This is how Sea Otter Europe has grown until we saw the birth of the Euro Mobility Festival
A few days before the start of the seventh edition of the Sea Otter Europe, its chief executive officer, Albert Balcells, admits that he is “already making the final preparations and excited about the wait.”
In 2017 an adventure began in which “we started with doubts and fears – continues Albert -, as always in these large events, but with the conviction that it could work, because we were aware that there was a demand from the business community, the cyclist and the fond of having a place to meet.”
A renewed event that touches all cycling: this is how Sea Otter Europe was born.
“Seen today, it was a success,” says Albert. He and his team were quick to move: “When we started talking to brands, we saw a very quick acceptance and that made us move forward to consolidate an event that, seven years later, is a reference. Little did we think then that these figures could be reached.”
What figures are those?
Well, 400 brands in more than 250 stands in non-stop cycling events from September 22 to 24, serving some 60,000 visitors with the forecast of more than 150 accredited journalists.
A transversal event
For Albert Balcells “the fact that it is a transversal event makes us happy. There is room for all types of audiences here: people who are more or less bicycle fans to see new products from well-known brands and meet others who want to grow. It doesn’t matter what modality you want to practice, here you can enjoy it.”
“We have about 500 bicycles to test,” he says. A figure distributed among 40 brands including 3T, Abus, Andreanimhs (Ohlins), Basso Bikes, Beeq, Bergamont, Bewatt, BH, BMC, Campagnolo, Canyon, Cinelli, Classified, Colnago, Corratec, Cube, Ecobike, Factor bikes, Felt, Fulgur, Garmin, GASGAS, Guava bike, Husqvarna, Lee Cougan, Leoncycle, Megamo, Merida Bikes, MMR, Mustache Bikes, Norco, Orbea, Riese & Muller, Rossignol bikes, Rotwild, Sram, Tenways, Valeo Cycle, Velo de Ville, Voltaway, Wahoo, What a bike.
As it is, “we have the event we wanted, a proposal where everyone has a place. The sector has understood this and they have the option of contacting those 60,000 visitors who come to the fair. It is not an exclusive professional event, nor for the final public, it is the mix that has given it a different touch compared to the existing proposals.”
Samuel Sánchez in Ciclobrava: “We have to value what we have here”
Euro Mobility Festival, to improve the world
With Sea Otter Europe consolidated, “the firmest commitment is to increase brands and space for the EMF (Euro Mobility Festival), focused on bicycle mobility in cities. We have worked intensely in this area,” says Albert.
The truth is that the future lies in the EMF: “Although we have mobility brands scattered throughout the Sea Otter, such as Shimano and Canyon, a new space has emerged for those brands that want to convey that they are urban bicycles, that are making proposals to improve the movement of cities, in matters of sustainability.”
In this space, there will be a RACC site or the Mobility Cluster, in short important actors to carry out proposals to have better cities to live and move.
“A goal that we humbly make our own” Albert contributes.
All this added to the usual program of the Sea Otter Europe, with a powerful sports program: Continental Eliminator Cup, short track, they appreciate it so much”
Girona Gravel Ride, a place to love the land
A human group that gives everything
An important move that demands the best from the team: “We slept well, I admit, we fell flat in bed. The nights are short, you go to bed late and you get up early. There are a lot of people behind us, a lot of work, we traveled twenty kilometers around the fair.”
And it is that “each edition of the Sea Otter begins when the previous one ends and even before. We already have new developments planned for 2024, we work with projection, we are attentive to trends, we schedule product presentations with brands,… as you know this requires a lot of advance notice.”
“Even if the event is on a specific weekend, you have to pay attention 365 days a year,” concludes Albert.
+ INFO
2023-09-12 10:16:56
#Cantabrian #stage #Vuelta #singleport #short
