Steveb
September 24-2005, 11:32 AM
Article by Graeme (http://www.pcgamesonline.com/mtbr/member.php?u=84)
A few weekends ago on the 10th and 11th September the UCI mountain bike world finals came to Fort William in Scotland for the fourth year running. Over 450 world-class athletes from 35 nations attended to contest the cross-country, downhill and 4X disciplines. This year brought extra interest in that the Fort William round was the final round of the 8 round series and
having contested previous rounds in Europe, North and South America the highest points scorers in each discipline would be crowned world champions.
The event attracted over 20,000 spectators approximately half of whom had travelled from outside Scotland and overseas. Over £1 million in additional expenditure in the local area was generated. 190 Media staff from 13 countries covered the event. This is the 4th year that Fort William has hosted a round of the World Cup consistently attracting large crowds who come to see the worlds top riders competing on a course which has been voted the best in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series for the past 3 years running.
Responding to the announcement that Fort William had won the award for the 3rd year running Patricia Ferguson, MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, said: 'Today's announcement by the UCI is a tremendous boost to the country. Last year the competitions attracted global media coverage and over 17,000 spectators to the Highlands. The Scottish Executive recognises the economic benefits of staging world-class events in Scotland and is delighted to be supporting the mountain bike World Cup races through EventScotland and VisitScotland. 'Events are an integral part of our tourism industry and we are earning an enviable reputation for hosting outstanding international events. Accolades from within the industry such as those received today can only reinforce and strengthen our ambition to position Scotland as one of the world's leading events destinations.
'I applaud all those involved with the races at Fort William and wish them well with the World Cup Finals this year and preparations for the World Championships in 2007.' In 2007 Scotland will host the world championships for the mountain bike disciplines of Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials at Fort William. The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships is the most important and prestigious international competition in the calendar for these events. For Cross
Country it is second only to the Olympics. The World Championships at Fort William will be the last major mountain bike cross-country competition before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and a key event for all riders and their national cycling federations.
At the World Championships, an annual competition with the emphasis firmly on riding for country rather than for trade teams and sponsors, 700 plus competitors from more than 45 nations worldwide compete across the four mountain bike disciplines of Cross Country, Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials for a total of 14 World Championship titles.
Frank McAveety, MSP, and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, said: 'this is terrific news for the Highlands and for Scotland. Fort William has been so successful at hosting Mountain Bike World Cups in the past that the UCI would like to take advantage of the Nevis Range facilities again and host a full championship. I was in Fort William myself this year to see some of the best riders in the world race on Scotland's spectacular and challenging terrain.
'The Mountain Bike World Championships, which has been supported by the Executive through EventScotland, will draw thousands of enthusiasts from all over the globe to Scotland. The economic and tourism benefits to the area cannot be overestimated, and this event fits well with our aim of making Scotland a major events destination by 2015.
Fort William is recognised by the UCI as a venue for mountain bike events that consistently draws large, very supportive and enthusiastic crowds from all over the UK and the rest of the world. It is anticipated that the World Championships will attract more than 40,000 spectators on the key days of competition with a direct economic benefit to Fort William and the immediate area in excess of £2 million.
Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Executive's forestry department. It is the largest landowner in the country and the biggest provider of outdoor recreation. In Scotland, the Commission is spearheading the development of mountain biking and has created seven world-class mountain bike centres in the south of Scotland called the 7stanes. In the north of Scotland the Commission has built a new biking centre at Laggan, near Aviemore, called Laggan Wolftrax and there are other trails built in the Black Isle, Fochabers, West Argyll and near Fort Augustus. The mountain biking at Leanachan Forest, the venue for the World Cup, is providing downhill action, cross-country riding and family rides in the forest. All the developments in mountain biking that have been pioneered by Forestry Commission Scotland, coupled with the UCI world cup, and greater access to the countryside, has resulted in the International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) saying that Scotland is one of the top five places to go on the planet for biking.
Northern Ireland Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) who have been championing MTB trails in our forests for three years recently secured 15 funding applications potentially leading to the securing of approx. £2 million from almost 10 different funders to build a network of cross country and downhill mountain bike trails in our forests. The original applications involved building trails on Forestry Service land (which originally Forest Service agreed to) however Forest Service with the full backing of DARD minister Lord Rooker decided that such a project wasn’t economically viable, despite an independent economic appraisal to the contrary. CAAN reluctantly withdrew the applications.
IMBA who after undertaking a comprehensive study visit to Northern Ireland and all the proposed sites stated that with the diverse range of sites i.e. Mourne Mountains, north coast, etc, Northern Ireland had the ability to surpass any other area of the UK and Ireland.
If we had these facilities we could become one of the world leaders in mountain bike tourism, we would have international standard training facilities for our own athletes and for visiting athletes, perhaps international athletes training for the London Olympics. The economic
benefits are plain to see, what a boost it would be for Newcastle, which is badly in need of regeneration if proposed trails were built in the Mournes. The health benefits to be gained by the provision of these trails are also important, Northern Ireland has one of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the Western world and the provision of facilities for exercise are important in the prevention of this.
Could we have such facilities and host such events in Northern Ireland ?
Both MTBrider and IMBA believe Forest Service have a duty to provide the population of Northern Ireland with facilities of an equal standard that The forestry Commission provide in Scotland, Wales and England. Unfortunately DARD have informed us that Forest Policy is devolved to each country and as such we are not entitled to seek equality on this matter.
So it would appear that unless The Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland change their mind we are going to miss out on a fantastic opportunity.
