Local touch football and gymnastics bodies are the latest sports to suspend their activities amid tighter social distancing rules to combat the coronavirus crisis, but another sport has found a novel way to continue.
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The Tamworth Mountain Bikers are going virtual.
With the track still open, but social gatherings restricted, the club will conduct virtual races for their twilight series, president Alyssa Rogan said.
Using the Strava running and cycling app, Rogan said they will set up races for the each grade. Participants then have up until a specific time to complete the task, the app recording their times etc.
"We can run it the same as a race night," she said.
The news however isn't good for local touch players and gymnasts.
The Tamworth Touch Association had already cancelled all it's junior games but were hoping to be able to continue with the Mixed and Senior competitions. But in light of the new restrictions introduced by the government on Sunday night they have postponed all competitions until further notice.
The Tamworth Gymnastics Club had also been planning to continue to run classes but were encouraging no spectators, and all senior staff were completing the COVID-19 Infection Control Meeting.
But on Monday they took to social media to announce they were ceasing all gymnastics classes until the ban is lifted.
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"It is our hope that these new measures, and the school holiday period, might head us in the right direction for COVID-19 control," the post read.
"We will review closer to the start of Term 2 and provide clear communication along the way. "
The club said it was planning online delivery of gymnastics activities to do at home and had set up a support group for members.
"We are understandably disappointed and upset, for the kids, our club and for our small family business," the club said.
"But country people know how to rally around each other, and this will be no exception."
The new restrictions introduced will also have an affect on golf clubs. While the Longyard and Tamworth courses both remain open at this point the respective clubhouses and restaurants are closed indefinitely.
