Hi there
This is my first post so thought would jump right in. I am the Chairman of the Lightweight Motor Cycle Club, and we are organising the Ireland Round of the SPEA FIM World Championship on the 4th and 5th of April. Reading your posts there has been a lot of speculation as to where the trial is going to be and if it is happening at all. First of all, yes there will be a trial and no it wont be in Bangor as it has been over the last 3 occasions we organised it. It wont be in Castlewellen either. We were working with Down District Council with respect to Castlewellen Forest Park, where we had ran previous British Round Trials, when it was suggested that Donard Park, Newcastle County Down, just a few miles down the road might make for a more interesting location. If anyone knows Newcastle as a location or Donard Park for that matter you can imagine how spectacular that would be with the Mourne Mountains in the background and the Irish Sea in the foreground, so needless to say we jumped at the chance. After a few very successful meeting with the Forestry Service, Mourne Heritate Trust and Down District Council, we knew we had an absolutely amazing venue and a truly spectacular course. So we announced it just before christmas and did a press release to a few places and now we are being the job of getting the word out there. If anyone needs any other info, please ask me and I will try my best to help. I have copied and pasted the press release below;
NEWCASTLE GEARS UP FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
The SPEA FIM Trial World Championship is set to bring more than 15,000 visitors to Down District next year when the Adelaide GP of Ireland is staged for the first time in Donard Forest, Newcastle, it was announced
today, 22ND December 2008.
The first and second round of the 2009 SPEA FIM (Federation Internationale Motocycliste) World Championship to be held on 4th & 5th April will attract competitors from all over the world supported by an enthusiastic entourage of international fans. It will also create three days of dramatic sporting spectacle for local people.
The Lightweight Motor Cycle Club, the organisers of the Adelaide GP of Ireland, have already brought 3 different Trial World Championships to Northern Ireland, have been working tirelessly to bring the event back to our shores and are extremely excited about the new venue which will offer new challenges to the Competitors and an outstanding sporting spectacle for the fans. The Club is also looking forward to working with Down District
Council and making this a truly exceptional weekend of sport. We would also like to thank the N.I. Forest Service for accommodating stages of the event within Donard Forest.
The battle to secure the event for the region is almost as hotly contested as the Trials and Councillor Colin McGrath, Chairman of Down District Council, was obviously delighted to see Newcastle successful in its bid. He said, "This is a fabulous international sporting occasion which injects real economic benefits into the region which is fortunate enough to host it. Competitors, their support teams and travelling fans will, on average, stay three or four nights in the Borough and there will also be a major influx of spectators from across Ireland on short stay breaks and day trips. Add to that the television and media opportunities associated with bringing an international sporting spotlight onto the region and it's small wonder that so many areas are anxious to host the Adelaide GP of Ireland. We're thrilled to have been able to secure the event for Down District and I would like to congratulate the team who have been working so hard behind the scenes on this and other soon to be announced attractions, which will combine
to make our region the events capital of Northern Ireland in 2009 and beyond!"
"While arrangements for the Trials will be kept firmly under wraps until a formal launch in February, it is safe to say that Donard Forest is an absolutely superb venue with an excellent course. And everyone will be making tracks for Newcastle over the weekend of 4th & 5th of April!"
Note to News Editors
Diary date: The News Conference to announce details of the Adelaide GP of Ireland will be held on Tuesday 17th February at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle. Formal press and media invitations will be circulated in due course.
Adelaide Insurance Service Ltd are a Belfast Northern Ireland based insurance company providing personal insurance for car, motorcycle, home and travel to:
1. Motorcyclists UK-wide and in the Republic of Ireland;
2. Teachers in Northern Ireland;
3. The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) UK-wide.
Further Details available at www.adelaideinsurance.com
Details on last years event can be found at www.worldtrialni.co.uk and more details about the Lightweight Motor Club can be found at www.lightweightclub.co.uk
For further information please contact the Lightweight MCC Press Officer, Jarleth Downey