TEAM?HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: If Goa hosts the FIM MX World Championship in future, either 2014 or 2015, it will be the biggest sporting mega event of the century, expecting to draw a crowd of over one lakh spectators, stated Ashley Gomes, president, Goa Motor Sports Association and Managing Director, Gomes Sports Academy, Candolim, Monday.
Last year, a strong official Goa delegation headed by Labour Minister Avertano Furtado and with MLAs Glen Ticlo, Benjamin D’Silva had made an official commitment at Winchester, London, that the Goa Government led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was keen to host the championship in 2014 or thereafter. This time now, the Goa delegation needs to confirm about hosting the event during the world championship on August 25 or it could even announce that the Government is no longer interested in the same, but an announcement has to be made and the slot for the announcement has been reserved on August 25 at Winchester at 11 a.m. at the press briefing which is beamed live to 84 countries tries.
“If the event is hosted in Goa it will get an instant global recognition by getting its name inscribed on the world racing calendar, unlike the Lusofonia Games which is no match for the world championship event. Renowned Steve Dixon is at the heart of this event, using his experience in the motocross world together with the experience and knowledge of World Championship events, and with aid of the British governing body of motorcycling, the Auto Cycle Union (ACU), the World Championship series promoter, Youthstream (YS), the Federation of World motorcycling (FIM) and the land owner Peveril Bruce, SD Events Ltd will ensure fans and locals of a fantastic race and a low impact event on the surrounding community,” pointed out Ashley.
More widely known for its historical associations, Winchester takes on a very different character in August as it proudly hosts Round 17 of World Motocross Championship on August 24 ands 25.
After hosting consecutively successful GPs in 2011 and 2012, the British GP has now evolved into something much bigger, the MX GP Festival, spanning four days and 11 classes mid-August for 2013.
