Following failed attempts to negotiate a revamped Undie 500 with the Dunedin mayor, police, fire service and the University of Otago, the University of Canterbury’s Engineering Society (Ensoc) has pulled out of organising the event this year.
The Undie 500 is an annual under-$500- car rally and party between Christchurch and Dunedin. The event caused uproar and attracted criticism last year when riots broke out and 69 participants were arrested in Dunedin.
“This hasn’t stopped riots. It has only stopped us running the Undie 500,” Ensoc president Graeme Walker told the Otago Daily Times.
There is already at least one Facebook group with members expressing plans to carry out an unofficial version of the event.
“If the official undy [sic] falls through, we will be organising the next best thing,” one of the 396 members of the group ‘I’m going on the Undy 500 with or without Ensoc’ said.
“Get all your mates to join up, because the more people in on this the more seriously we can start organising this backup event.”
Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) president Simon Wilson has expressed his concern about a “rogue group” from Canterbury descending on Dunedin.
“These people are not coming to show the engineering behind their vehicles. They are focused on drinking,” he said.
It is believed that the alternative event will go ahead on 22 August.