Thundersprint organisers Frank and Carol Melling announced that this iconic event will not take place in 2015.
Frank Melling said: “It’s well known that we have had two disastrously bad years with the weather in 2013 and 2014. The 55mm of rain we had over two days this year at Darley Moor hit spectator attendance very badly. In the simplest possible terms, we just cannot take a chance on a third year of hostile weather.
“The problem we and many other organisers face is that the cost of promoting a big, complex event like the Thundersprint rises every year. Circuit owners want their income guaranteeing regardless of ticket sales. There is nothing wrong with this policy but it means that all the pressure is on the event organiser to cover costs and, hopefully, make a profit.
“We are a two-person business and we can’t continue to risk what we have built up over the last 17 years on the bet that we will have good weather in 2015.
“The Thundersprint is very much alive and well and Carol and I remain as enthusiastic as ever for the future – if and when the event can make economic sense.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all competitors, traders and spectators for their fantastic support and we hope that they we will all continue to remain the good friends that they are now.”
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