(video) — Organizers of the 26th Magpie Madness Motorcycle Rally were pleased to attract a bigger crowd than last year given recent events.
Timaru, Temuka, and Geraldine Motorcycle Touring Club president Shawn Allen said between 800 and 900 people attended the two-day event this year compared to 700 last year.
Allen said he thought people were pleased to be able to get out after so many events had been cancelled due to Covid-19. However, he believed people were still a little wary about being in a large gathering.
The event started on Friday with attendees arriving and setting up camp at the Winchester A&P Showgrounds.
Apart from a bit of hail and rain for about half an hour on Saturday night, the weather was good, he said.
“Everyone had a good time.”
A few people fell off a motorbike which challenged riders with the steering going the opposite way to normal, but there were no injuries, he said.
Allen said there was a lot of hilarity with various events including one where people tried to grab a sausage while riding their bike. They also held a helmet throwing contest, and they had a y-front competition for the blokes, so they would not appear sexist holding the wet t-shirt contest for women, he said.
“It’s equal opportunity, so we have to offer it.”
It was the first year the rally entrance had been moved off State Highway 1 and onto Rise Rd for safety reasons, the moved had worked well Allen said.
Any profit from the gate fee will be donated to South Canterbury’s foodbanks and Westpac Rescue Helicopter, he said.
