2005 Biennial Session The 2005 FIM Biennial Session took place from 21 to 24 October, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Geneva Airport. The Management Council convened on Friday 21 and Sunday afternoon, the Commission and Panels on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23. The General Assembly opened on Monday 24 in the presence of representatives of 53 National Federations. In his opening address, President Zerbi made a report on the FIM activities during the 2005 season; the report was unanimously approved by the General Assembly, as well as the 2004 accounts and balance sheet and the report of the internal auditors. The annual reports of the Presidents of the Continental Unions, Commissions and Panels were also unanimously approved. – The Nicolas Rodil del Valle Motorcycle Merit Gold Medal was awarded posthumously to former FEMA Secretary General Simon Milward, who passed away in an accident in Mali last February. The medal was awarded by President Zerbi to the mother of Simon, Mrs Milward, accompanied by his brother and FEMA Secretary General Antonio Perlot. – The candidature of the Motorcycle Federation of Guam was accepted by the General Assembly. – One post for FIM Vice-President and one post for Internal Auditor were open for votations. Mr Robert Rasor (United States) was elected FIM Vice-President, and Mr Josep Abad Pous (Spain) was elected Internal Auditor. – The FIM Environmental Award was awarded to the MSC Zschopau, organiser of the last 2004 Enduro World Championship round in Germany. – A convention of collaboration was signed between the FIM, ACEM and FEMA, during the Sunday session of the Management Council. This agreement makes official a collaboration that has been effective for several years and will increase in a near future. The agreement was signed by FEMA Secretary General Antonio Perlot, ACEM Secretary General Jacques Compagne, President Zerbi and CEO Guy Maitre. – A contract was signed between the FIM and the company IFMXF, promoter of Freestyle events, for the organisation and promotion of a 2006 Freestyle Motocross World Championship. – The FIM Centenary book was presented to the Management Council. The book can be ordered on the FIM Internet site. – A prize-giving ceremony for the 2005 World Champions in the Motocross and SuperMoto World Championships will be organised by the promoter Youthstream in Monaco on December 2, next. Road Racing – An agreement was made between FGSport and the organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (ACO) and the Bol d’Or (Editions Larivière) for the inclusion of the two races in the Endurance World Championship In Endurance, Art. 1.7.2 “lighting and signaling” applies only for races taking place partly at night. Minimum weight of Superbike motorcycles: 165 kg for races not taking part partly at night; 170 kg for races taking place partly at night. Minimum weight of Superproduction motorcycles: dry weight minus 15 kg for races not taking place partly at night; dry weight minus 11 kg for races taking place partly at night. – A Dragster World Championship including the class “top fuel” with at least two events (United States and Canada) is currently under study for the 2006 season. – The protective device SPM AIR PADS of type A has been homologated by the FIM. Motocross/SuperMoto – A SuperMoto Championship for national teams, the SuperMoto of Nations, will be held in 2006. – The FIM Veterans Motocross World Cup will take place next year, within the framework of the Belgian round in Namur (August 6). – The Junior Motocross World Championship will include a classification for National teams. The number of entries is based upon the passport of the rider. In each class, the number of entries is limited to a maximum of 8 riders per country/passport. The country in which the event is organised is entitled to 2 extra riders per class. For the Championship for National teams, points are allocated according to the final standings in the Individual Junior Motocross World Championship; for this classification, the winner obtains 1 point, the second two points, etc. and the final result for teams is determined as follows: the team winner is that which has gained the lowest total number of points after having added the two best results of its riders, the best in the 80cc and the best in the 125cc (in case of a tie, the best place in the 80cc will be considered). – Following the contract signed between the FIM and IFMXF, a Freestyle Motocross World Championship will be held in 2006. Trial – Starting time: in Trial World Championship, Junior Trial Cup and Youth Trial Cup 125cc, it will be 9h00 in principle but the last rider will not leave later than 11h00. The starting order for the 1st day will be reviewed for all classes. – Indoor Trial: the minimum number of riders participating in each round of the World Championship will be of 7: 5 fixed riders (first 3 of the previous year’s classification of the Indoor Trial World Championship, and the first 2 of the previous year’s classification of the Trial World Championship), plus two wild-card riders from the CTR and the promoter. The organizer may propose an additional wild-card rider to the CTR”¦.If there are 8 participants, all will attempt the double lane section. – Women’s Trial World Championship: as from 2006, the Championship will count 3 rounds; only two rounds will be taken into consideration for the final classification. As