Rugby European Championship in Hannover
On 11 and 12 July 2009, Hannover Will be the Venue for the Sevens European Championship for the Second Time
Following last year’s successful event, which was attended by about 26,000 visitors, the European Rugby Association FIRA-AER awarded the men’s Sevens European Championship to the provincial capital of Lower Saxony for the second time in a row. And this year, for the first time, women, too, will be chasing a title of their own.
Under the motto “Rugby, family and friends”, the best European teams will be competing for the European title in the AWD Arena during the course of the two-day tournament. Matches are divided into two halves of seven minutes each and the play is fast- moving and easy to follow – ideal conditions for spectators to experience everything up close.
Altogether ten teams will start, with the men’s teams having to earn their participation in the European Championship through qualifying competitions taking place in the run-up to the event. Currently, in addition to hosts Germany, the European champions Portugal, France, Spain, Georgia and Romania have all secured their places. On the women’s side, the reigning European champions, England, as well as France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Russia, Moldova, Sweden, Portugal and hosts Germany, will be taking part.
Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) is supporting the city’s great rugby event with posters and fliers, distributed as supplements in various newspapers, and is also offering an attractive package, which combines a visit to the tournament with an overnight stay in the city centre.
Spectators who need a break from all that high-performance sport can enjoy the biggest Schutzenfest (marksmen’s festival) in the world, which takes place on the neighbouring fairground. The funfair is an official fringe event of the Sevens European Championship. The stadium can be revisited with a valid entrance ticket at any time, as the tickets are good for both days and all matches in the AWD Arena and Sports Park.
For further information, visit http://www.hannover.de/rugby
Colorado to Host 7th Annual Churchill Cup
The Churchill Cup will take place in Colorado this summer, marking the first time North America’s premier XV-a-side rugby tournament has been staged solely in the United States.
This year will see the USA Eagles, Canada, England Saxons, Ireland A, Argentina Jaguars and Georgia play doubleheaders at Infinity Park in Glendale – the first municipally-owned rugby-specific stadium in North America – on June 6, 10 and 14.
These pool stages will be followed by a tripleheader finals day at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer side, on June 21.
“The Churchill Cup continues to be a valuable part of our international season, offering top class international competition, as well as allowing us to showcase international rugby to new audiences in the United States,” said Nigel Melville, Chief Executive Officer of USA Rugby.
“We are delighted to play at two great facilities in Infinity Park and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. This will give the Churchill Cup and rugby in general a great platform in a wonderful sporting city and help us achieve our objective to grow the sport.”
Mike Dunafon, Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Glendale, said: “We are proud to host the Churchill Cup pool matches in Glendale. It has been our vision to bring international rugby competitions to Glendale and the metropolitan Denver area. We look forward to showcasing Infinity Park.”
Terry Burwell, Churchill Cup Tournament Director, added: “The Churchill Cup goes from strength to strength and is now established in the international rugby calendar.”
“This will be the seventh Churchill Cup and we are pleased to add Denver and Glendale to the eight other cities in Canada and the USA who have hosted the tournament since it started in 2003. With the tournament being based solely in one state for the first time we hope that we can build a following throughout the pool stages, culminating in a bumper crowd on finals day.”
KieAnn Brownell, President of the Metro Denver Sports Commission, added: “We believe that rugby fits strategically with our overall objectives and is a sport that our city will embrace and support. We also feel that we can provide significant value to the Churchill Cup both in terms of building the brand and growing the sport in Denver and the U.S.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Senior Director of Venue Operations Allison Hamilton concluded: “We are very excited about our role in hosting the Churchill Cup during its first time to be played in Colorado. Between Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and Infinity Park, rugby fans will have an opportunity to experience this wonderful event in two world-class facilities.”
The 2008 Churchill Cup finals were played at Toyota Park in Chicago and attracted more than 9,000 fans. In front of a bumper crowd, the England Saxons beat Scotland A 36-19 to retain the main trophy, while Ireland A and Canada won the Plate and Bowl with 33-8 and 26-10 victories over Argentina A and USA, respectively. In 2009, Georgia has replaced Scotland A from last year’s line-up.
