'Our hearts are genuinely broken' - Final Irish road race of season cancelled at eleventh hour
The South West Road Races have been cancelled at the eleventh hour after organisers confirmed the decision on Thursday “with absolutely broken hearts”.
The Irish road race at Athea in Co Limerick had been due to take place from September 12-13 for the first time in 15 years, but was called off following a failed track inspection, with insufficient time remaining to address the issues identified.
The organisers said the late cancellation would result in a “devastating” financial loss.
A statement read: “It is with absolutely broken hearts that we have to announce that the South West Road Races are cancelled.
“Everything was ready to go, but unfortunately our track inspection did not go to plan. While the general areas and corners were completed, issues remain on the back road and there is simply not enough time to carry out the necessary repairs.
“We cannot put into words the turmoil and devastation within our club right now. We have invested an enormous amount of time, work and money into making this event happen, and unfortunately this situation was completely out of our hands.”
The organisers confirmed that all tickets sold would be refunded, and admitted that the dramatic development had been “difficult to comprehend”.
“Our hearts are genuinely broken. The financial loss from this cancellation is devastating,” the statement added.
“We put everything we had into getting these races to the start line, and to lose it at this stage is extremely difficult to comprehend.
“To every sponsor, trader, competitor, volunteer, marshal, supporter and spectator who stood behind the South West Road Races, we are truly sorry.
“Please bear with us while we work through the refunds and repayments. We will get back to everyone as quickly as we possibly can.”
The club said a more detailed statement would follow, highlighting the issues that need to be addressed to prevent a similar situation in the future.
Irish road racing returned in the Republic of Ireland this year for the first time since 2022, with races being held at Kells, Skerries and Walderstown.