17th July 2006
By Peter Jones
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE GRAND NATIONAL ARCHERY SOCIETY
Archery's UK governing body, the GNAS, will host one of four World Cup events next year.
The event will take place at Dover in the first week of August 2007, and will also double up as the third and final leg of the European Grand Prix series.
"It's fantastic news, and I am so pleased," said GNAS Chairman Lynne Evans. "I was convinced our bid to host an archery World Cup and EMAU Grand Prix event was a strong one, but obviously we had competition. So you can imagine the delight of all of us at the GNAS when we heard we had been successful. "There are so many good things about this - from the trust that FITA and EMAU have put in us organising such a major tournament, to the implications for the London 2012 Olympics, in that we will be able to show how capable we are of organising a major international archery event here in Britain."
Tom Dielen, the general secretary of FITA, world archery’s governing body, said he was delighted the GNAS would be organising a Meteksan World Cup and EMAU Grand Prix event. “They have shown an excellent level of organisation in the past, which ensures that the level will be at the same high standards as the skills of the archers who will be taking part.”
Next year's event will be held at The Duke of York's Royal Military School in the town, given the blessing of a GNAS delegation that visited Dover in April. In return, a delegation from Dover visited GNAS headquarters at Lilleshall, Shropshire last month, to see the UK Masters Championship take place.
Dover Town Council is keen to be involved in some way with the 2012 Olympics in London by hosting and providing practice facilities for athletes preparing for the Games. The Council hopes the successful hosting of next year's archery World Cup event will showcase the town as a venue to set up camp in the build up to the Olympics.
"This is terrific news, and everyone involved with helping to put this bid together is now looking forward to welcoming the world's finest archers to Dover," said Councillor Ken Tranter, of Dover Town Council. "It's a lovely area, our many visitors during that week will be guaranteed first class hospitality, and be extremely well provided for in terms of important factors such as accommodation and transport. We also want to help the GNAS promote archery and enlarge the image of the sport in Dover and throughout Kent," said Mr Tranter. "Indeed, Kent County Council will be promoting archery throughout the schools in the area, and to as wide an audience as possible."
Backing and full support for the event has also come from Lindsey Horton, who heads up Sports Events South East, an organisation dedicated to promoting the sporting interests of the South East of England. “It is great news for the area, and a wonderful opportunity to showcase Dover and the South East to an international market, she said. “This prestigious sporting event will create greater potential to boost economic growth by presenting the South East as a competitive, professional and desirable destination for hosting sports events. Events such as this can help raise the profile of the area and are consistent with the Major Sports Events Strategy which is a partnership between South East England Development Agency, Sport England South East, Tourism South East and Culture South East.”
And the event has also been given the backing of UK Sport. John Scott, UK Sport’s International Director said: “UK Sport is delighted to hear that GNAS has been awarded the rights to host a FITA World Cup and EMAU Grand Prix event in 2007. “The major events team at UK Sport looks forward to working with GNAS and partners to support this event, which is one of the most prestigious international competitions in the archery calendar.”
For further information call Peter Jones, GNAS media on 07841 997408,
Councillor Ken Tranter on 07778 485357
or Mike McFarnell on mmcfarnell@hotmail.com.
Website: Grand National Archery Society