Tickets for Churchill Cup matches will be on sale to the public starting on Friday, May 1, at 10am for as little as $15 and are available online at http://www.tickethorse.com/EventDetail.aspx?eid=260&vid=7 or via phone by calling 1-866-461-6556.
The games will be broadcast live on SkySports in the UK and Setanta in North America.
Churchill Cup 2009
Pool A
Canada
Georgia
Ireland A
Pool B
Argentina Jaguars
England Saxons
USA
Fixtures (kick off times local)
Saturday June 6
Infinity Park, Glendale
England Saxons v Argentina Jaguars (2.15pm)
Canada v Georgia (4.30pm)
Wednesday June 10
Infinity Park, Glendale
Canada v Ireland A (4.30pm)
USA v Argentina Jaguars (7pm)
Sunday June 14
Infinity Park, Glendale
USA v England Saxons (1pm)
Georgia v Ireland A (3.30pm)
Sunday June 21
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Churchill Cup finals (12.05pm, 2.30pm, 4.45pm)
Churchill Cup background
The Churchill Cup is an alliance between the English Rugby Football Union (RFU), Rugby Canada and USA Rugby.
The tournament was launched in 2003 and aims to develop and grow the sport of rugby union across Canada and the USA.
It is named after former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who shared close ties with the United States – his mother was American – and with Canada during the Second World War.
With support from the International Rugby Board, as part of their Rugby World Cup-funded strategic initiatives, the tournament has grown in success since 2003 when 5,000 people attended to watch the three Alliance nations in Vancouver.
In 2008, when the tournament was played in Canada and the USA, the finals day in Chicago attracted almost 9,000 spectators.
Since its introduction, both men’s and women’s teams from England, the USA and Canada have participated although since 2005 it has been a men only event.
Invitational sides from Argentina, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand have all participated, while there was also a women’s competition in 2003 and 2004.
www.churchillcuprugby.net
Source: Infinity Park
World’s Largest Multi-Sporting Event Set for Sydney, Australia in October 2009
Competitors Encouraged to Join Ranks of More Than 25,000 Set to Participate in Seventh World Masters Games
Sydney will be the home of the seventh edition of the World Masters Games, an international sporting event boasting more competitors than the Summer Olympic Games. Held in an international city every four years and sanctioned by the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), the games are set to take place in Sydney from October 10 – 18, 2009.
Thousands of participants from more than 100 countries will travel to Sydney to compete in the most accessible and populous international sporting event. Medals will be awarded in age categories in 28 official sports ranging from archery, basketball and cycling to tennis, volleyball and weightlifting.
Following a motto of “fit, fun and forever young,” the Games is actively searching for sport enthusiasts and competitors to make Sydney the most distinct and successful games yet. Unlike in the Olympic Games, competitors represent themselves or teams from a variety of countries.
“Sydney is thrilled to host the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games, a spectacular and inclusive event that has built a true world community over the years,” said Margy Osmond, Chair of the Sydney 2009 World Masters Organising Committee (SWMGOC). “The Games participants’ passion, unique backgrounds, ages and stories are what make this international event so special. Sydney is committed to increasing the diversity of the competitors attending in 2009.”
The Games are open to “everyday athletes” and only requires registrants to meet a minimum age requirement for the particular sport (between 25 and 35 years of age, depending on the sport) and register online at 2009worldmasters.com for a $220 fee.
The 28 sports at the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games are archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, canoe/kayak, cycling, diving, football, golf, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, orienteering, rowing, rugby union, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, surf life saving, swimming, table tennis, tennis, touch football, volleyball, water polo and weightlifting.
In preparation for the Games – Sydney, no stranger to high-profile international sporting events, is set to showcase over 70 venues, including Sydney Olympic Park and well-known Olympic sites in Bankstown, Blacktown, Liverpool and Penrith. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as a multitude of festivities and social centres will welcome competitors and friends, families and spectators.
***U.S. and Canadian athletes and everyday sports enthusiasts are encouraged to register for the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games at www.2009worldmasters.com.
Source: World Masters Games