World Cup back to boost Maritzburg
After hosting a successful 2013 UCI MTB & Trials World Championships, the UCI will once again use the popular Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg to host the first leg of the 2014 World Cup season which local officials and businesses are confident will be yet another positive for the city’s reputation as ‘Africa’s Bike City’ as they expect another influx of riders, officials, spectators and income from the international event when it gets underway from 11 to 13 April.
The city has been a regular on the Mountain Biking World Cup circuit since it’s 2009 debut and is a favourite venue for a number of the riders as it provides a different challenge to many of the other courses around the world. For the city, the mountain biking events have been invaluable in boosting the local economy and Chief Executive Officer of the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce Melanie Veness understands the importance of the event.
“Hosting international biking events in Pietermaritzburg has been great for the city on so many levels,” Veness said. “Pietermaritzburg is now recognised as a cycling venue by cyclists across the globe and these international cycling events returning to the City means that we are a respected venue worldwide.”
A large contingent of international athletes and media will be descending on the city for the event and in turn a significant amount of money will be spent in the city which is important for the local economy. The exposure that the city gets from the riders as well as from the television coverage can only be beneficial and so retaining the event is vital in retaining an important form of income.
The three day event provides a number of local businesses with the opportunity to host these international delegates who bring foreign currency into Pietermaritzburg.
“The international television exposure that the event and the City have been given over the past few years has been phenomenal and it is that sort of exposure that cannot be valued. You cannot put a price on that recognition or the legacy that has been created over the last five years that Pietermaritzburg has been used to host these events,” Veness added.
The event has a large communal impact in the region with a number of people being employed for the event as marshalls, vendors and cleaners which hands the local people the opportunity to earn a form of income for the duration of the event.
In preparing for events of this nature, large amounts of people are employed to construct the courses on which the competitors ride on and erect the entire infrastructure at the venue which provides more of the local community with an opportunity to get involved in the event.
Having hosted the UCI’s second biggest event on their annual calendar, the MTB & trials World Championships, so successfully in 2013, the international federation has confirmed its faith in both the local organisers and the Cascades MTB Park with the city set to reap the rewards once more.
“The economic impact has been significant, both because of spend by the event organisers and as a result of direct and indirect tourism spend and with a number of teams coming to the event there will be a large number of people coming into the city. For the city it has been a very wise investment and they will be reaping the rewards in the future and we hope that the relationship can continue,” a positive Veness said.
The UCI MTB World Cup, presented by Shimano, takes place at the Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg from 11 to 13 April 2014.
(File Photo:Gameplan Media)
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