The events attract sports fans, families, partygoers, and even people who don’t like winter sports at all. Cities can usher in the winter early with enormous Big Air ramps and ice tracks made of temporary structures – even at temperatures way above zero.
Building the perfect Crashed Ice track
The Olympic Park in Munich hosted the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship for the third time in January 2016. At 400m, the ice piste was the longest ever built. In addition, there was a height difference of 55m, challenging chicanes and obstacles – a real test of skill not just for the daring athletes but also for the builders of the ice channel.
Using system material, wooden ribs and planks, the NUSSLI project team built the substructure for the piste from the Olympic Mountain down to the Olympic Lake – but the track didn’t end there. 4,000 sq m of building area, the finish line, and the grandstands had to be constructed to stand in the water.
The team had already built the track in Lausanne two years ago, so they knew exactly what to pay attention to, in order to build the perfect ice channel. The most important thing for athletes – and therefore every track planner – is a track that is as smooth as possible.
To do this, the assembly team used bent wooden ribs that were cut precisely using a CNC (computer numeric control) machine, mounted on the track base, and then covered with wooden boards. This meticulous work, which was accurate to the inch, allowed the construction of a completely even run for high velocities.
A young sport with a fast-growing fan base
In winter 2001, daredevil athletes wearing ice skates raced down icy pistes in Stockholm for the very first time. Around hairpin bends, through steep passages, and over bumps, the ice skaters raced towards the finish line in groups of three or four along the run, which was up to 600 meters long.
Ever since, the event has offered the audience a great deal of action and an exciting spectacle. The athletes appear captivated by the thrill and the speed of this new type of sport, which is a combination of ice hockey, boardercross and inline downhill. The sport became so popular within such a short time that championships have been held annually since 2010.
A wintry carnival atmosphere
Events such as Crashed Ice Championships that usually offer additional entertainment programs consisting of parties and shows are very popular and attract a mixed audience. Their temporary nature also holds a certain appeal, and their location in the middle of the city allows visitors to attend without long travel times.
By bringing the magic of winter into the city, host cities can project an image of dynamism, without the need to be dedicated to a single type of event or to make long-term investments in buildings.
The first event doesn’t necessarily have to include a 400 meter ice channel. Big Air ramps for snowboarders and freeskiers are constantly being built in cities at unusual locations.
The best athletes of the snowboard and freeski scene, as well as the best BMX and FMX riders, meet up year after year at the Freestyle on the Landiwiese in Zurich,. Against the backdrop of Lake Zurich and in a location easily accessible both by public and private transportation, the freestyle event presented the biggest names for the Big Air ramp and the BMX/FMX scene. Via a lift, athletes reached the starting point at the top of the structure made of system material.
Big Air 2016 in Mönchengladbach
Big Air is a fitting name for something with a height of 35 m and a length of 77 m. NUSSLI had previously built the very same structure in Graz for the Nokia FIS World Cup on the roof of an underground parking garage, on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, in the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona, at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, at the Kniaz Aleksander/Batenberg Square in the centre of Sofia and at Battersea Power Station in London.
However, these already impressive dimensions will be surpassed at Mönchengladbach in Germany. A 49 m high and 120 m long ski jump will be installed by NUSSLI for the event in December. 800 cubic m of snow will be necessary to prepare the Big Air ramp.
130 of the best international snow sports athletes have already confirmed their participation. This event is their ticket to qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Of course, the party zone will also be a part of the event, where four DJs will be working up the crowd to a fever pitch as the athletes make their jumps and flips.
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Nussli: Bringing winter sports to the city
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Smart City Networks announces record number of contract closings
With a strong start to the new year, Smart City Networks, the leading event telecommunications and technology services provider for the convention industry, in the US, has announced a record number of contracts achieved at the close of 2016. Since early 2014, the company has been awarded 17 new contracts nationally, which are expected to generate a combined revenue of over US$285 million.
