No way of saying it any other way, and that’s due to the pandemic, the country’s premiere gathering of awesome machinery has been cancelled this year.
The 2020 Simola Hillclimb, usually held in May, but this year provisionally postponed to September, has now been officially cancelled and will take place in May 2021.
Held over the past decade, this motorsport lifestyle event attracts about 17 000 people from across the globe, and the cream of the crop.
The organisers say: “As things stand there is no certainty as to what the situation will be in September, but all indications are that mass gatherings will still not be allowed by then.
“Our local authorities have informed us that they expect the effects of the virus to remain significant in September, and they therefore cannot support the event taking place.
“With so much uncertainty, combined with the real health risks that visitors to the event could still be exposed to, there is unfortunately no other option but to postpone the event to 2021.
“The health of our employees, sponsor staff, competitors and their support crew, spectators, suppliers and the Knysna residents is the important issue.”
A sensible decision all round, we will miss the prospect of those machines roaring up the hillclimb at an astonishing rate.