Blog
2020 NSORRA Hare Scramble Season a GO!
We are living in a new world today because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to you all for staying the course by following NS Public Health protocols. As a result of your efforts, we have been able to keep COVID-19 in check and we are able to run an almost full hare scramble season.
To ensure we can complete the season, guidelines have been put in place. We are following the guidelines of the province for putting on a safe event. Regardless of your personal opinions on the changes, NSORRA and its volunteers are asking for 100% compliance. Noncompliance will put our members, the race series and NSORRA at risk. We have a zero-tolerance policy. For everyone’s safety, guidelines will be enforced and those not following the guidelines will be asked to leave with no refund of their registration fees.
NSORRA Hare Scramble COVID-19 Operation Plan
The adherence and monitoring of the operational plan will be undertaken by all NSORRA board members and volunteers present at the event. Failure of any attendee to follow our event rules can result in immediate expulsion of their participant and pit crew from the event and possible disqualification of future events.
Hare Scramble Registration
- THERE WILL BE NO ONSITE REGISTRATION.
- You must be an NSORRA member to register. Go to http://nsorra.ca and click on Become A Member.
- Online registration and payment for all events can be found at http://nsorra.ca/events.
- Agreement to follow the COVID-19 guidelines and waivers will be done online during event registration.
- Registration for Craigmore will close at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, August 12 to allow for travel to Craigmore. No registrations will be accepted once the event is closed.
Public Health Signage
Public health signage has been installed at our ride parks, thanks to the efforts of Board members Josh Kelly, Grant MacLeod and Mike Ritter and many other hands. We ask that you follow the protocols put in place to ensure we all stay healthy to ride and compete again.
· If you are ill, do not attend the event. Return home and call 811.
· Physical distancing expectations (maintain 6 feet/2 metres)
· Hand hygiene – use hand sanitizer frequently
· Coughing and sneezing etiquette (into your arm)
· Cleaning and disinfection practices
· Play etiquette (e.g., no handshaking or loitering).
Screening of Event Participants, Pit Crew and Volunteers
- Only vehicles that transport the participant and their pit crew will be allowed on the event grounds. Vehicles that are not transporting a participant will be turned away at the entrance to the event and the vehicle occupants will not be allowed to enter the event.
- There will be a check-in at the entrance of the event. We will verify that the participant is registered, the class they are racing in and the bike race number. We will also need to record all pit crew names, and contact numbers. This is a government requirement.
- All participants and pit crew will need to answer a COVID-19 screening questionnaire. These are basic questions about your health, travel and contact with COVID-19 positive people in the last 14 days.
- If you are part of the vulnerable population at greater risk of severe effects of COVID-19 we ask that you take any additional precautions as recommended by our government or not attend the event. We understand that COVID-19 can be life threatening to people with underlying conditions that make them more susceptible to the virus’ effects. Please attend at your own risk.
Screening Questions
IF YOU RESPOND YES TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE SCRAMBLE.
- Have you travelled outside the Atlantic Provinces in the last 14 days?
- Do you currently have the following symptoms: fever (over 38°C), dry cough or difficulty breathing, aches/pains, sore throat, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell, rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes?
- Have you been exposed to a person who has a confirmed or probable case of the COVID-19 infection?
Physical Distancing Measures
- When parking your vehicle please leave room for physical distancing to occur between you and the neighbouring pit crew. 6 feet on each side is the recommended distance.
- All participants and pit crew must social distance from other participants and pit crews. If you cannot social distance you must wear a mask.
- Participants and their pit crew will remain at their pit location unless assisting their rider to the race meeting and starting line.
- Racers will keep their helmets on or wear a mask while attending the race meeting and the start line.
- Where physical distancing cannot be maintained (riders meetings and awards ceremonies), masks will be required for participants, pit crew, volunteers and board members.
Controls to ensure the safety of the event and attendees
Volunteers:
- All volunteers must physical distance or wear a mask.
- We will be screening screening all participants and guests.
- All volunteers must practice personal hand hygiene.
- There will be an assigned volunteer that will be responsible for the rules in place for a safe event.
- All sweep riders must keep their helmet on while assisting event participants while sweep riding. Masks will be provided for all sweep riders so that if they must remove their helmets they will be able to wear a mask.
Participants and Pit Crew:
- All participants and pit crew must stay in their bubble and social distance with other bubbles and volunteers or wear a mask.
- Participants and pit crew will be encouraged to practice personal hand hygiene.
- Participants will need to wear their helmets and pit crew must physically distance or wear masks at all times heading to the race meeting while setting up at the start line and waiting on the start line for the race to start.
- Participants and pit crew are asked to remain at their parking location prior to the race start.
- Participants and pit crew are encouraged to spectate from the sides of the race course but must maintain physical distance from other participants and guests.
- Participants and pit crew are strongly encouraged to leave the event grounds promptly after awards ceremonies are completed.
Facility controls:
- We will have a check-in/information desk with a 6-foot barrier at the entrance of the event.
- We will have a hand sanitizer station outside of the restroom to be used before and after using the restroom.
- There will be no high touch areas beside the restroom which will include a hand sanitizing station.
- There will be no registration on the event grounds and no exchanging of forms or money.
- We will have signage made for the entrance to the facilities and throughout the event parking lot.
- A six-foot barrier around timing and scoring is required.
- Only vehicles that are transporting participants or volunteer vehicles are allowed on event grounds.
- Parking will be provided so that physical distancing may occur between participant and pit crew bubbles.
Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
- Bring hand sanitizer and masks with you. We ask that you practice good hand hygiene at the event
- Spray In, Spray Out: Portable restrooms and outhouses include bleach spray to sanitize the toilet area. After visiting the restroom, use the handwashing stations stocked with soap and paper towel found adjacent to the units.
Awards
- Awards ceremonies will include the participant and presenter wearing masks.
- Winners will wheel their bikes to the awards area and stay with their bikes in a triangle format with winner in front; 2nd place 6 feet behind and to the left; 3rd place 6 feet behind and to the right.
- If Holeshot winner has placed, they will receive their prize in the formation. If the Holeshot winner has not placed, they can bring their bike and t-shirt to the formation for photos.
- Presenter will give each award and step away for award photos. Masks can be removed is everyone follows physical distancing rules.
- There must be physical distance or mask wearing for all group pictures after ceremonies.
Final Words
The penalties for putting on an unsafe event are very, very harsh. We do not want any bad publicity. It only takes one attendee to post a picture on social media that portrays our event in a bad light if we are not following these guidelines. We ask that everyone do their part in making this event a safe and fun one for all and we show the public how to put on a safe event in this new COVID-19 world we live in.
Thanks and let’s all have a safe event!!
This blog was written by NSORRA's general manager, Claudine Laforce