According to Martin A. Rubin, CEO of Smart City Holdings, the scope of the new venue contracts the company has added over the past three years encompasses 135 years of agreements, between initial terms and extension options.
“These contracts exemplify the sophistication and industry knowledge that Smart City brings is second to none,” said Rubin. “These numbers are a testament to the hard work and dedication the Smart City staff puts in every day to serve our local partners and community.”
The exclusive telecommunications and technology company for the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Smart City provides technology services to more than 3,000 conventions and meetings annually. Most recently Smart City served as the technology provider for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show—the world’s largest construction trade show—which was held in Orlando January 10-12, 2017, and is slated to return in 2018 as well. With new homes construction embracing the full impact of the Internet of Things, Smart City’s extensive wireless network infrastructure at the OCCC supported NAHB’s exhibitors in their demonstration of all things IoT in home of the future.
Founded over 30 years ago, Smart City Networks designs, installs and maintains data, voice, electrical and utility platforms, coupled with voice, video and data network engineering, security and monitoring for more than 35 convention and meeting facilities across the U.S., totalling over 17 million square feet of exhibit space.
SOURCE: Smart City Networks -
Nüssli’s third Red Bull Crashed ice track built in Marseille
The French port city of Marseille hosted the Red Bull Crashed Ice speed skating event on January 14 and 15, 2017.
Nüssli rose to the challenge of creating Crashed Ice race track in the middle of the city, drawing on their experience of having delivered tracks for the event in Munich and Lausanne.
The race began with four skaters on the track, which began at the terrace of the Intercontinental hotel and finished in front of the Marseille City Hall.
The aim is to compete with the other skaters with the greatest speed, and finish the extreme track with sharp turns, high vertical drops, and other hazards as quick as possible. The athletes make daredevil jumps and reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.
Nüssli was commissioned for the construction of a 340 m long ramp, which included elevation differences of up to 26 m, as well as the assembly of four lighting towers, a podium, and nine television platforms.
Assembling the structure in the middle of the city was often complicated in terms of loading and unloading, Nüssli said.
View the event Movie on Red Bull TV. -
SportAccord Convention bid city process for 2019 and 2020 gets underway
[SOURCE: SPORTACCORD CONVENTION] SportAccord Convention on 18th February launched its bid city application process for the 2019 and 2020 Conventions. Potential bid cities are invited to submit their ideas and proposal by Wednesday, 1 March 2017.
SportAccord Convention is the world’s premier and most exclusive annual event at the service of sport. Held in a different city each year, the Convention takes place over six days and is focused on driving positive change internationally and dedicated to engaging and connecting; international sports federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities, press and media, businesses and other organisations involved in the development of sport.
The SportAccord Convention is a not-for-profit organisation which annually brings together representatives from more than 100 International Sports Federations affiliated with the following umbrella organisations that host their Annual General Assemblies at the SportAccord Convention. These include:SportAccord
ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations)
AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations)
ARISF (Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations)
AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport) and Associate MembersIn addition, the SportAccord Convention receives the full support of the International Olympic Committee.
The Convention provides organisations involved in the development and business of sport with a unique opportunity to meet and network on a global scale with over ninety percent (90%) of the delegation being key decision-makers. The majority of delegates, partners and exhibitors return each year, ensuring the Convention is part of their business strategy, thus helping towards achieving their goals and objectives. On top of this, SportAccord Convention works closely with the media worldwide, who delivered more than 1,500 unique news stories across all media platforms during the SportAccord Convention held in Lausanne last year.
Mr. Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord Convention said, “We are looking for cities who will help to deliver an outstanding Convention and continue to build on the successes of previous Conventions. Cities are encouraged to look at creative ways to provide the facilities and services needed to host the Convention and welcome the sports community coming from all corners of the globe.” Hatt continued, “It goes without saying, hosting the SportAccord Convention also provides outstanding opportunities for cities in a unique setting.”
