Amount Awarded
£25,000
Event Background and Funding
Touch is one of the fastest growing participation sports in the UK and Europe. It is played in leagues and competitions across Scotland. The number of registered players has increased 1000% in the last ten years and 2011 was the first time the Touch World Cup had been held in Europe. The Scottish Touch Association won the rights to host the event in 2009 and brought on board the City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland as the main funders of the event.
Tourism
This international event was held in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. A city renowned for hosting major sporting and cultural events. The Touch World Cup strengthened both Edinburgh and Scotland’s legacy with the sport.
The 2011 event attracted 93 teams from 26 countries around the world. Visiting teams travelled from as far away as New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. Competitors from New Zealand will head home with positive memories to share with friends ahead of hosting this year’s Rugby World Cup.
The event attracted a total of 2,946 unique visitors (1,452 participants, 109 officials and 1,385 spectators). 99% of the teams stayed at Pollock Halls in Edinburgh City Centre which was the event base.
Participation & Development
Prior to the start of the Touch World Cup a Youth Festival was organized and run by the Scottish Touch Association. This was funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and their Active Schools Network in partnership with Scottish Rugby Development Officers and EventScotland through the Year of Active Scotland. 300 students from 5 schools learnt about the game of Touch as part of their PE Curriculum and then attended the festival where they received coaching and played games with some of the visiting international and Scottish players.
Each school was also encouraged to adopt a nation throughout the tournament which was particularly evident over the course of the final weekend when many turned out to support their teams.
The tournament was made up of nine divisions - Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Open, Mixed Seniors, Women’s 30s, Men’s 30s, 35s and 40s. Each World Cup allows two developing nations to enter the event for the experience - in 2011 Hungary and Luxemberg were given the opportunity. Whilst these two nations were not eligible to win, the tournament did provide them with valuable game time.
Environment
The event organisers took environmental management seriously with an agreed environmental plan in place. Recycling was actively encouraged with paper, plastics and general waste bins provided. Whilst this wasn’t as successful as planned with some waste being mixed, there was a strong commitment to make the event as green as possible.
A waterpipe was also installed at Peffermill to allow drink bottles to be filled free of charge and the event base was within walking distance to Peffermill so travel by bus or foot was heavily encouraged.
Social and Cultural
The event relied heavily on volunteers to run smoothly. The legacy of the inclusion of the youth event prior to the main tournament is that Touch is being integrated into the PE curriculum from next year onwards.
Media
The event attracted TV coverage, both in Scotland and internationally providing a strong platform to promote Scotland's natural assets and facilities for rugby and sport tourism. The event was featured on STV news, in local press and featured internationally on one of only three news channels in NZ and Australia.
Key Outcomes
The event successfully showcased Edinburgh as being the perfect stage for hosting international sporting event.
In excess of 1500 participants spent an average of 7 nights in Edinburgh.
The event generated an economic impact to Scotland of £2.7 million and Edinburgh £2.1 million.
The event has a longer legacy through the inclusion of Touch into the PE curriculum for primary school kids in Edinburgh.
