Rainbow enduro: ‘Until next year’

Motoring enthusiasts in the Wimmera and Mallee will look to the return of an iconic national off-road racing championship next year as organisers made the tough call to cancel the 2020 event.

The 2020 Rainbow Desert Enduro 560 – the fourth round of Motorsport Australia’s Off Road Racing Championship, AORC, is another victim of COVID-19.

Victorian Off Road Racing Association president Tony Carabott said it was ‘unrealistic’ to run a national event in August that attracted thousands of spectators and more than 70 competitors and crews from across the country during a pandemic.

“It wasn’t any easy decision to make, but I feel we’ve made the right one for the health and safety of the community up there and all the volunteers and officials involved,” he said.

“Motorsport in general is suffering right now. The sport is nothing without spectators, they make it all happen.”

Rainbow Desert Enduro joined the championship series in 2017 and has quickly developed a reputation as one of the most gruelling and tough offroad events on the Australian calendar.

Mr Carabott said the southern Mallee town would feel the impact of losing tourism associated with the event.

“It’s very beneficial for tourism in Hindmarsh. It’s put Rainbow on the map,” he said.

“I think Rainbow will feel the brunt of not having the influx of people come into town.”

Mr Carabott said when restrictions eased, teams of volunteers would start preparing the 75km circuit for an improved enduro in 2021.

“We’ve just got to come back bigger, better and stronger in 2021,” he said. “We want to up the ante with the facilities around the Graincorp site and provide better amenities – there’s a few things in the pipeline for improvements.”

The Queen’s Birthday long weekend would typically see race crews across the country gear up for the iconic Tatts Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs, which was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19.

Despite the cancellation of Rainbow and Tatts Finke, St George’s season opener in Queensland was postponed until later this year, with dates yet to be confirmed.

Motorsport Australia director of motorsport and commercial operations Michael Smith was hopeful a threeround championship could still go ahead for the 2020 championship.