This year, SportAccord Convention is taking place in Aarhus, Denmark, nominated the European Capital of Culture for 2017. A vibrant city and passionate about sport, this accolade, together with the Cultural Programme of events unfolding throughout the year, will certainly help to make the 15th edition of the SportAccord Convention, a special one.
Previous host cities include Madrid, Lausanne, Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Athens, Denver, Dubai, London, Quebec City, Saint Petersburg, Belek/Antalya and Sochi.
Further information can be found on the website at the following link. This includes the Bid City Application Information Pack as well as details outlining the Host City Bid and Selection Process.
Bid cities interested in hosting the Convention in 2019 or 2020 should contact Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord Convention, nis.hatt@sportaccordconvention.com to register their interest and submit their Bid City Application Form by Wednesday, 1 March 2017.
For more information about the SportAccord Convention: www.sportaccordconvention.com
[SOURCE: SPORTACCORD CONVENTION] -
Glasgow, Gothenburg, Malaysia and Skåne join International Association of Event Hosts
Destination marketing organisations from Sweden, Scotland and Malaysia have joined International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH).
Malaysia Major Events and Event in Skåne joined in the first week of January 2017, with Göteborg & Co and Glasgow Life having joined in November 2016.
The organisation now has 23 members since its formal launch in April 2016.
Malaysia Major Events was established to identify, promote, facilitate as well as support viable international events to be staged in Malaysia, the organisation is a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau and it is based in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia has a packed programme of sports, business and entertainment events. Events scheduled for the first three months of 2017 include the Viper Challenge Series, the Wonderful World of Disney on Ice (100 year celebration), Powerman Duathlon Asia Championships, WTA – Malaysia Open, Miri Country Music Fest and Bryan Adams Get Up Tour.
Skåne is the southernmost county in Sweden. Based in the city of Malmö, Event in Skåne works to make Skåne a leading venue for top Swedish and international events.
The New York Times ranked Skåne as one of the top ten places in the world to visit in 2016. The region regularly hosts world and European championships and several other major events.
Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city, with 540,000 inhabitants, located on the west coast. Despite its small size, it hosts an impressive list of international events, a success it puts down to close collaboration within the city’s event industry, infrastructure for hosting events and bold, creative and professional organisers.
Glasgow Life, represented by Ian Hooper, joined the Association during Host City 2016 in November. Glasgow Life’s vision is to inspire citizens and visitors to lead richer and more active lives through culture, sport and learning.
Glasgow’s track record in staging major events is enviable, from multi-sports events like the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2018 European Championships and individual sports events like such as 2015 World Gymnastics, to important major conferences such as Host City.
The IAEH is a worldwide organisation for representatives of international destinations to collaborate together to generate the best possible value from hosting major sporting and cultural events, and provide a voice for ‘not for profit’ hosts of events.
IAEH provides a platform for members to learn from the successes and challenges of major events, share knowledge and generate greater long term social and economic benefits from hosting events.
IAEH meets at the most important meetings of the major events sector including Host City and SportAccord Global Convention.
Host City, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, will take place again in Glasgow in November 2017. -
Gracenote Sports: The road to good major event coverage
HOST CITY: What kind of support do organisers need most to manage the huge numbers of press that come to a mega sports event?
Guido Bouw: A well organised event serves as a foundation for positive press coverage. Organisers must focus their attention on all of the different elements that can make or break an event.
From a media perspective, we’ve found journalists benefit greatly from fluid access to the various elements of a major event which enables them to focus on their jobs and deliver quality coverage of the event. This includes access to:The sports event and event venues
Timely information around the event and its participants to support storytelling across multiple platforms including TV, print, online and social media
Real-time communication of the event flow and logisticsAt Gracenote Sports, we have worked at many international multisport events such as the Olympics and smaller single sport events. We offer solutions designed specifically to make life easier for the press, marketing departments and technology partners. This includes timely and accurate sports data and information for media professionals, as well as social media services to maximize exposure for events and drive fan engagement.
