2020 Silver Fern Rally (New Zealand) - 22-28 Nov 20 - CANCELLED

NZ Silver Fern Marathon Rally COVID-19 Announcement

Posted: August 11, 2020 5:34 AM

With the ongoing active cases of COVID-19 around the world, it has become clear that the NZ Government will not be opening our boarders to international travellers any time soon. With this in mind, we have decided the best course of action is to reduce the 2020 NZ Silver Fern Marathon Rally to a two day format now called the URG Silver Frond and focus on creating an event that can meet the domestic NZ market. The event will be based on the road closures we already have in place from the last two days of Silver Fern being the 27th and 28th November.

We are currently looking at options with regards to rescheduling the NZ Silver Fern taking into consideration other events around the world that our International participants also participate in, with particular reference to the RAC in England that also only runs every two years in November but in the alternative years to the Silver Fern. With the uncertainty as to when world travel restriction will ease, it is looking more likely that we are best to focus our efforts on November 2022 and return the event to the South Island. More information will follow once we have a clearer picture of the best direction to take.

We want to let everyone know that it has been a difficult decision to take, but for our International participants we wanted to give sufficient notice to prevent any unnecessary shipping costs and to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the event. We are left will no other option as the event is not financial viable without the support of our international participants.

URG Silver Frond
We have decided to open this event up to a wider group of vehicles rather than just the traditional 2WDs and include 4WDs , both classic and modern, to provide a domestic rally for everyone to enjoy.
Supplementary regulations are currently being finalised and will be posted on the website once completed.

Our concept is to run the Classic 2WDs at the front of the field with the balance of the field following them as this will give everyone a fairer run at each stage. The event will gather in Palmerston North on Thursday 26th November for documentation and scrutineering.
Starting on Friday morning 27th November, vehicles will travel north to overnight at Ohakune. Saturday 28th vehicles will depart Ohakune and finish in Taupo.
Stages are approximately 20kms long with a total distance of approximately 310kms and touring of only approximately 380kms.

We invite you to take this opportunity to come and enjoy some of the best roads the central north island has and support us as we reset for the years ahead.

Silver Fern 2020
Peter Martin, Managing Director.

Silver Fern Confirmed for November 2020

Posted: July 10, 2020 1:23 PM

We are now in mid-winter here in NZ and full steam ahead as we turn our attention towards NZ Silver Fern in November 2020. We are pleased to confirm our intention to run the event in the format as plotted, a seven day marathon gravel rally starting in Rotorua with Documentation on Saturday 21st.

In light of the COVID-19 world pandemic the decision has be taken to add a regional two day for those who are not in the position to compete in the full format. This will be the last two days starting from Palmerston North and finishing in Rotorua.

We know there are still uncertainties around international travel in November but we are working with Immigration NZ and the Minister of Tourism to obtain an approved event status which will enable the application of travel visas for those wishing to compete from off shore. With this in mind, GT Logistics have advised that the latest date for shipping containers is the 11th September to ensure they arrive in time for the event. This means that you will need to pre-arrange your intent to ship vehicles no later than 31st August. For more information please contact Phil Gibbs at GT Logistics on email - phil@gtlogistics.co.nz.

We have extended the early bird cut off dates and relaxed the withdrawal penalties to allow you more time to make the commitment to join us.

We urge you to consider us when planning your discretionary spend and come and be part of the best marathon rally the world has to offer.

NZ Silver Fern Covid-19 May Update

Posted: May 17, 2020 9:17 AM

As we have now moved into Level 2 COVID-19 restrictions here in New Zealand, we are able to return to normal business activity at the URG offices. While our current focus is on the Targa Hawkes Bay event, which is now set for the 4-5th July as a two day tarmac rally based out of Havelock North, we are mindful that there have been a number of concerns raised relating to the Silver Fern Rally in November, so I thought it appropriate to let everyone know how things are progressing towards the Silver Fern 2020 event.

Let me take this opportunity to confirm that at this stage we are 100% committed to running the event as planned.

All road closure applications have been submitted, the TMPs are almost finished and we will begin the resident consultation process in June.
We are still on target to run the event as planned, but recognise that a number of our international participants are unsure of what travel restrictions will be in place later in the year, so therefore they are nervous to enter now given the penalties for withdrawal under the terms of entry.

