Everything ready to host the Motorcycling World Champion awards gala – FIM AWARDS 2018 –

On the first weekend in December Andorra will welcome the 2018 world champions from the different categories of motorcycling in the FIM Awards.

One of the events most eagerly awaited by the Andorran public is the autograph session, the registration procedure for which was explained at a press conference today by the FMA president, Natàlia Gallego.

Escaldes-Engordany, 20 November 2018. With just over a week to go, the FMA is ready to host the annual gala held by the International Motorcycle Federation, (FIM) in which prizes will be given to this year’s world champions from each motorcycle discipline. It will also host the FIM General Assembly which will choose the new president to succeed Vito Ipolitto.

Representatives of the organisers and sponsors have presented the events that will be aimed at the Andorran public. One of the highlights is expected to be the autograph session with the well-known champions, which was the most eagerly awaited event last year among motorcycle fans.

Josep Maria Cabanes, Country Banking Deputy General Manager at Andbank, has welcomed those taking part and has praised the outstanding work carried out by the Andorran Motorcycling Federation to ensure that all the ceremonies and events held over the period go perfectly. Francesc Camp, the Minister for Tourism, highlighted that “this event is another opportunity to talk about Andorra in top-level international events that undoubtedly help to position us as a leading country for hosting major sporting events and congresses”.

The Mayor Conxita Marsol pointed out in turn that “the FIM Award Gala puts us in the spotlight of the world of motorcycling, as well as the congress area, because not only will we have the gala, but we will also receive the general assembly to choose the new FIM president”. She also released a last-minute update, saying that “we are planning to offer a motorcycle acrobatic show with professional riders that will be open to the public in the bus car park in front of the Government building on Sunday 2 December. This will be a way of allowing the country’s citizens to participate”.

The president of the Andorran Motorcycling Federation (FMA), Natàlia Gallego, described the event aimed at the Andorran public: the possibility of seeing world motorcycling champions and being able to ask them for an autograph. Due to the high expectations which were generated last year, the FIM has decided that this year entries will be limited and in order to gain access to the riders people will have to sign up on a web-based platform. The address for this platform will be announced tomorrow on the organiser and partners’ social networks. The first 300 people to sign up online will be the lucky ones who attend the autograph session. The event will take place at the Andorra Park Hotel on Sunday 2 December between 3 pm and 5 pm.

Gallego also pointed out that, since the international organisation’s presidential elections will be held this year, a total of almost 670 people are expected to attend the FIM Awards Gala, so it was necessary to find a large venue to accommodate all attendees. The ceremony will finally take place in the Andorra sports pavilion, which will be transformed into a ceremonial stage to receive all the night’s guests and winners.

The event, which will be closed to the public, will be broadcast live on Andorran television. This will include both the red carpet moment and the prize-giving ceremony, which can also be viewed via streaming on the FIM website.

The FMA president also reported that things will start to get moving on Friday 23 November with the arrival of FIM staff and the first equipment trailers, with all the delegations arriving from next Thursday.