At our core, we help drive compelling stories. Whether it is comprehensive background information on the sports and athletes, unique Facts & Figures services or real-time feeds that provide updates, our primary objective is to help media do their jobs by getting them the right information in a timely manner for use in their coverage.
HOST CITY: Event organisers need to maximise good publicity. How can this be achieved?
Guido Bouw: Relevant and timely information is key. The more positive coverage you can generate about the event itself, the more visibility you can create for the host city or region.
News reporters want breaking news, but most other media are writing feature stories that require context – context on a particular competition, athlete or team. Gracenote Sports understands the time constraints that media are under while on editorial deadlines and have developed seamless data feeds to support more in-depth and thoughtful event coverage.
At Gracenote Sports we understand how to tell a good story. That is why we put a premium on distributing timely information to media that can spawn the next story angle or support an existing one. The richness and depth of our unrivalled global sports database, our deep experience working at sports events and expertise in delivering fact-checked information has made Gracenote Sports a trusted partner for many events and federations.
HOST CITY: And what can event organisers do to avoid negative press?
Guido Bouw: As mentioned earlier, a successful event is the foundation for positive press coverage. If the event itself is perceived to have external challenges, the coverage will likely mirror that sentiment. That is precisely why it is critical that organisers focus on the overall success of the event and a seamless experience for media. This includes the proper access required to generate positive news stories. Once event organisers understand that media can serve as the ultimate evangelists for an event, they understand that managing the media with white glove service is just as important as taking care of participating athletes.
They should be treated as a client with top clearance to important access points throughout the event. Minimising disruptions, actively managing their expectations and becoming a resource for information is key.
Additionally, we advise having a highly experienced “information team” on-hand that can effectively address media questions, mitigate issues and manage a potential crisis before it grows into a media storm.
HOST CITY: Major events are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the host city itself. What services are available to bring these kinds of stories to the fore?
Guido Bouw: Hosting a major sporting event can have a positive effect on the profile of the host city and, often times, the broader region. Based on this, it is important that organisers remember the important role media can play in showcasing the host city and plan accordingly.
At the most basic level, this means creating opportunities for media to experience the host city. Be sure to schedule media events at appropriate times and locations so journalists can easily attend. We’ve seen organisers enjoy great success hosting media events and ‘showcase events’ during big competitions in iconic locations. This strategy results in great visuals which can capture the beauty of the host city and result in additional exposure.
We also encourage our customers to create unique experiences that allow media to see the host city more intimately. We have had clients greet incoming media with welcome kits detailing “must-see” local attractions as well as invite key media on facilitated “city tours” to guide their experiences.
HOST CITY: There is a vast amount of data and statistics that can be collected around a major event that would be of use to journalists. What sort of tools are there to make this information available?
Guido Bouw: At Gracenote Sports, we have mastered how to efficiently deliver the most accurate and timely information, including results and statistics, athlete information, flash quotes, press conference highlights, analytics and insights, to the media around the world. We’ve spent over 20 years refining our event and data offerings as well as diversifying the vehicles to distribute information to our customers spanning newsfeeds, APIs, widgets and newsletters.
At the heart of our global operations are the experienced professionals who live and breathe sports data. These individuals – avid sports fans themselves – spend countless hours mining our industry-leading database containing information on 4,500 of the world’s most popular sports leagues and competitions to develop content that adds context and relevance to our customers’ media coverage. In addition, our social media desk specializes in developing custom content around major sports events for popular platforms including Twitter and Facebook to driving direct engagement with fans.
HOST CITY: What can smaller or more niche events do to get in the media as much as possible?
Guido Bouw: This goes back to the first question. An event organiser of any scale should pay close attention to facilitating easy media access to the event. To reiterate, that is access to the event and relevant event venues, the dissemination of timely information around the event and its participants and real-time communication of the event flow and logistics.
