Rally battle pushed back

Rally organisers have postponed the Repco Battle of Jacks Ridge until February next year because of the ongoing uncertainty around Covid alert levels and regional travel in and out of Auckland.

The second running of the Auckland event was due to take place on November 13-14 but has been rescheduled for Waitangi weekend on February 5-6, 2022.

Paul Fallon, event manager, says the postponement is frustrating but officials had always planned for a Covid disruption and had pencilled in the February date as a back-up some time ago.

“While it is disappointing not to be able to run as planned, we feel this option will work just as well and will give competitors, sponsors and fans a better level of certainty,” he adds.

“An early February date gives the region time to get this outbreak under control, continue to raise vaccination rates and it is when the region has its most stable weather.

“We have poured a huge amount of work and planning into this event and made improvements to the track and to the facilities. 

“We look forward to being able to put on a bigger show than last year but at a date we can all be completely confident with.”

Shane van Gisbergen won the inaugural Battle of Jacks Ridge, which is held at a purpose-built two-kilometre-long piece of road at former national rally champion Andrew Hawkeswood’s Whitford property.

All event partners have agreed to the date change and Sky Sport will still go ahead with broadcasting the event live.

Tickets remain on sale for the event, and those already purchased automatically roll over to the new dates.

Fallon also acknowledges rally star Hayden Paddon for agreeing to move his Golden 1200 hill climb event near Cromwell from Waitangi weekend to a new, yet-to-be-confirmed date to accommodate the change for the Battle of Jacks Ridge.