2008 And 2009 FIM Motocross Of Nations - Venues Announced

2008 AND 2009 FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS-VENUES ANNOUNCED
BUDDS CREEK, 23 September 2007

It was confirmed today that the Olympic Games of Motocross, the FIM Motocross of Nations will be hosted in Northern Ireland in September 2008, and in Italy in 2009, with the latter venue still to be announced.

Widely regarded as the largest and most prestigious off road motorcycle race in the world, the Motocross of Nations 2008 will be hosted at Moneyglass Demesne, the venue which held the FIM World Championship Motocross Grand Prix of Northern Ireland in August 2007.

At the official press conference at the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations 2007, Budds Creek, Maryland, were FIM President Vito Ippolito; FIM/CMS President Dr. Wolfgang Srb; President of Youthstream, Giuseppe Luongo; Jasper Perry, Acting Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Events Company; Paolo Sesti, President of the FMI-Italian Motorcycling Federation.

Giuseppe Luongo stated: "I am very satisfied about the latest FIM Motocross of Nations; it was a success, and it means that this event is becoming bigger and bigger. We want to continue to grow, and this is why we already look at the future, by announcing the venues of the FIM Motocross of Nations for the next two years. We will go to Northern Ireland in 2008, then to Italy in 2009. We want to go bigger and better, and we have to work to bring the event to very big venues, with a lot of space that we can use. This is our goal and we are not taking a step back; we want to be able to run the event in any weather conditions, because we do not want to stop."

Dr. Wolfgang Srb said: "The Motocross of Nations has developed a lot, it is the showcase of our world and we host incredibly big crowds nowadays. As Giuseppe Luongo said, we need to grow and we will grow. I am very happy to see that Northern Ireland Events Company is trying to solve the problems we encountered at the GP this year, in preparation for next year's Motocross of Nations."

Jasper Perry commented: "We are delighted to have been awarded the FIM Motocross of Nations. For the last four years the Northern Ireland Events Company has worked with Youthstream and the FIM to bring the Olympic Games of Motocross to Northern Ireland and I would like to thank them for the opportunity to host the Motocross of Nations. It is a truly world class event and for Northern Ireland to be the focus of the motocross world next September is something to be justifiably proud of. I look forward to welcoming all competitors, spectators and officials representing the 35 expected nations in September 2008 and am sure they will all receive the legendary hospitality that we are famous for."

Paolo Sesti added: "We have to thank FIM/CMS and Youthstream for bringing the Motocross of Nations to Italy, a venue where the event has been missing for many years. In the meantime Motocross has grown up a lot; we think that such an event requires very precise choices, we have to find good technical solutions to avoid any problems connected to such big crowds."