The engagement with media shouldn’t begin when they get off of a plane in your city. The engagement should begin well before their arrival when you become a reliable source for relevant statistics, historical context and news coverage leading up to the event. Media are often looking for unique story angles about the history of the event and compelling stories behind the athletes. By serving as a resource to media leading up to, during and after a major sporting event, you can cultivate lasting relationships with journalists and ideally, emotional connections with the host city that could last a lifetime. -
“The rich and varied opportunities for cities”
Ladies and gentlemen: happily, welcome back to Glasgow. Clearly the city is very happy to host this important conference as it grows in reach and importance each year. And the rich and varied opportunities for cities which host events can be seen from the whole range of topics that you will discuss.
From a purely sports point of view, the Glasgow experiences make pretty interesting reading. This city has roughly 800,000 people, although the Clyde valley conurbation is around two million, many in close proximity. This is a relatively small population, but the city in the eight years from 2012 to 2020 has hosted, or will host, major events in football, cycling, netball, swimming, athletics, tennis, gymnastics, judo, curling, badminton, golf, rugby, rowing and triathlon – with Paralympic swimming to be added to the list.
Some other numbers can also be added to the list of credits: a contribution to the economy of the city of £370m; an investment in sports facilities since 2009 which totals around £200m; attendance figures in 2015 at sports facilities in Glasgow of 6.4m people, with 800,000 at the World Gymnastics Championships in the new Hydro Arena – an event which produced the best presentation of indoor sports that I have ever seen.
And outside the events themselves, a list of plusses which might be described as the softer legacies: 20,900 junior members of sports clubs, an increase of 367 since 2009; 4,580 coaches engaged with sports clubs, up 95 per cent since 2009; and 4490 volunteers engaged with sports clubs, up 110 per cent since 2009.
Now the reason for this boom in sports activities is not too difficult to find. The 2014 Commonwealth Games were a triumph for the city. Following the success of the 2012 London Olympic Games they showed just what can be achieved with some good planning of facilities, their legacy, then promotion, enthusiasm and organisation – to say nothing of the overall benefits to the city to be garnered from worldwide television coverage and exposure, and a huge growth in digital media conversation and interest.
But not all cities are lucky enough to have the opportunity organise one of the big multi-sport events and use this as a catalyst for facility development and public interest – although the 2018 European Sports Championships is an interesting development along the same lines, but with a more modest footprint.
Hosting events – and in particular sports events – is an ever more competitive business, although there is clearly a mismatch between enthusiasm for what I might call individual events as opposed to major multi-sport events.
The IOC have struggled to attract anything like the number of cities for Olympic Games compared to those years ago when many more put their names forward. And the new bidding rules under Agenda 2020 are hoped to be the antidote required. With the loss of Rome for 2024, the jury is on this is still out.
The Commonwealth Games Federation are not exactly awash with applicants for future Commonwealth Games, and the Olympic Winter Games bidding process was reduced to two final candidates.
The Asian Games appeared to be less affected, with the number of large – 10m people – cities in China providing enthusiasm for the bidding process, which rather replaces the efforts made over the years by Korea with almost 30 years of experience.
But for individual sporting events, the world is a very very active place. Auckland in New Zealand is more than active with rugby, cricket, hockey and sailing.
Smaller countries – Danish cities all pulled together by the splendid Sport Event Denmark organisation – are keen hosts for handball, sailing, ice hockey, swimming, badminton, cycling and equestrian events.
If you head south, Sydney and Melbourne offer attractive options for sailing, for surfing, for rugby, tennis, Formula 1 and many others. Australia will also host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, with mutterings of a possible future Brisbane Olympic bid.
In golf there is much enhanced interest in continental Europe with future Ryder Cups in France and Italy and the new developments in Antalya in Turkey offering a whole range of new and impressive sports facilities will inevitably lead to hosting opportunities.
The agenda for Host City throws up a whole series of issues which will apply to almost any event held by and promoted by a host city…. But returning to the sports theme, it would be wrong of me not to refer to the challenges you will discuss on the integrity of sport.
