Q Radio Sport
Northern Ireland's biggest sporting event, the North West 200, has been cancelled due to the impact of Covid-19.
The motorcycle road races originally scheduled for this week had already been postponed in the hope of finding new dates later in the year.
But organisers have announced the international festival which attracts tens of thousands to the North Coast will not now take place in 2020.
2020 @fonacabbelfast and @NichollOils Northwest 200 is cancelled. Despite best efforts, the disruption and uncertainty of Coronavirus will make it impossible to deliver the extensive planning required to run an event of this scale https://t.co/QDAKMf3hLw #northwest200 #NW200 pic.twitter.com/mblRnjK4hA
— North West 200 (@northwest200) May 11, 2020
Full statement:
FONACAB AND NICHOLL OILS NORTH WEST 200 IS CANCELLED
On March 17, Coleraine and District Motor Club announced the 2020 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200, scheduled for May 10-16, would be postponed following the government’s introduction of restrictions to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
Since March the organisers of the NW200 have been in consultation with all of the relevant agencies to explore the possibility of running the event at a later date during 2020. We have corresponded with officials from the N.I. Executive as well as Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council plus all of the NW200’s stakeholders, considering every option available to us should there be a suitable window of opportunity.
Despite these efforts, it is now obvious the disruption and uncertainty the virus will continue to place on all of our lives and activities in the coming months will make it impossible to deliver the extensive planning required to run an event on the scale of the North West 200. That being the case, Coleraine and District Motor Club have taken the unfortunate but responsible and necessary decision to cancel the 2020 races. We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause for our competitors, volunteers and race fans.
A provisional date for the 2021 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils NW200 Race Week Festival has already been set for 9th to 15th May. We hope everyone stays safe and well so we can return to an even bigger and better North West 200 12 months from now.
https://t.co/BoVg6h0zFy. Today the trucks and Motorhomes should have been rolling in to the paddock and the road blocked with traffic as people drove by to have a look! ☹️ @fonacabbelfast @NichollOils @VisitCauseway @EventsCauseway #stayhomestaysafe
— North West 200 (@northwest200) May 10, 2020
We feel your pain! #StayHomeStaySafe https://t.co/We7QrbVJQH
— North West 200 (@northwest200) May 10, 2020