weeks’ time. For safety reasons we are planning to have two practice sessions at this first meeting of the season – one untimed, one timed - and, by popular demand, to run all races over a minimum of 12 laps.