Keep training towards 40th Anniversary event.
With Covid-19 restrictions causing plenty of angst for event organisers and would-be competitors, Kathmandu Coast to Coast Race Director Glen Currie wanted to ease concerns by saying that his team are doing everything they can to ensure the event is able to celebrate its 40th Anniversary on February 11 and 12. “We know how hard it is for athletes training for the event, even when everything is going to plan, let alone the uncertainty of lockdowns etc. But we are, and will do, everything we can to run a safe and successful event.”
With four months still to go until race weekend Currie and his small team have been working with authorities to ensure they’re equipped to deal with each scenario as they come up. “We’re lucky in a way that whilst we have a small team, all of them work in the event and sport industry and have been operating in this fluid environment ever since Covid came along. Adjusting and adapting is something we’re all familiar with. It’s become second nature.”
“Whilst there’s lots of things we can’t control, we’re constantly having to work on plan B, C and D, whether it’s the weather or other reasons such as Covid. While we can’t predict the future, we can work towards meeting the requirements set down by the government and be as ready as we can once the event rolls around.”
That means for those wishing to attend the event, they must be fully vaccinated.
“The Government has made it relatively clear that if you wish to host a large-scale event this summer there will be a requirement to make sure all attending are vaccinated, the indication is that they will be putting a process in place to allow event organisers to check vaccination certificates,” Currie said.
And as a result, all competitors, support crews, sponsors, staff and volunteers attending the Kathmandu Coast to Coast must be able to provide evidence that they have been fully vaccinated.
As a former competitor Currie remembers looking for motivation around this time of year and felt the uncertainties caused by Covid and other events cancelling will be adding to concerns. “It’s definitely tough to put in the amount of training that’s required to have an enjoyable weekend. But one thing that’s for sure is you’ll never regret doing that little bit extra, even if it's just to be that little bit fitter, that feeling will also help in everyday life.”
“We’re really feeling for event organisers that have made the hard call to cancel too. For some of them that’s their main income for the year or their main fundraiser and it’s sad to see them not operating. One thing that’s great about the Kathmandu Coast to Coast is all the other events that have sprung up that people do as part of their build up to the event. Those events are a big part of the multisport fabric, and we want and need them to be able to operate.”
The 40th Anniversary Kathmandu Coast to Coast starts on February 10 with registrations in Greymouth, followed by the two-day entrants starting from Kumara Beach on Feb 11, and the Longest Day competitors on Feb 12.
