With the country now in alert Level 2 for the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a number of questions around when motorcyclists can get back to club days and racing.
Sport NZ has confirmed that the 10-person gathering limit applies to community sport.
As far as Motorcycling New Zealand is concerned, this means that the combined number of riders, support crew and officials at an event or meeting must not exceed 10. Appropriate physical distancing guidelines must also be observed.
The 10-person maximum effectively rules out any resumption of motorcycle sport at this stage.
Sport NZ has indicated that competitions may be able to commence from about May 30.
However, this depends on the continued containment of COVID-19 and the advice of the Director-General of Health. For the moment, MNZ suggests using this time to get ready for the resumption of racing.
Clubs will need to ensure they have adequate safety protocols in place, including contact tracing, measures to ensure physical distancing and increased hygiene practices (availability of hand sanitiser, increased cleaning of high-touch areas in club rooms, etc).
Riders can be preparing their machines and gear and thinking about measures you can take to safeguard your own health and that of your fellow competitors – adding hand sanitiser, gloves, etc, to your kits.
Please continue to be patient – MNZ says it will get back on track and, once it does, it wants to be able to keep racing without fear of going back into lockdown. MNZ will keep you updated as circumstances and guidance change.
To help with your prep, check out the updated Level 2 Guidelines for Physical Activity at https://sportnz.org.nz
© Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here