FIM Off Road Awards Celebration Entertains Franciacorta’s Paddock

FRANCIACORTA (ITALY), 4 October 2009 – This year’s edition of the Off Road Awards got underway yesterday at the end of the opening day of the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations.

The prize giving for the Motocross Champions unveiled to be a show within the show as the invited guests enjoyed the festive celebration and gala dinner at the end of a great day of racing.

The proceedings started off at 18.30 with the prize giving in Franciacorta’s paddock where a massive crowd was offered the show for the first time. For all the fans attending it was their sole time to see their Champions walk up a stage in glamorous style and receive an award in a completely different context than the Grand Prix paddocks or tracks.

MX1 World Champion Cairoli opened up the proceedings by offering his shirt and helmet to Dr. Rocco Crimi, Italian Secretary of Sport-the gift was collected in his behalf by Italian Senator Mr. Giovanni Torri, to Mr. Svilen Neykov, the Bulgarian Minister of Sports, and to Mr. Mareks Seglins, the Latvian Minister of Justice.

Cairoli hands Mr. Torri his gear

FIM President Mr. Vito Ippolito, Youthstream President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo and FIM/CMS President Dr. Wolfgang Srb presented the medals and plates to the awarded personalities on the stage with thrilling video clips being run in between each group of awarded personalities.

The awarded personalities and the officials

After the prize giving was completed the Youthstream’s guests moved to the VIP area for the gala dinner, where the participants could eat the best specialties of European cuisine prepared by the professional chefs of the Pit Lounge Restaurant.

A moment of the dinner

During the dinner several surprise gifts were handed out.

Dr. Srb received a special book of the Italian Senate by Senator Torri.

Srb, Torri and the book

Mr. Luongo received a unique painting by Rob Kinsey featuring a scene of the Maggiora MXoN in 1986 in the likes of the last lap Johnson/Bailey parade of the final heat . Ricky Johnson himself helped in presenting the masterpiece.

Kinsey, Johnson and Luongo reminded the guests of the 1986 MXoN

Before the night finished, a special cake was handed to former Motocrosser Danny Magoo Chandler who will turn 50 on Monday, October 5.

The list of the awarded personalities includes:

MOTOCROSS

* MX1 World Champion – Antonio Cairoli

* MX2 World Champion – Marvin Musquin

* MX3 World Champion – Pierre Alexandre Renet

* Women’s World Champion – Stephanie Laier

* Veterans’ World Cup Winner – Mats Nilsson

* 125cc Junior World Champion – Eli Tomac

* 85cc Junior World Champion – Jay Wilson

* Veteran’s World Cup Winner – Mats Nilsson

* “Jan De Groot” Award – Ken Roczen

* MX1 Manufacturer World Champion - Yamaha

* MX2 Manufacturer World Champion - KTM

* MX3 Manufacturer World Champion - Honda

* MX1 Winning Team – Yamaha Red Bull De Carli

* MX2 Winning Team – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

* MX3 Winning Team – Team Honda

* Motocross MX1/MX2 Best Organizer – Bulgaria, Sevlievo

* Motocross MX3 Best Organizer – Bulgaria, Troyan

* Motocross Best Infrastructure Special Award – Benelux, Lierop

* Motocross MX1/MX2 Best Cooperation – Belgium, Lommel

* Motocross MX1/MX2 Development – Czech Republic, Loket

* Motocross MX3 Best Cooperation – Czech Republic, Holice

SPECIAL AWARDS

* Lifetime Career Award – “The Dream Team” of Ricky Johnson, Johnny O’Mara, David Bailey

* Lifetime Career Award – Georges Jobe

* Journalist of the year – Harald Englert (Speedweek)

* Photographer of the year – Nuno Laranjeira (Freelance)

* Website of the year – MX Large owned by Geoff Meyer