Welcome to the July issue of the UEM online newsletter. Our aim is to keep you updated every month on the many UEM activities happening around Europe.
FIM-UEM Agreement in Seefeld
Immediately after the UEM Congress, the 4th and 5th of July, in the quiet Austrian city of Seefeld, was held a meeting between the FIM President, Mr Vito Ippolito, and the UEM President, Mr Vincenzo Mazzi, together with the UEM General Secretary, Mr Alessandro Sambuco. Promoter and organiser of the meeting was Mr Patrice Assendelft, member of the FIM Strategic Plan Committee and Director of the Dutch Motorcycling Federations (KNMV).
During the two days of intense and friendly discussions, the parties had the possibility to share their point of view on different issues related to European motorcycling activities and to find appropriate solutions for an improved collaboration. Particular attention was addressed to the necessary synergy between FIM and UEM, to the definition of the respective roles, to a clarification of activities held in Bruxelles with the UE, to the identification of the function of the Continental and World Championships, to the definition of the validity of different licences and of the roles and competencies of the corresponding marketing departments. It was also decided that CONUs Commission chairmen will become also members of the corresponding FIM Commissions, that continuous contacts among the people in charge of sporting issues of FIM and UEM and between FIM CEO and UEM General Secretary will take place, and that the contracts with promoters will be renegotiated. Moreover, it was established that riders cannot have in the same year licences from more than one Federation and that FIM will have to increase its contribution to CONUs up to 25-30% in order to give them the possibility to operate at their best.
Finally, regarding the development of motorcycling tourism in Europe, KNMV and UEM will select two students of the NHTV University Breda and the Rome University (Leisure management) to further investigate the European motorcycle backyard and what are the needs concerning touring and what kind of events we should organize or support in order to be in line with our target market. This should start in November 2012.
At the end of the two days of busy discussions, which were extremely constructive and inspired by a sincere collaborative spirit, FIM President declared: “I am extremely pleased of the outcomes of this meeting. We had the occasion to share different ideas and establish a high level of co-operation between FIM and UEM in order to reach common objectives for the good of motorcycling”.
Also UEM President expressed his satisfaction: “I have been waiting for this meeting since a long time. I would like to thank Patrice Assendelft and KNMV for offering this opportunity. In two days we had the occasion to discuss on a broad range of topics and were finally removed many misunderstandings that stopped up to these days a full collaboration between FIM and UEM. I am sure that the agreements reached these days will bring benefits to all parties involved”.
From left Assendelft, Ippolito, Mazzi and Sambuco
UEM visit to the COE EU Office in Brussels
A UEM delegation, composed by UEM President, Mr Vincenzo Mazzi, by UEM Vice-Presidents Wofgang Glas e Jorgen Bitsch, and by Honour President, Mr Jean-Pierre Mougin, visited on the 19th of June the EU Office in Brussels of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) received by the Director, Mr Folker Hellmund, and by staff members, Mr Mathieu Fontenau and Ms Roxane Perrault. The meeting, promoted by Jean-Pierre Mougin in his double position of UEM Honour President and General Secretary of French Olympic Committee, was extremely friendly and helped UEM to aquire precious information of the important activity done by the EOC EU Office. The meeting also focused on key actors within European Institutions dealing with sport and main current topics related to EU and sport, including the financing of sport by the EU. The parties agreed to keep in touch and to meet again as soon as possible.
Renewed the agreement with Trabak Racing Ltd
Keith Bartlett, Commercial Manager of Trakbak Racing Ltd, proposed to UEM the renewal for 5 more years of the promotion contract of the Drag Racing European Championship. The agreement terms were discussed in Belgrade in occasion of the UEM Congress between Mr Keith Bartlett himself and UEM Vice-Presidents, Mr Ted Bartlett and Mr Wolfgang Glas. Trabak Racing has been the holder of the UEM Drag Bike European Championship Commercial Rights for the past 12 years. During this time this has successfully promoted motorcycle drag racing across Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East. During his tenure as the commercial rights holder the UEM championship has received unrivalled TV coverage, has held rounds in more territories than ever before and is now awaiting the dawn of an entirely new era that being the live transmission of UEM races across the Internet. 2012 saw the beginning of the UEM European Cup for Super Street Bikes and this is has already proven to be a huge success, It has been very well supported by the teams, its close side by side racing, well presented teams and large closely matched fields make this class something that can be developed in the future.
Mourning in European motorcycling
The last weekend of June registered two tragic events for European motorcycling. On the 30th of June in Vallelunga (Italy), while following the organisation of a Trial Vintage race, died due to a sudden heart stroke Mr Giulio Mauri, famous sport journalist, already member of the UEM Trial Commission and in charge of this discipline in Italy. On the same day, during a test of the Bajas European Championship event in Stalowa Wola (Poland), the Italian rider, Mr Andrea Brunod, 2011 European Champion of the Moto B1 class, lost control of his bike and crashed into a tree. Brunod died thereafter, despite the desperate attempts by the race medical staff to reanimate him. The organisers immediately interrupted the race and, for the final rankings, will be considered only the results of the first day. UEM sent its sincerest condolences to FMI in name also of all the represented National Motorcycling Federations.
European Moto-Culture Rally in Guimaraes
During the UEM General Assembly in Belgrade, FMP Director, Mr Armando Marques, presented to FMNs the programme of the “European Moto-Culture Rally”, a non-competitive touring event that will be held next September in Guimaraes, the old capital of Portugal. The programme of the event includes arrival of riders in Guimaraes on the 14th of September, where they will receive the welcome of the riders from the local Moto Club. The next day is scheduled a journey in narrow winding roads through picturesque villages with visits to monuments, museums and regional wine cellars. To wrap-up day, a dinner with fado followed by a visit to the Medieval Fair, included in the programme of the European Capital of Culture. On Sunday the 16th of September the morning journey will finish with a farewell lunch. Inscription forms, the recommended hotels and other information will soon be available at www.euromotoculturerally,com and in the Touring section of the UEM website.
