The king is dead; long live the king.
Yes, it had looked like the nominal king of New Zealand's big annual six-hour dirt bike marathons, traditionally held each year in Hawke's Bay, was again not going to happen this year because of damage done by heavy rains in the region.
The race was also abandoned in 2010 and last season as well, for similar reasons.
But before the country's many hundreds of dirt bike racers despair, news has arrived this week that it actually will go ahead this year, on October 6, albeit in a different province.
Renamed simply the Suzuki Six-Hour, the fabled event is now in the care of former national enduro champion and long-time friend of the sport Sean Clarke and it will take place at a well-known venue called The Pylons, at Atiamuri, just south of Tokoroa.