The Crankworx Summer Series set to be held at Christchurch's Adventure Park next weekend has been cancelled due to the Port Hills fire.
The three-day event would have included some of the world's best freestyle mountain bikers competing against local up-and-coming riders on brand new courses built specifically for the Downhill and Pump Track events in Christchurch.
Mountain Bike Events Ltd chief executive Ariki Tibble confirmed the "complete cancellation" in a statement today.
"Despite exhaustive efforts by the Crankworx team, the CAP crew, and our friends at ChristchurchNZ, we have been left with no choice due to the extensive damage to the courses and ongoing safety concerns on the site, making it impossible to proceed with the event as planned," Tibble said.
"We are deeply saddened by this decision and recognise the impact it has on each of you. Our thoughts and support remain with the teams on the ground who are tirelessly engaged in firefighting, assessment, and containment efforts".
The fire that began six days ago required as many as 15 helicopters in the air at one time over the burn area of 650 hectares.
Today, Incident controller Steve Kennedy said his crews were now tackling the last of the hotspots and would continue to work with the support of heavy machinery and two helicopters.
There is still some good news for those in the North Island seeking a high-adrenaline thrill as Crankworx Rotorua remained on track for March 16-24, 2024.
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