Rally Otago shortcut ruled legitimate
A shortcut taken by some competitors on stages 4 and 6 of Rally Otago has been ruled as falling within the definition of a ‘public road’ by a MotorSport NZ subcommittee.
Because the intersection of the road taken was not marked as unavailable in the route book with a tulip, or blocked with tape, it is classed as “ the area from fence to fence which encompasses the carriageway (sealed or unsealed) of a road”; the definition of a public road.
The ruling was that there was no route breach by the competitors and the definition for ‘public roads’ was referred to the Rally Advisory Commission for review.
The Commission has since changed the wording as follows:
“Road” or “Designated Road” means either;
(a) The area from fence to fence which encompasses the carriageway, either sealed or unsealed, or
(b) The formed surface of a road delineated on one or both sides by the use of temporary barriers. (examples: tape, rope, cones, tyre bundles, road barriers, hay bales etc).
Click here to read the full manual amendment concerning changes to the definition of Public Roads in Book 3, Appendix 3, Schedule R of Manual 33.
In addition, the NZRC portfolio has been amended to provide more certainty to competitors competing in that championship regarding the route to be followed.