Parrikar backs Motocross World Championship
Jovito Lopes
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Goa delegation led by Labour and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado which witnessed the MXGP Festival’s FIM Motocross World Championship, the biggest motocross event in the history of the sport, which took place at Matterley Basin in Winchester City, London, announced their will to host an MXGP in India and to make Goa a fix date on the Motocross World Championship calendar.
| ALL FOR MOTOCROSS: MLAs Benjamin Silva, Glen Ticlo, Luongo, Labour Minister Avertano Furtado, Dr Srb, Ashley Gomes in London. |
Giuseppe Luongo, Youthstream president, Dr Wolfgang Srb, FIM/CMS director, Avertano Furtado, Ashley Gomes, president of Goa Motor Sport Association, Glenn Ticlo, MLA and Benjamin Silva, MLA spoke about the promising future of motocross in Goa, India at the press conference in London during their official visit.
Avertano opened the press conference excusing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for not having been able to travel to Matterley Basin.
In the letter, the Chief Minister congratulated Ashley Gomes and his team for the great job they are doing in Goa promoting motocross at a National level and also he expressed his sincere gratitude to Giuseppe Luongo and Dr Wolfgang Srb for supporting their project to promote motocross in India and to host a Grand Prix in the near future.
“I must congratulate Ashley Gomes, and his team for having taken the pains to promote this sport in our State, and especially all the top Indian MX riders that have always made it a point to participate in the MX Championships held in Goa. I am proud to say that our Goa MX championship is the most prestigious off-road races held in our country. I must express my sincere gratitude to YouthStream for supporting the efforts of promoting MX to India through Goa.”
“I assure that Motocross will continue to getall the support needed from the Govt of Goa, not just to host our National MX Championships, but to host Asia level MX Championship too, and probably one day if all goes well, Goa will host the FIM Motocross World Championship, and put Goa permanently on the racing calendar of the world. My sincere effort is to expose Goa to the globe as an adventure sports tourist destination, thus attracting high end motor sports tourists to visit Goa. Having sent an official Goa Govt delegation to witness the FIM Motocross World Championship, is agood start. Let’s hope for the best, and I wish you all a great year ahead in the successful conduct of the FIM Motocross World Championship,” according to the CM’s message which was delivered by Avertano.
Giuseppe Luongo commented: “I would like to thank all the Goa delegation to believe in our sport and to have travelled to Matterley Basin to witness a Grand Prix. Going in a huge country like India is fantastic for our sport and it contributes in the development of motocross all around the world. Thank you very much for believing in us; I am sure that together we will organize a great World Championship in Goa and I’m convinced that we will make a big contribution to make the notoriety of your region and beautiful country. I hope we can make a good work together from 2014 until a very long time to have the motocross world championship in India.”
Dr Wolfgang Srb added: “I’m really happy that this Indian delegation of Goa came just to watch the FIM Motocross World Championship. I’ve been in touch with Ashley Gomes for many years, he is a really hard worker in Goa to promote motocross and supercross, and it seems that we are now really close and probably in 2014 we will be there. I am really happy if we can get a country like India and a wonderful place like Goa on the calendar, that is exactly the direction we would like to go.”