Sport has gone through and still goes through a difficult period due to clear abuses of the standards on doping matters. These have brought extreme challenges to sport, to its major events, its federations and have encouraged huge media comment, very little of it favourable.
Issues of governance of sport and criticism of how it selects its host cities have added fuel to the fire. However, I was recently in Tokyo, host city for the 2020 Olympic Games and I am encouraged by the enthusiasm and excitement in both city and country at the prospect of hosting the Games in 2020.
Despite the inevitable arguments about possible venue changes and money – subjects that are endemic in any Olympic city and its organising committee – the Japanese ability to seek long term legacies that are relevant to their society and provide opportunities to showcase their own innovative technologies offers the Olympic movement a real opportunity to change the scepticism which appears to exist and which elicits much comment.
And this I find to be really exciting and may well be a force for greatly increased enthusiasm for Olympic and other multi-sport events. And if the Tokyo experience is proved to work, there must be a chance of a distinct on-going effect in many other similar events.
So with this rather enthusiastic view of the future I leave you to your debates; to the new ideas that will be generated; to the new experiences and friendships that are the mark of a good conference; and to a really happy visit to Glasgow, which is the whole point of being a welcoming host city.
This article is an edited transcript of Sir Craig Reedie’s keynote address at Host City 2016. To listen to the full address and other sessions, visit www.hostcity.com/hc2016/audio -
IOC signs Alibaba Group as Worldwide Olympic Partner in Davos
[SOURCE: IOC] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba Group on 19th January jointly announced a long-term partnership through 2028. Joining The Olympic Partner (TOP) worldwide sponsorship programme, Alibaba will become the official “Cloud Services” and “E-Commerce Platform Services” Partner, as well as a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel.
The partnership was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with IOC President Thomas Bach, Alibaba Group Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma and Alibaba Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang.
Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, said: “In this new digital world, Alibaba is uniquely positioned to help the IOC achieve a variety of key objectives outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, while positively shaping the future of the Olympic Movement. This is a ground-breaking, innovative alliance, and will help drive efficiencies in the organisation of the Olympic Games through 2028, whilst also supporting the global development of digital opportunities including the Olympic Channel.”
“Alibaba’s partnership with the IOC is built on a foundation of shared values and a common vision for connecting the world and enriching people’s lives,” said Jack Ma, Founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group. “We are proud to support Olympic Agenda 2020, using our innovations and technologies to help evolve the Olympic Games for the digital era.”
Through this partnership, Alibaba’s contributions to the Olympic Movement will include:
Best-in-class cloud computing infrastructure and cloud services to help the Olympic Games operate more efficiently, effectively and securely, including supporting big data analytics requirements;
The creation of a global e-commerce platform for Olympic stakeholders to engage and connect with fans seeking official Olympic licensed products manufactured by the Olympic parties’ official licensees, and selected sports products, on a worldwide basis; and
Leveraging Alibaba’s leading digital media technologies and know-how to develop and customise the Olympic Channel for a Chinese audience.
“Alibaba is proud to empower the International Olympic Committee in a game-changing digital transformation, while moving another step closer toward our goal to serve 2 billion consumers,” said Daniel Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group. “We will leverage our experience in serving a young user base to help connect more young people to the Olympic Movement, helping to strengthen our brand through this historic partnership.”
Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chair, said: “We are delighted to be working in the long term with Alibaba for the benefit of the Olympic Movement. This strategic partnership underlines the global appeal of the Olympic values and opens an exciting new chapter in this digital age.”
Alibaba is the first company to make a long-term commitment to the IOC through 2028 and the first Chinese company to commit to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Alibaba will support the organisers of each edition of the Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement around the world. These rights will include advertising and promotional use of Olympic marks and imagery from the Olympic Games as well as marks from the National Olympic Committees.
