AusCycling 2025 AGM and Directors update

AusCycling is pleased to confirm that Anne Gripper and Richie Bates were elected as Board Directors at the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, May 10.

We also extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Darren Alomes who leaves the Board after a term in which he made a valuable contribution to the stability and growth of AusCycling.

Gripper enters her third and final term as an AusCycling Director having spent more than 25 years in sport leadership. Most recently she was the Executive Director at the NSW Office of Sport and previously the Chief Executive Officer of Triathlon Australia. Between 2006 and 2010 she worked for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as the Director of Anti- Doping.

Other international leadership roles include her work with the Oceania Cycling Confederation, membership of the UCI Management Committee and as Chair of the UCI Integrity Commission.

Bates joins the AusCycling Board with extensive hands-on experience of the challenges and opportunities of cycling in the regions. He has served as a National Commissaire, Regional Technical Delegate, and Coach and Commissaire Assessor.

As President of Cairns Cycling Club, he oversaw membership growth, facility upgrades, and significant increases in junior and female participation. Away from cycling, he has served as a Board Member for Regional Development Australia and as an advisor to Queensland government ministers, giving him important insight into the challenges of funding, advocacy and infrastructure development.

"I believe that cycling should be a lifelong journey open to everyone—an inspiring pathway to better health, stronger communities, and athletic achievement,” Bates said.

“My vision is for a sport that thrives at every level, especially at club level and in the regions, where cycling can drive opportunity, connection, and a sense of belonging.”

Both Gripper and Bates will serve three-year terms as Directors.

Darren Alomes leaves the AusCycling Board as a much-respected voice and advocate for cycling and riding, especially BMX. He has been a valued member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and played an important role in the oversight of AusCycling’s first strategic horizon.

On leaving the Board, he wrote a message to his fellow Directors, a version of which is published below, with his permission.

“Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As I exit from my role on the AusCycling Board following the AGM, I do so with a heart full of gratitude and pride. It has truly been an honour to serve alongside each of you—people defined by integrity, vision, and unwavering commitment to our shared purpose.

In preparing this note, I found myself reflecting not just on the work we've done, but on the spirit that guided us. So rather than a farewell, I’d like to offer a final thought—a reminder of what unites us.

We were never here to represent just one voice, one discipline, or one perspective.

We were entrusted with something far greater: to advocate for all members of the cycling community—those who ride, race, coach, officiate, volunteer, and dream—across every discipline, every background, and every corner of the country.

That responsibility is both humbling and sacred. It calls on us to lead without bias or favour, to elevate fairness over familiarity, and to ensure every rider feels seen, heard, and valued. The strength of AusCycling lies not in any one part, but in the collective power of its unity.

As someone who has walked the journey from BMX Australia into the AusCycling family, I’ve witnessed firsthand what can be achieved through collaboration, respect, and a shared vision. I’m incredibly proud to have contributed to that journey. As possibly the last active BMX voice on the Board, I’ve carried the responsibility of representing the unique history, values, and needs of our discipline—something I’ve never taken lightly.

That legacy matters deeply to me, and I will continue to honour it.

Please keep championing unity. Let your decisions be guided by evidence and equity—by purpose, not ego. We have a rare opportunity to build something enduring, something that truly reflects the diversity and strength of the cycling community.

Thank you for the privilege of walking this path with you. I leave with confidence in your leadership, and I’ll continue to cheer from the sidelines—always believing in the power of cycling to change lives.

Keep the rubber to the ground, and strive for bums on seats, reflecting on the smiles and pure joy of mini-wheeler BMX racers was more than a reward.

With deep respect and warm regards,

Darren Alomes

Meritorious medal winners

The AGM was also presented with the list of the latest meritorious medal winners. Congratulations to these pillars of our community. They are;

Mark Routledge, MTB, Queensland,
Col Makinson, Road and Track, NSW,
Lorraine Schutz, Road, Track, MTB, SA,
Nanette Richert, Road and Track, QLD,
Kaye Houghton, BMX, WA.

AGM recording and important clarification

Those who were unable to attend the AGM or who would like to review the presentation can watch a recording here. *Important: the reference to a $116,000 deficit in 2025 should be a $116,000 surplus. The error was referred to at the 38:55-minute mark of the video.*

Introducing the Horizon 2 strategy

AusCycling CEO, Marne Fechner, provided an overview of the Horizon 2 strategy which began in January 2025 and runs until 2028. She also introduced AusCycling’s organisational ambition for this period, One2OneHundred which defines success as;

1 million participants in riding and cycling events during the Horizon 2 period,
2 – a second cycle of improved Olympic and Paralympic success,
100 we grow our connected number of riders and cyclists to 100,000.

A brief presentation of the strategy begins at 1:01 of the AGM recording and a link to the full Horizon 2 strategy document can be found here.

AGM Minutes and member questions

The complete Minutes of the AGM are here, a list of attendees here and the AGM presentation slides here.

Member questions that were answered during the AGM can be found here.