Suzuki Series and Cemetery Circuit Canceled

MOTORCYCLING: The famous Whanganui Cemetery Circuit motorcycle race has been cancelled.

The first two rounds of the Suzuki International Series, at Taupō and Manfeild at Feilding, were canceled in early November.

Series organizers had hoped they would still be able to hold the Graveyard Circuit event on Boxing Day, but this week announced that it was also cancelled.

The government this week introduced the new Covid-19 risk level system where regions have been divided into red, orange or green, and vaccination rates help determine the level.

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The Whanganui District Health Board area is at a red risk level, although it has no cases of Covid-19 as it has lower vaccination rates.

Regardless of the risk level, businesses of all kinds can open, but with varying number limits. These limits increase below orange and green if all participants are vaccinated.

A statement on the Graveyard Circuit’s website said it was with “enormous disappointment, utter frustration and anguish” that they were forced to cancel the final round of the series.

The statement said this was because the Whanganui area was at the red alert level.

“This decision we had to make hurts our hearts and souls, but we cannot continue with constantly moving goal posts that we have been doing everything we can to align ourselves with for the past few months.

“We tried everything we could to organize these events.”

Series organizers said in early November they could not stage the first two rounds due to uncertainty and restrictions around Covid-19 alert levels.

Organizers were also unable to find marshals and volunteers to help organize the events.

They hoped to be able to lead the series next year.