COVID-19 hits sport: Coast to Coast entrants require full vaccination for 40th anniversary race

Entrants for next year's Coast to Coast 40th anniversay race must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The iconic South Island multisport event was first contested in 1983 and has become an annual opportunity of athletes of all abilities to test themselves on cycling, running and kayaking stages over 240km.

With many mass-participation events reviewing their viability across COVID alert levels, Coast to Coast organisers are determined to forge ahead with their milestone edition on February 11/12, but warn vaccination will be compulsory for all competitors, support crews, sponsors, staff and volunteers.

"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," says race director Glen Currie.

"The indication is that they will be putting a process in place to allow event organisers to check vaccination certificates."

Currie laments the cancelation or postponement of other events this summer, as the nation slowly emerges from months of coronavirus lockdown and adapts to new protocols.

"We're really feeling for event organisers that have made the hard call to cancel too," he says. "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 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."