The MCUI Motocross Commission met on Wednesday March 1 and have released the following statement:
Irish Championships:
It is with great regret that we have been forced to cancel the Irish Motocross, Quadcross and Sidecarcross Championships for 2023.
With the current lack of public liability insurance for motorcycling sports in the Southern centre, the six rounds of youth and adult racing that were scheduled for 2023 are currently impossible to be held.
The Irish championships are a cooperation between the Ulster and Southern Centre’s governing bodies and give riders from all over Ireland the oppurtunity to race to find Ireland’s fastest off road riders. These championships have always been split between the north and south with the 2023 rounds planned for Meath, Antrim, Cork, Down, Tyrone,Wexford and Offaly.
The races are the premier events in Ireland’s off road calendar with last year’s events averaging upwards of 300 riders taking part in a weekend.
It is an extreme loss to our sport that these championships are cancelled for 2023.
Participation:
The Commission wants to make clear that partaking in our sport is still possible to all in Ulster tracks where the MRA are operating as normal and have a full calendar of both racing and practice days planned throughout 2023. Southern Centre (Motorcycling Ireland) riders are welcome at MRA events and their 2023 licences are valid in the north. Start permission to compete abroad is still available to Southern centre riders in FIM inscribed events via an international licence. MRA (Ulster) licence holders can compete anywhere as normal.
Team Ireland 2023:
The international teams are not affected as all 2023 events are abroad. The Commission confirms that the three Team Ireland youth and adult squads will still compete in France, Belgium and Italy respectively. Managers are confirmed as Mark Mooney (MX of Nations), Gordon Gilchrist (Quad of nations), Jim Reid (Sidecar of Nations) and Wayne Garret (Coupe de l’Avenir).
Also the Commission would like to announce that for the first time ever Ireland will compete in the FIM Junior world Championships in Romania this July. Philip McCullough has been appointed team manager.
Future:
The MCUI Motocross Commission would like to assure riders that motocross, quadcross and sidecarcross sports are still alive in the north of Ireland and that the commission fully supports the off road clubs in the Southern centre in their work to resolve this temporary issue.
Words: MCUI
Image: Nigel McKinstry