EventsCorp has won the right to be the bidder for the 2003 World BMX Championships

7/10/99

Tourism Minister Norman Moore today announced that EventsCorp had won the right to be the Australian bidder for the 2003 World BMX Championships.
It had won the right despite powerful competition from Victoria's Major Events group.
Mr Moore said that BMX Australia's decision to back Western Australia was helped by EventsCorp's plan to hold a BMX Festival in conjunction with the championships.
He said that if the EventsCorp international bid was successful, the BMX Festival would open a week before the three-day championship.
It would incorporate a King of Dirt competition, with the competitors demonstrating spectacular aerial acrobatics, a street parade through Perth involving local BMX riders and the international competitors, as well as various training and development seminars.
The championships were likely to be held at the Burswood Dome.
Mr Moore said that a successful bid for the international cycling spectacular would attract 1200 overseas and Australian riders, some 1300 visitors and inject over $2 million into the Western Australian economy.
The championships also would attract international television exposure, and in turn transmit images of Perth and Western Australia's picturesque tourism locations to millions of viewers across the globe.
Darryn Hill and Graham Sharman, both ex-BMX riders and world champion cyclists, have accepted roles as ambassadors for the event.
Hill and Sharman played a significant role in the Australian bid, along with Mathew Tongue, who represented the current breed of young BMX riders.
Mr Moore said he was delighted with Western Australia's success.
"BMX racing is a growing sport throughout the world, " Mr Moore said.
"We look forward to the opportunity of developing a campaign that will successfully convince the Union Cycliste Internationale that Western Australia is the ideal choice for the championships in 2003," he said.
"Western Australia has an outstanding track-record in hosting major international events, and I'm confident that, given the chance, the 2003 UCI BMX World Championships will be no different."
The international bid for the championships will be held in January 2000.
Media contact: Hartley Joynt, Minister's office, 9321 1444
Paula Barras or Narelle Goodfield at EventsCorp 9270 3316.