from 2006, each round will count 2 laps of 12 to 15 sections. Two riders, of different levels and who will change in each round, will participate in the visit to the sections with the Jury. – In order to improve the level of the sections and following a proposal from TRMA, a section builder will be nominated by the CTR, for a trial period, for the first two rounds of the Trial World Championship, to help the organizers construct the course. Enduro & Cross-Country Rallies – Cross-Country Rallies: Entries to the Cross-Country Rallies World Championship will be accepted for riders who are in possession of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship licence. The riders who wish to compete in category 3 Super Production with a motorcycle of more than 600cc must have a super licence; the super licence will be delivered by the National Federations according to specific criteria of the riders’ aptitude For each stage all the riders and competitors will receive a road book and/or maps that indicate the itinerary and/or check points (no GPS). When the track is defined, it must appear on the road book as a solid line; when not defined, as a dotted line (limit of 1 km or 3 km on each side cancelled). In the first road-book, the complete list of symbols must appear (description in two languages including English) For events using GPS with partial access to the data, the organiser must communicate the releasing code permitting the normal use of the apparatus. This releasing without authorization will result in the application of the fixed penalty. – The motorcycles must have been homologated by the CTI in conformity with the rules of the CER The starting order of the prologue will be left to the initiative of the organizer; the starting order of the first section will be made in the order of the classification of the prologue if it takes place; otherwise in increasing or decreasing order of the riders’ numbers. The first ten competitors will start one by one every two minutes, the others will start (one by one or two by two) minute by minute or 30 seconds by 30 seconds. This procedure will be used for the whole of the following stages (unless it is a collective start and except the last day) Speed controls (new article):”¦1st infringement: 30 sec by km/h excess; 2nd infringement: 2 min. by km/h excess; 3rd infringement: disqualification. The penalties will be cumulated in the same area, in the same stage, during the whole rally. – Enduro rules: riders admitted to the Enduro World Championship:”¦the 5 best riders (not 20) of each class from the Continental Championship of the previous year who scored no points in the World Championship of the previous year. Technical – Discussions will be held between the CTI (International Technical Panel) and MSMA (Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers’ Association) regarding the sound level and control for Motocross and Enduro motorcycles, in order to reach a common limit for the 2007 season. Medical – Applicants for a super licence in Cross-Country Rallies must undertake a medical examination performed by a specialist in sports medicine. The examination must include an exercise tolerance electrocardiogram and echocardiography. FIM Dates – Next year’s Conference Meetings will be held in Geneva on February 17-19, 2006. – The extraordinary Management Council meeting will take place in Geneva on June 17-18, 2006. – The 2006 Congress will take place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, from 15 to 21 October. – A proposal to hold the 2008 Congress in Durban, South Africa, was made by Mrs Beaulah Schoeman, MSA Executive Director. More, from a press release issued by AMA: AMA’S RASOR ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT OF FIM PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that AMA President Robert Rasor has been elected to the position of Vice President of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the international governing body for motorcycle sport and touring. Rasor was elected during the 2005 FIM Biennial Session, held October 21 – 24 in Geneva, Switzerland. The AMA is the sole U.S affiliate to the FIM, which comprises nearly 70 national organizations, called federations, from countries around the world. A member of the AMA staff since 1973, Rasor served as Vice President of AMA Government Relations from the early 1980s until his appointment as the Association’s President in 2000. He’s served the FIM as the first president of its Commission on Mobility, Transport, Road Safety and Public Policy, increasing the organization’s involvement in motorcyclists’ rights, and is president of the North American Motorcycle Union, one of six such regional groups within the FIM. The Geneva-based FIM establishes and enforces rules for international motorcycle competition, and monitors motorcycling legislation and lobbying for riders’ rights. The FIM also is involved with international touring, facilitates international travel, and is taking a more active role in vintage motorcycling. Several other members of the AMA staff also serve on various FIM commissions. Through its affiliation with the FIM, the AMA licenses its riders to compete in international events and coordinates world-championship competition held in the United States. In his over 35 years of motorcycling experience, Rasor been an amateur motocross racer and has toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Mexico.