The 2008 OffRoad AGM took place in the Marine Hotel, Sutton, Co.Dublin on Sat 20th Dec.  We have recieved some initial information from the new secretary Fergal Kilkenny with more to follow in detail shortly.  For the moment here is the new board and some key things which were discussed.

In attendance were members from MADMTB, EPICMTB, Flow Racing, IMBRC, UCD clubs.

Nominations had previously been received by Geoff Liffey from Cycling Ireland who chaired the meeting until the new committee were elected.  All nominations were seconded and a new committee was elected - the 2009 OffRoad Committee will be as follows:

Chairman: Sean Herlihy (EPICMTB)
Secretary & XC coordinator: Fergal Kilkenny (MADMTB)
Treasurer: Morgan O’Connell (MADMTB)

Committee member: Rory O’Keefe (021 Racing)
Committee member & DH coordinator: Micheal Cowan (Team CRC)
Committee member: Alan Clogher (TC Cycles)
Committee member & BMX coordinator: Rory Beirne (tba)

Further roles and responsibilities will be decided/agreed between the commission members.

AGM discussion items included promotion of the faster XC Sports riders to senior categories in order to maintain a more equal beginner-level capability in the Sports category.  It was agreed that OffRoad committee members from Connaught and Ulster would be valuable, so there exists the means to elect new committee members from those provinces.  Better promotion/advertisement of OffRoad events and improved management and scheduling of the XC NPS were accepted as an important area of attention and will be developed in 2009.

It was agreed that High Performance would not be a responsibility or deliverable of the 2009 OffRoad Commission.

There was the discussion for NPS winners to be recognised at an official awards ceremony and for development of non-competetive events to get leisure-MTB cyclists.

The OffRoad Committee is looking forward to developing and improving the various disciplines of OffRoad biking in 2009 so that it’s members can continue to enjoy and progress in the sport in the future.

Further details and discussion items / meeting minutes will be available to the OffRoad community as soon as they are finalised.