Athea Road Races future in the balance following Governing Body agreement

Athea Road Races future in the balance following Governing Body agreement

The Southwest Road Racing Club Athea’s will have to wait another weeksbefore confirming if their planned road racing event this September can go ahead.

The Athea club had previously sought to secure insurance through the Road Race Alliance of Ireland (RRAI) when the Motorcycling Union of Ireland (MCUI) encountered insurance challenges.

This move offered hope for the return of road racing, with the Athea dates of September 13 and 14 pencilled into the RRAI calendar.

 However, the cancellation of the RRAI’s Faugheen road races in Tipperary, scheduled for July has introduced an element of unease.

A significant development has now emerged with a joint statement issued on Sunday, June 1 from the MCUI and the RRAI.

Following extensive discussions at the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre, the two organisations announced a “mutual and satisfactory agreement” concerning the future direction of road racing within the country.

This agreement confirms that Motorcycling Ireland will continue its role as the sole governing body for all motorcycle sports in Ireland.

Notably for clubs like the Southwest Road Racing Club Athea that had affiliated with the RRAI will now re-affiliate with Motorcycling Ireland.

This re-affiliation comes with the assurance of “equal representation and voice” for these clubs within the broader motorcycle racing community.

Motorcycling Ireland and the RRAI have pledged to collaborate on the re-establishment of a motorcycle sports calendar which will include riad racing and short circuit racing at Mondello Park

While the Road Race Alliance of Ireland will retain its identity, its primary focus will shift towards the promotion and marketing of road racing in Ireland, complementing the governance responsibilities of Motorcycling Ireland.

While the agreement between Motorcycling Ireland and the RRAI offers a sense of potential long-term stability for the sport, the immediate future of the Athea Road Races hinges on the upcoming interactions between the club and the governing body.

For the Southwest Road Racing Club Athea, this agreement introduces a new dynamic.

Having initially looked to the RRAI for insurance solutions, the club now finds itself under the remit of Motorcycling Ireland once again.

 The immediate implications for their planned September races remain to be seen.

The club will need to engage in discussions with Motorcycling Ireland to ascertain how this re-affiliation impacts insurance arrangements and the feasibility of their event proceeding as scheduled.

Motorcycling Ireland and the RRAI thanked  the Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport Patrick O’Donovan for his assistance in reaching this agreement.

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