Kielder Forest Rally Canceled for 2025 Due to Midge Concerns for Marshals

A well-known motorsport competition has been called off for the upcoming year to safeguard volunteer marshals from midges. The Kielder Forest Rally, held in Northumberland, witnessed several officials requiring medical attention in June after being bitten by the insects, which were described as “worse than ever.” The organizers, the Cumberland Sporting Car Club, had initially hoped to relocate the 2025 event. However, an agreement on a suitable date could not be reached, leading them to decide to “rest” the rally and plan its return in 2026. Steve Waggett, the clerk of the course, stated he was “as disappointed as anyone” but remained confident that the event would resume. This announcement follows the cancellation of the nearby Galloway Hills rally in southern Scotland in July, which was attributed to increasing forestry costs. The Kielder Forest event typically attracts more than 1,000 participants or spectators. Mr Waggett explained: “We have 150 marshals who stand in the forest all day with a hi-vis vest on. That attracts the midges so they end up being covered in them, and we have to look after our volunteers.” He further added: “There’s a heavy calendar of events across the country throughout the year and we need to attract as many entries as we can, so we need a decent gap with other events, particularly local ones.” Mr Waggett indicated his belief that April would be the “optimum time” to stage the event in the future, citing “the weather being too unpredictable in February and March.” Regarding broader issues within rallying, Joe Hutchinson, a member of the organizing committee, commented that the motorsport was experiencing “an interesting transition period.” He elaborated: “The Jim Clark and other closed road rallies are doing well but forest stage rallies, which have been the mainstay since the 1970s are struggling.” He concluded: “We all love images of Colin McRae driving sideways through the trees, but if we want that to continue then we need more support from the governing bodies.” For updates, follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.