WEMBO postpone 2020 World Solo 24 Hour World Championships

Pics: WEMBO

The World Endurance Mountain Bike Organisation (WEMBO) has postponed this year’s World Solo 24 Hour Championships in Armidale in the face of continued COVID-19 restrictions. 

Event organisers had held out some hope the event, originally scheduled for 7-8 November, could go ahead but restrictions on international travel mean the race would likely be open only to Australian competitors. 

The event will instead be moved to the weekend of 6-7 November next year and will be known as the 2021 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships. 

In a press release WEMBO said the decision largely came down to fairness for all competitors. 

‘WEMBO has always strived to present the fairest possible environment for all those wishing to take part in our events,’ the statement read. 

‘All riders with existing 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships entries will be contacted individually by the Event Host – New England Mountain Bikers (NEMTB). They can have their entry automatically transferred to the 2021 event at no cost even if entry cost increases, or have it refunded in full minus the entry system processing fee (approximately 3%).’ 

To learn more about WEMBO head to their website. You can also stay tuned for our chat with them from the August/September/October issue of MBA magazine. 

You can find the full press release from WEMBO below. 

In our statement of 20 April, we advised that a decision on the 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships would be announced at the end of July. The July decision date is based on the requirement for both riders and organisers to prepare for the event and also to give our riders appropriate time for dealing with travel and accommodation arrangements. 

We regret to announce that the 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships cannot take place due to the effects of the current and forecast Australian responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the event is deferred to the weekend of 6/7 November 2021 and will become the 2021 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships. No 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships titles will be awarded. 

While it is highly likely that major sporting events will be taking place in Australia late in 2020, the restrictions on international travel to Australia mean that if the event went ahead it would not be fair for all competitors, with international riders either not being allowed to travel to Australia at all, or facing long quarantine periods on arrival which would unfairly affect rider race preparation. WEMBO has always strived to present the fairest possible environment for all those wishing to take part in our events. 

All riders with existing 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships entries will be contacted individually by the Event Host – New England Mountain Bikers (NEMTB). They can have their entry automatically transferred to the 2021 event at no cost even if entry cost increases, or have it refunded in full minus the entry system processing fee (approximately 3%). 

All WEMBO prize entitlement obligations and other rider support which would have been able to be redeemed at the 2020 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships will automatically be transferred to the 2021 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships. 

This announcement means that all three WEMBO 2020 events have now been deferred to 2021:  

• 2021 WEMBO European Solo 24 Hour Championships (Jihlava, Czech Republic, 26/27 June) 
• 2021 WEMBO Americas Continental Solo 24 Hour Championships (Bend, Oregon, USA 10/11 July)  
• 2021 WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships (Armidale, NSW, Australia, 6/7 November 

In summary, the next two WEMBO World Solo 24 Hour Championships are: 
 
• 2021 Armidale, NSW Australia 6/7 November 2021.  
• 2022 Finale Ligure Italy 27/29 May 2022.  

WEMBO wishes all our riders and the extended WEMBO Family all the best in the current health situation. WEMBO will not be publishing any advice on riding in the COVID-19 environment because that is different all over the world due to the policies adopted by different countries and we do not support rider attempts to modify any national policies. Stay safe, stay smart and help your community beat COVID-19 by adhering to the rules in your area. 

Russ, Riccardo, Frazer and Peter