Scott
26-05-2006, 09:49 AM
Monday, May 22, 2006
The bid process for the ACT to host the 2008 World MTB Championships is progressing well. The bid, presented to the UCI late last year, could see the 2008 World MTB Championships hosted at the $6.5m Mt. Stromolo sporting precinct.
A meeting with the UCI was hosted in Canberra this week (24-25 May) between MTBA, Cycling Australia (CA), Canberra Off Road Cyclists (CORC) and the project management firm APIS Consulting as well as members of the ACT Government.
The UCI was represented by Ray Godkin (UCI VP) and Scott Sharples (UCI International Commissaire and National DH coach), CA by Graham Fredericks (CEO) and Mike Victor (CA President), MTBA by Gillian Duncan (President) and Tony Scott (EO), CORC was represented by Anthony Burton (CORC President) and Russell Baker (CORC bid liaison) and APIS was represented by their team made up of Andrew Robertson (principal) and Dave White (project manager).
The meeting spoke to the bid and was followed by an on-site meeting where MTB trail and course project designer, the world renown Glen Jacobs , who took the visiting dignitaries through what he has planned for the site. The 1500Ha site will include a total of 44km of XC trails (in stage 1) including a 7km XC competition course with about 220m of climbing on each lap. A cutting edge DH and MTNX course as well as a Bike Trials venue are also integral components of the development.
Scott Sharples also had more in depth discussions on the 25th May with Glen Jacobs (trail designer) together with MTBA and CORC people.
The ACT Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Andrew Barr, also joined with the touring group to launch Canberra’s bid for the 2008 World Mountain Bike championships.
“The ACT community prides itself on our long-standing record as the nation’s most physically active, and we are also passionate about our elite sporting performances,” Mr Barr said.
“We embrace many sports and many teams competing on the national stage and we are host to the biggest mountain bike club in Australia and the biggest mountain bike event in the world.
“Every October in Canberra we host the Mountain Bike 24 Hr Championships, which sells out every year within 7 days of entries opening and has over 2500 participants and 4,000 spectators.”
Mr Barr highlighted Canberra’s great record of hosting national and international sporting events such as the Rally of Canberra, the Hockey Champions Trophy, international Soccer, World Cup Rugby, and this year, the World Long course Triathlon.
“Canberra has great facilities for hosting sporting events, and the cycling track at Mt Stromlo will be world-class,” Mr Barr said.
“There is significant re-building being undertaken following the 2003 Bushfires and I cannot think of a better way of celebrating the new track than to host the 2008 World Championships.”
Ray Godkin, one of the UCI vice President said, "The Canberra bid presented the UCI something that few other venues around the world were able to provide - a race venue of the highest calibre only 15 minutes from a city."
The UCI will now meet to discuss the Canberra bid along with three others (from Italy, Canada and the Czech Republic. A decision likely in a few weeks.
The bid process for the ACT to host the 2008 World MTB Championships is progressing well. The bid, presented to the UCI late last year, could see the 2008 World MTB Championships hosted at the $6.5m Mt. Stromolo sporting precinct.
A meeting with the UCI was hosted in Canberra this week (24-25 May) between MTBA, Cycling Australia (CA), Canberra Off Road Cyclists (CORC) and the project management firm APIS Consulting as well as members of the ACT Government.
The UCI was represented by Ray Godkin (UCI VP) and Scott Sharples (UCI International Commissaire and National DH coach), CA by Graham Fredericks (CEO) and Mike Victor (CA President), MTBA by Gillian Duncan (President) and Tony Scott (EO), CORC was represented by Anthony Burton (CORC President) and Russell Baker (CORC bid liaison) and APIS was represented by their team made up of Andrew Robertson (principal) and Dave White (project manager).
The meeting spoke to the bid and was followed by an on-site meeting where MTB trail and course project designer, the world renown Glen Jacobs , who took the visiting dignitaries through what he has planned for the site. The 1500Ha site will include a total of 44km of XC trails (in stage 1) including a 7km XC competition course with about 220m of climbing on each lap. A cutting edge DH and MTNX course as well as a Bike Trials venue are also integral components of the development.
Scott Sharples also had more in depth discussions on the 25th May with Glen Jacobs (trail designer) together with MTBA and CORC people.
The ACT Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Andrew Barr, also joined with the touring group to launch Canberra’s bid for the 2008 World Mountain Bike championships.
“The ACT community prides itself on our long-standing record as the nation’s most physically active, and we are also passionate about our elite sporting performances,” Mr Barr said.
“We embrace many sports and many teams competing on the national stage and we are host to the biggest mountain bike club in Australia and the biggest mountain bike event in the world.
“Every October in Canberra we host the Mountain Bike 24 Hr Championships, which sells out every year within 7 days of entries opening and has over 2500 participants and 4,000 spectators.”
Mr Barr highlighted Canberra’s great record of hosting national and international sporting events such as the Rally of Canberra, the Hockey Champions Trophy, international Soccer, World Cup Rugby, and this year, the World Long course Triathlon.
“Canberra has great facilities for hosting sporting events, and the cycling track at Mt Stromlo will be world-class,” Mr Barr said.
“There is significant re-building being undertaken following the 2003 Bushfires and I cannot think of a better way of celebrating the new track than to host the 2008 World Championships.”
Ray Godkin, one of the UCI vice President said, "The Canberra bid presented the UCI something that few other venues around the world were able to provide - a race venue of the highest calibre only 15 minutes from a city."
The UCI will now meet to discuss the Canberra bid along with three others (from Italy, Canada and the Czech Republic. A decision likely in a few weeks.