Due to high fire risk and unpredictable weather conditions in the region Great Ocean Roadthe women’s and men’s races of the Surf Coast Classicscheduled for January 28 and 29, are officially canceled. This decision, taken in consultation with the police Victoriaand emergency services, aims to guarantee the safety of all and to free up evacuation routes for local populations. If the continuation of the weekend events remains current for the moment, the organizers are still studying the possibility of an alternative event for Thursday, subject to an improvement in the situation.
Video – Tobias Lund Andresen winner of the event in 2025
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“The safety of our runners, teams, staff, volunteers and spectators remains our top priority”
Faced with the climate emergency and the necessary mobilization of emergency services on the fire front, the race direction favored caution. The director of the event, Scott Sunderlandwanted to emphasize that this measure, although difficult, was the only responsible outcome given the circumstances: “The safety of our runners, teams, staff, volunteers and spectators remains our top priority. Given the bushfire situation in the region and advice from Victoria Police, the safest decision is to cancel races on Wednesday and Thursday.”.Â