MTBrider is a Mountain bike club in Northern Ireland
IMBA is the International Mountain Bicycling Association
A few weekends ago on the 10th and 11th September the UCI mountain bike world finals came to Fort William in Scotland for the fourth year running. Over 450 world-class athletes from 35 nations attended to contest the cross-country, downhill and 4X disciplines. This year brought extra interest in that the Fort William round was the final round of the 8 round series and
having contested previous rounds in Europe, North and South America the highest points scorers in each discipline would be crowned world champions.
The event attracted over 20,000 spectators approximately half of whom had travelled from outside Scotland and overseas. Over £1 million in additional expenditure in the local area was generated. 190 Media staff from 13 countries covered the event. This is the 4th year that Fort William has hosted a round of the World Cup consistently attracting large crowds who come to see the worlds top riders competing on a course which has been voted the best in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series for the past 3 years running.
Responding to the announcement that Fort William had won the award for the 3rd year running Patricia Ferguson, MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, said: 'Today's announcement by the UCI is a tremendous boost to the country. Last year the competitions attracted global media coverage and over 17,000 spectators to the Highlands. The Scottish Executive recognises the economic benefits of staging world-class events in Scotland and is delighted to be supporting the mountain bike World Cup races through EventScotland and VisitScotland. 'Events are an integral part of our tourism industry and we are earning an enviable reputation for hosting outstanding international events. Accolades from within the industry such as those received today can only reinforce and strengthen our ambition to position Scotland as one of the world's leading events destinations.
'I applaud all those involved with the races at Fort William and wish them well with the World Cup Finals this year and preparations for the World Championships in 2007.' In 2007 Scotland will host the world championships for the mountain bike disciplines of Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials at Fort William. The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships is the most important and prestigious international competition in the calendar for these events. For Cross
Country it is second only to the Olympics. The World Championships at Fort William will be the last major mountain bike cross-country competition before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and a key event for all riders and their national cycling federations.
At the World Championships, an annual competition with the emphasis firmly on riding for country rather than for trade teams and sponsors, 700 plus competitors from more than 45 nations worldwide compete across the four mountain bike disciplines of Cross Country, Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials for a total of 14 World Championship titles.
Frank McAveety, MSP, and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, said: 'this is terrific news for the Highlands and for Scotland. Fort William has been so successful at hosting Mountain Bike World Cups in the past that the UCI would like to take advantage of the Nevis Range facilities again and host a full championship. I was in Fort William myself this year to see some of the best riders in the world race on Scotland's spectacular and challenging terrain.
'The Mountain Bike World Championships, which has been supported by the Executive through EventScotland, will draw thousands of enthusiasts from all over the globe to Scotland. The economic and tourism benefits to the area cannot be overestimated, and this event fits well with our aim of making Scotland a major events destination by 2015.
Fort William is recognised by the UCI as a venue for mountain bike events that consistently draws large, very supportive and enthusiastic crowds from all over the UK and the rest of the world. It is anticipated that the World Championships will attract more than 40,000 spectators on the key days of competition with a direct economic benefit to Fort William and the immediate area in excess of £2 million.
Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Executive's forestry department. It is the largest landowner in the country and the biggest provider of outdoor recreation. In Scotland, the Commission is spearheading the development of mountain biking and has created seven world-class mountain bike centres in the south of Scotland called the 7stanes. In the north of Scotland the Commission has built a new biking centre at Laggan, near Aviemore, called Laggan Wolftrax and there are other trails built in the Black Isle, Fochabers, West Argyll and near Fort Augustus. The mountain biking at Leanachan Forest, the venue for the World Cup, is providing downhill action, cross-country riding and family rides in the forest. All the developments in mountain biking that have been pioneered by Forestry Commission Scotland, coupled with the UCI world cup, and greater access to the countryside, has resulted in the International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) saying that Scotland is one of the top five places to go on the planet for biking.
Northern Ireland Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) who have been championing MTB trails in our forests for three years recently secured 15 funding applications potentially leading to the securing of approx. £2 million from almost 10 different funders to build a network of cross country and downhill mountain bike trails in our forests. The original applications involved building trails on Forestry Service land (which originally Forest Service agreed to) however Forest Service with the full backing of DARD minister Lord Rooker decided that such a project wasn’t economically viable, despite an independent economic appraisal to the contrary. CAAN reluctantly withdrew the applications.
IMBA who after undertaking a comprehensive study visit to Northern Ireland and all the proposed sites stated that with the diverse range of sites i.e. Mourne Mountains, north coast, etc, Northern Ireland had the ability to surpass any other area of the UK and Ireland.
If we had these facilities we could become one of the world leaders in mountain bike tourism, we would have international standard training facilities for our own athletes and for visiting athletes, perhaps international athletes training for the London Olympics. The economic
benefits are plain to see, what a boost it would be for Newcastle, which is badly in need of regeneration if proposed trails were built in the Mournes. The health benefits to be gained by the provision of these trails are also important, Northern Ireland has one of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the Western world and the provision of facilities for exercise are important in the prevention of this.
Could we have such facilities and host such events in Northern Ireland ?
Both MTBrider and IMBA believe Forest Service have a duty to provide the population of Northern Ireland with facilities of an equal standard that The forestry Commission provide in Scotland, Wales and England. Unfortunately DARD have informed us that Forest Policy is devolved to each country and as such we are not entitled to seek equality on this matter.
So it would appear that unless The Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland change their mind we are going to miss out on a fantastic opportunity.
MTBrider is a Mountain bike club in Northern Ireland
IMBA is the International Mountain Bicycling Association