With this in mind we have decided to relax the withdrawal penalties to give you all a sense of comfort, while at the same time not leaving us in a vulnerable financial position. We have also decided to extend the Early bird rate out from the 31st March to the 31st July and the Standard rate will then apply form the 1st August. There is no longer a Late fee and entries will close on the 31st October 2020. If you decide to withdraw from the 2020 Silver Fern Event and happy for us to hold your payments made as a ‘Credit towards a future Event’, then a full credit of payments made (less the administration fee), will be held on your behalf and the new refund policy penalties will not apply.

The refund policy has now been adjusted as follows. The Non-Refundable administration fee of NZ$1, 150.00 will remain, regardless of when you withdraw.

New Withdrawal Refund Policy:
Notification of withdrawal once received in writing will be processed and refunds of entries fees will be issued based as follows;
Prior to the 1st August 2020 = 100%(less the administration fee)
1st - 31st August 2020 = 75% (less the administration fee)
1st - 30th September 2020 = 50% (less the administration fee)
1st - 31st October 2020 = 25% (less the administration fee)
Thereafter no refunds.

This revised policy should alleviate concerns and safe guard your commitment to the event. The Draft Rally Guide and Supplementary Regulations have now been amended with this policy and are now on the webpage too.

Over the last two months we have been in regular contact with Phil Gibbs at GT Logistics regarding shipping arrangements and how they could be affected later in the year. At this stage the advice is to ensure that vehicles are ‘on the water’ from Europe and the UK before the 31st August to avoid the additional US$1,500.00 fumigation charges associated with the ‘Stink Bug’. The normal shipping times are expected to remain, so for those participants shipping vehicles from other parts of the world, please check with Phil or your shipping agent to confirm your departure dates.

NZ Silver Fern Rally 2020 April Update

Posted: April 25, 2020 5:28 AM

"As we move into the ANZAC Weekend here in New Zealand, we are all looking forward to reduced COVID-19 travel restrictions in the coming weeks and months.

I’m sure that many of you are still planning how you move forward with the ‘new rules of business’ and how this will affect your daily routines.

I have been keeping busy with my involvement in Rotary providing support to frontline organisations that are feeding the community, to ensure they are staying safe, while helping those vulnerable particularly elderly living alone in rural areas.

This has given me the opportunity to connect with many social services, government agencies and local MP’s to gain an understanding of how we as a country are tracking towards the management of this pandemic.

We all need to be proud of what we as a country have achieved, but also mindful of the huge cost to our economy, which may see many businesses not survive.

For many life will resume with only a few changes to the way we conduct our activities, but for some their lives will never be the same, in particular those who have lost family and friends to COVID-19 complications and our thoughts are with them.

At this stage the staff are still all working from home and so it is just me here at the office, but we are now fully conversant with morning and afternoon Zoom meetings to keep us all connected.

New Zealand is lucky to be an Island nation which is quite remote with low population density. Community transmission is now virtually non-existent, and we should recover with few human casualties.

However we are led by a socialist government that will be very conservative in opening our boarders to bulk travellers again.

Only time will tell when these measures will ease, but we anticipate this will be before November. The very good news is that we are still planning to run the 2020 NZ Silver Fern Rally in November. All the lead work and planning continues across the North Island.

There will need to be a few changes to the running of the event. These include maintaining personal distances so the introduction of hand sanitisers and personal hygiene measures. Reducing the potential for mass gathering by written drivers briefings, staggered scrutineering and documentation and possibly running cars at 2 minute intervals(which will also reduce the risk of standing dust on stages), none of these are insurmountable.

For those of you who are on the payment plan, we have extended the payment plan dates out by a month to give you all some breathing space, for those who have not entered yet here are our thoughts.

New Zealand is a relatively safe environment and always has been. We have good infrastructure to cope with life’s uncertainties. There will be little other motorsport activity around the world over the coming months, so shift your focus to joining us at the end of the year for a whole season of motorsport in 7 days. Remember, motorsport is a calculated risk and that is one of the reasons why we do it, but it is also part of who we are!

I have said for many years, ‘Life is short and we need to do what we enjoy while we still can because you never know what’s around the corner’, so come and join us for the best Marathon Gravel Rally in the World, you deserve it!

In the meantime, take care of yourselves and each other."

Peter Martin, Managing Director.

Event Website / Details

Posted: April 25, 2020 5:27 AM

Silver Fern Rally (NZ)