Alibaba’s global activation rights will include the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the Olympic and Olympic Winter Games in 2024, 2026 and 2028 in cities yet to be selected by the IOC. -
Spyros Capralos to chair Minsk 2019 European Games Coordination Commission
[Source: EOC] The European Olympic Committees (EOC) on 26th January held its first meeting of the year, with IOC President Thomas Bach in attendance. The meeting’s key outcome was the appointment of Spyros Capralos as Chair of the EOC Coordination Commission for the second edition of the European Games in 2019 in Minsk, Belarus.
EOC Acting President Janez Kocijan?i? opened the day’s proceedings in Lausanne by welcoming President Bach and thanking him for his guidance of the Olympic Movement throughout 2016. President Bach then gave an update on the IOC’s latest activities, especially in the area of anti-doping, and answered questions from Executive Committee members.
EOC Acting President Janez Kocijan?i? said: “It was a great honour to have IOC President Bach attend our first meeting of 2017 in the Olympic capital. President Bach provided a full update on all current key issues from across the Olympic Movement and, in response, the EOC Executive Committee expressed our unanimous support for the IOC’s handling of the completed McLaren Report concerning doping in Russia.
“The IOC’s approach on this matter – which was consistent with its approach towards Russia’s participation in the Olympic Games in Rio – respects the rule of law in a fair and objective way and the EOC fully supports this.”
Following President Bach’s departure, the Executive Committee received reports from Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, Treasurer Kikis Lazarides, and European Games Senior Consultant Pierce O’Callaghan.
Capralos’s appointment as Coordination Commission Chair for Minsk 2019 was then confirmed by unanimous approval from Executive Committee members. Capralos, the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, is taking on the same role he occupied from 2013-2015 for the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
On Capralos’s appointment, Kocijan?i? said: “Spyros’s chairing of the Baku 2015 Coordination Commission was very impressive and we are delighted that he is able to continue in this role for Minsk 2019. We are very excited that preparations for the second European Games are gathering speed in Minsk.”
The first Coordination Commission visit to Minsk is expected in the spring.
EOC Coordination Commission Chair for Minsk 2019, Spyros Capralos, said: “I am very happy to be taking on this responsibility once again. The Coordination Commission has a vital role to play in shaping the final concept of the European Games and my work starts with immediate effect. My commission members will make sure that the EOC’s experience of delivering Baku 2015 is passed on to the Minsk 2019 European Games Organising Committee in the best possible way.”
The Executive Committee also received positive progress updates about the upcoming Winter European Youth Olympic Festival in Erzurum, Turkey, which is taking place from 11-18 February.
EOC Acting President Kocijan?i? praised the Turkish Olympic Committee and the Erzurum 2017 Organising Committee for their hard work in staging the event just two years after agreeing that Erzurum would host the event in 2017 rather than in 2019, as had been originally agreed. -
Aggreko sponsors UK Pavilion at Expo 2017 Astana
UK-based power generation company Aggreko plc announced on 26th January that it will join Shell and Vitol as sponsors of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Under the theme of Future Energy, Expo 2017 will bring together representation from more than 100 countries, along with international organisations and the private sector to demonstrate the latest developments in renewable energy and sustainable society.
“Kazakhstan is a strategic growth market for Aggreko so Expo 2017 is a great opportunity to showcase our expertise within a truly international event focused on the development of future energy solutions. Our innovative power generation systems are a great enabler to support the evolution towards a more diverse and sustainable energy generation mix,” said Chris Weston, Chief Executive, Aggreko plc.
Department for International Trade Minister, Greg Hands, said: “The UK has the expertise to lead the way in securing stable, cleaner future energy supplies. The UK Pavilion at Astana Expo 2017 will help demonstrate that leadership and as an internationally recognised innovator with strong ties to the region, Aggreko is an ideal sponsor to help make this happen.”
Aggreko’s range of power generation applications helps to facilitate a smoother transition towards increased renewable penetration in national grid networks. This includes balancing renewables via flexible, mobile generation to supplement renewable generation, the commissioning of large scale renewables projects, generating power from flare-gas and providing power through solar hybrid technology.
Expo 2017 takes place between June 10 and September 10.