What's New

• 22 December 2009

  Strathclyde Park to host ITU Triathlon European Cup Event

  

  It has been announced that Strathclyde Park in North Lanarkshire, triathlon venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, will be hosting the fifth race of the 2010 ITU Triathlon European Cup.  The event will be held on the Sunday 23 May 2010 and signifies the first ever ITU Triathlon European Cup event to be held in Scotland. 

  In 2009 the Strathclyde Park Triathlon saw English Olympians Will Clarke and Jodie Swallow triumph in the male and female races but with an even stronger field expected for 2010 the competition is likely to be even tougher. Organisers have also confirmed that the May event will incorporate a mass participation element which means that amateur athletes can enter the race and compete on the same world-class course as the elite athletes.
  Kerry Lang, Scottish triathlete, is looking forward to the home race:

  “After finishing second in Strathclyde Park last year, I am definitely aiming for top spot in 2010.  Being able to compete again in Strathclyde Park is only going to be beneficial for 2014 when the Commonwealth Games come to Scotland”.

  Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency, said: “Scotland has a fantastic reputation for hosting multi-discipline sporting events and 2010 will be an incredible year to further establish the nation as an unrivalled destination for Triathlon.  EventScotland has supported the Strathclyde Park Elite Triathlon since 2007 and in that time the event has become an established part of the world triathlon events calendar. 
  The addition of hosting a stage of the prestigious ITU Triathlon European Cup in 2010 is a fantastic coup for Scotland and will ensure that the profile of the nation as a host destination for this exciting sport is raised through additional broadcast and global media coverage. 

  “2010 will be an exceptional year for multi-discipline sports in Scotland and the ITU Triathlon European Cup will take its place in the nation’s sporting calendar alongside the 2010 World Duathlon Championships in Edinburgh in September.  Both events are will attract hundreds of elite triathletes and duathletes, amateur competitors and spectators to Scotland for what will be an outstanding year of competition.”
• 21 December 2009

  YELLING-HIGHAM FACING DIBABA IN Bupa GREAT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY

  

  Newly crowned European champion Hayley Yelling-Higham faces an awesome task when facing Tirunesh Dibaba at the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country in the New Year.
  Yelling-Higham just 12 months after coming out of retirement stunned her rivals with her runaway success at the recent Euro championships in Dublin where she won by almost 50 metres.
  Now she lines up against Dibaba arguably the world's current greatest women's distance runner and winner of three World Cross Country titles the last success occurring at the 2008 championships also staged in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park.
  Ethiopia's reigning Olympic 5000 metres and 10000m champion on her return to the venue on January 9 will start as favourite and add to the victory she achieved at the inaugural race in 2005.
  Yelling-Higham insists it is not her intention to again pursue a full time running career quickly pointing out that the World Championships next March don't figure in her plans.
  "I might do a few more races and see how I’m doing but I’m not looking as far as the World Cross or anything," the 35-year-old veteran said after adding another gold medal following her victory in 2004.
  "I’m just enjoying my athletics and not putting any pressure on myself. It seems to be working."
   Dibaba's younger sister 18-year-old Genzebe who has won the last two World Junior cross country crowns is expected to be a strong contender in the six kilometres race while Freya Murray leads the Scottish challenge.
  The meeting will feature a titanic clash in the men's competition  where six-time world cross champion Kenenisa Bekele goes head-to-head with fellow Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam who succeeded him with his victory in Amman in March.

  Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency who sponsor the event, said: “The Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country is one of the biggest events on the world athletics calendar and this is reflected in the impressive line up of athletes entering for the 2010 race.  To see Great Britain’s Hayley Yelling- Higham sign up after her recent and remarkable comeback to the world of cross country is very exciting and we hope to see another exemplary performance from her in Edinburgh next month.  Double Olympic medallist Dibaba will also be a great crowd pleaser.  As one of the most successful athletes in the history of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, she’ll certainly be one to watch on the day.

  “The broadcast footage from this event reaches well over a million people around the world, showcasing Scotland and highlighting the nation’s credentials as a destination for world class athletics events.  Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat provides a sensational backdrop for the Edinburgh Cross Country and with an increasingly impressive line up for 2010 we’re looking forward to a good turnout of spectators on the day.”

  The event is free to spectate in Holyrood Park or you can catch all the action live on BBC ONE from 1pm – 2.30pm.

  Category: International Events
• 17 December 2009

  Glasgay! 2009 The Results Show

  

  Glasgay!, one of Scotland's leading Arts Festivals, celebrates the major success of its 2009 festival today with the release of the attendance figures for this year's smash-hit programme. The festival took place between 3 Sep-8 Nov 2009 in Glasgow, Scotland.

  Despite the most significant credit crunch of the last century the Glasgay! festival played to sell-out audiences and its exhibitions and some performances made headlines internationally, hitting nearly three-quarters of million websites and blogs worldwide. The festival doubled its audience on prior years and received four and five star critiques for its top quality Commissioned Productions, the most popular of which was a total sell-out smash hit, THE MAW BROON MONOLOGUES by Jackie Kay.

  As a truly international celebration of the strength of LGBT community Glasgay! enjoys the support of a broad audience, not just LGBT. Glasgay! puts Glasgow and Scotland on the map as a vibrant and safe destination for international visitors - a mission, which over the next five years, as the city heads towards the Commonwealth Games, cannot be underestimated or undervalued.

  GLASGAY! RESULTS
  • Audience attendance was 36,207 attenders. This was more than double the previous year (14,890 in 2008)
  • 168 days of performances at 78% of capacity
  • Four and Five star reviews for all of our top Commissioned product. (see selected press quotes below)
  • TV, Radio, blogs and international coverage of our events reaching nearly three quarters of a million websites worldwide
  • Press Coverage at £0.5million in advertising equivalent value
  • Turnover approaching £225,000k
  • Increased sponsorship and donations
  • 60% attenders from Glasgow, 15% adjacent, 9% rest of Scotland, 14% overseas; 3% England.
    A significant rise in out-of-town and international visitors.

  Category: International Events