Strong winds claim Burt Munro event marquee

JOHN HAWKINS/151228

BLOWN AWAY: Mark Rietveld and Richard Marrah, of Hirepool, pine down the 80m-by-60m marquee at the official Burt Munro Challenge rally campsite at Oreti Park after high winds ripped the canvas roof.

The enormous marquee at the Burt Munro Challenge official rally campsite has been pulled down, only a day after being erected.

Hirepool staff erected the 80m-by- 60m marquee, designed to withstand about 80kmh wind gusts, on Monday but had to pull it down yesterday after high winds created a tear in the canvas roof.

Hirepool manager Richard Marrah said the marquee was taken down for health and safety reasons.

"Once canvas starts to rip, you can't stop it."

It had taken all of Monday to erect the marquee and all of yesterday to pull it down. A smaller marquee would be erected tomorrow, which would also take most of the day, Mr Marrah said.

Burt Munro Challenge steering committee chairman Wayne Affleck said it was disappointing the tent had had to be replaced with another because it meant they were now two days behind setting up the campsite. However, safety during the weekend was paramount and the replacement tent should be just as good, Mr Affleck said.

amy.milne@stl.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News

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