IMBA Italia Gathering 2023

• "GOLD WEEKEND SERVICE" FOR THE TWO DAYS
• “SMART SUNDAY SERVICE” FOR THE SUNDAY ONLY

The location

The municipality of Imér in Trentino, located at the foot of the Pala Group, will host the event next 21 and 22 October. A location that needs little introduction, having previously hosted major MTB events such as the rampikissima, and which will take part in the organisation of the MTB Marathon World Championships in 2026 in collaboration with the nearby Primiero San Martino di Castrozza, the birthplace of the only Italian world championship winner, Massimo Debertolis, MTB Marathon world champion in 2004. The event will include not only fantastic activities, but also a trail infrastructure steeped in the magnificent backdrop of the Dolomites and the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park, for a truly unique and unrepeatable experience. We can therefore expect two days of conferences, healthy discussion, but most importantly, cycling to experience what the Primiero area has to offer.

The event will be hosted at the Ex Sieghe multi-purpose centre in the heart of Imér. This is where points will be accredited, classroom sessions, speaker presentations and round table discussions will be held, and where all the meals included in the various event packages will be served.

The program

Saturday’s program will differ for mountain bike enthusiasts and IMBA Italia supporters:

the former will set off for a full day of mountain biking to discover the beautiful trails together with a local guide;

IMBA Italia supporters, on the other hand, will participate in a classroom session reporting on the activities carried out in 2023, including a presentation of the latest novelties dedicated to IMBA Italia supporters.

Sunday's program, on the other hand, will be the same for all participants of the event, kicking off at the multi-purpose centre for the conference followed by a lunch and social ride. 

IMBA Italia Supporters Program

• Friday 20 October 2023   
  From 7 pm to 8 pm: Accreditation and pre-gathering networking
• Saturday 21 October 2023
  From 8 am to 9 am: Accreditation, breakfast and networking
  From 9 am to 11 am: IMBA Italia Report 2023 and news 2024
  From 11 am to 11.30 am: Coffee break and networking
  From 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Debate with associations
  From 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm: Lunch
  2 pm: Departure cycling tour
  3 pm: Meeting point at trails with non-supporter group and social ride
  5 pm: Return to the Sieghe and post-ride drinks
  7 pm: Dinner and party
• Sunday 22 October 2023
  From 8 am to 9 am: Accreditation, breakfast and networking
  From 9 am to 11 am: Speaker presentations
  From 11 am to 11.30 am: Coffee break and networking
  From 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Round table
  From 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm: Lunch
  2 pm: Departure social ride
  4 pm: Return to Imér and farewells

Bikers program (non-supporters of IMBA Italia)

• Friday 20 October 2023
  From 7 pm to 8 pm: Accreditation and pre-gathering networking
• Saturday 21 October 2023
  From 8 am to 9 am: Accreditation, breakfast and departure for guided tour
  From 9 am to 5 pm: Cycling tour (full-day) with lunch in a refuge
  3 pm: Meeting point at trails with supporter group and social ride
  5 pm: Return to the Sieghe and post-ride drinks
  7 pm: Dinner and party
• Sunday 22 October 2023
  From 8 am to 9 am: Accreditation, breakfast and networking
  From 9 am to 11 am: Speaker presentations
  From 11 am to 11.30 am: Coffee break and networking
  From 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Round table
  From 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm: Lunch
  2 pm: Departure social ride
  4 pm: Return to Imér and farewells

Aims of the event

The aim of the IMBA Italia Gathering is to inform and inspire participants who work in mountain biking and related industries. More specifically, to:

• Disseminate high-quality information and skills on themes including community building, visitor management, MTB tourism, the social and health benefits of mountain biking, the planning, design and construction of MTB or shared-use trails and paths;
• Highlight the importance of making mountain biking accessible to all members of society through key presentations and examples of best practices and current trends;
• Address the importance of having ample access to mountain bike trails and developing strategies for co-existence among trail users;
• Identify strategies and good practices to create a more inclusive and diversified mountain biking community;
• Offer a platform where cities, regions or destinations can showcase the benefits of their MTB projects to citizens, businesses and society;
• Promote the sustainable development of mountain bike tourism and trail building;
• Integrate basic mountain biking into all relevant policy areas (health, outdoor sports/recreation, tourism, nature conservation);
• Encourage the involvement of all stakeholders (SMEs, universities, forestry departments, policy-makers, tourism boards, MTB guides, cycling media, public administrations and civil society organisations);
• Show examples of quality trail infrastructure and trail building projects through practical site visits.

Speakers

The 2023 edition of the IMBA Italia Gathering will address the theme of opportunities and challenges in developing trail sports through a series of presentations and speeches by top-level speakers who will provide new perspectives and specific expertise in different areas. This will be followed by a round table discussion moderated by IMBA Italia staff.

• Massimo DeBertolis, MTB Marathon World Champion
  Massimo de Bertolis is a former professional mountain bike marathon cyclist. Specifically, in 2004 he won the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in Bad Goisern, Austria. He also won the first round of the UCI XCM World Cup in 2005 and finished 5th overall. In the 2007 edition, he won the second round in Villabassa, and finished 2nd overall.
• Anna Facchini, Chairwoman SAT (Società Alpinisti Tridentini)
  She joined SAT as a member in 1989 to follow a course in environmental conservation. Today, she is the first woman to lead SAT in 150 years. The first experience was followed by many more: from the chairmanship of the Mountain Protection Commission to the establishment of the Cultural Commission, extended to also include the historical context and preservation of the library.
• Andrea Coppola, Certified Accountant and expert in the Third Sector and No Profit
  Certified Accountant and Auditor – enrolled in the Professional Accounting Association of Parma, originally from Capo di Leuca – who, initially by vocation and later by profession, has dedicated a good part of his time to providing consultancy, support and advice to the so-called Third Sector. Associations, foundations or sports bodies that contribute on a daily basis to social, cultural or environmental projects aimed solely at supporting the needs and rights of their members, and sometimes of entire communities.
• Luca Ladinetti, Sports Councillor, Municipality of Loiano (BO) and BOM.BA project coordinator
  He graduated in architecture at the University of Ferrara in 2007 with a thesis on landscape design. Since 2006, he has been a member of the Landscape Agency, a landscape research laboratory of the Department of Architecture at the University of Ferrara. From 2008 to 2011, he collaborated with Studio Tasca, working primarily on urban-scale projects. In 2013, he founded LADO architects, a design firm based in Bologna. Since 2019, he has been a Councillor at the Municipality of Loiano and is the creator and promoter of the BOM-BA (Bologna Montana Bike Area) project, which aims to promote the “Bologna Montana” territory (7 participating municipalities) through mountain bike tourism.
• Luca Bortolotti, Vice Chairman IMBA Italia
  He has vast experience in organising sports events. He has collaborated with major national marathon and enduro circuits, offering his consulting services for the purpose of territorial/tourism development to preserve and improve mountain biking experiences in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.
• Edoardo Melchiori, Chairman of IMBA Italia and Board Member of IMBA Europe
  Edoardo was one of the founders of IMBA Italia and, since 2016, has been a member of the board of directors of IMBA Europe. He has been involved with IMBA for more than a decade and is a trail advocate, trainer and consultant for mountain biking and trail building, in addition to being one of the developers of the ITRS (International Trail Rating System).