Undie 500 cancelled after earthquake

Photo / Christchurch Star

The infamous Undie 500 car rally has become yet another casualty of last Saturday's 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch.

The organisers of the annual event - University of Canterbury Engineering Society (Ensoc) - yesterday announced the cancellation of the event now known as the Roundie 500 Charity Drive.

In a notice posted on Facebook, Ensoc said it could not justify running an event such as the Roundie 500 at such a time when so many people in Christchurch were going through strife.

"There's been a state of emergency and there have obviously been a lot of people affected," said President Michael Cook. "Ensoc decided it's a lot more important to be out helping in the community."

Ensoc said it was spending a significant amount of the money put aside for the Roundie 500 on providing food and drink for the army of student volunteers helping to clean up Christchurch.

The Roundie 500 was set to run on September 24 as an overnight event heading north from Christchurch to a mystery location in the greater Canterbury region.

Organisers had originally moved the date of the event back due to difficulties in obtaining a liquor licence for a proposed farm venue in Seddon, near Blenheim.

Mr Cook said the cancellation was a shame, but there were still plans to bring back the car rally next year.

Ensoc was told the car rally was no longer welcome in Dunedin after last year's event saw more than 60 people arrested by riot police around the area of Castle Street.