June 2007  Some of Salford's promising triathletes of the future were joined by Commonwealth medal winning athletes at Salford Quays yesterday, to mark the one month countdown to the spectacular Salford BG Triathlon World Cup.
Britain's only World Cup race returns to Salford for the fifth year running on 29 July. With four current world champions, hopes are high for home success. Yesterday's countdown event saw Salford Junior Tri Club members and Commonwealth medallist, Emma Davies Jones, champion swimmer Alex Scotcher and GB rower, Alex Brooks competing in a mini-triathlon at Esporta Gym, finishing off with an adrenalin fuelled sprint across the city's iconic Lowry Footbridge. Cheshire born Emma Davies Jones was keen to support the preview having fought back from serious injury to claim a medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. With a close allegiance to Salford, having been treated at the city's Hope Hospital, Emma is involved in fundraising for the hospital for research into spinal injuries. Emma commented: "The Salford BG Triathlon World Cup is set to make a stunning return to the Quays on 29 July. International triathletes from all over the world will descend on the Quays, making the Triathlon one of the most colourful and exciting events coming to the Northwest this summer." Commonwealth gold medallist swimmer, Alex Scotcher added : "I hope that some of my swimming tips will help the juniors go on to race at the Salford BG World Cup event themselves one day. I enjoyed a fantastic career and travelled the world as a swimmer, but there is nothing better than racing in front of a huge home crowd." Cllr Merry, leader of Salford City Council hosted the event yesterday: "With a month to go to the Salford BG Triathlon World Cup, the preview was a great way of getting a snap shot of this spectacular event and we were delighted to be joined by athletes who have excelled at the highest level. "We look forward to welcoming both triathletes and spectators to Salford Quays on 29 July to be part of a truly world class sporting experience." Last year 22,000 spectators came to the Quays to watch the triathlon, which was also shown on BBC Grandstand. It will be a highlight of the Salford Events calendar and is a fantastic free day out for all the family. Our Clients, 29th June 2007 World Champion cyclist Vicky Pendleton will start the British Cyclosportive mass cycle ride on Sunday, 1 July. The ride from Greenwich Park to Rheims Way in Canterbury will see 5000 riders cover 120miles each. The British Cyclosportive is a mass participation ride tracing much of the same route as Stage One of the Tour de France. The ride starts at 6am in Greenwich. Pendleton commented: "It's will be a fantastic occasion to see so many people on bikes. It's hugely positive that people are rising to the challenge of the British Cyclosportive. I would urge people to enjoy the day, encourage each other on the climbs and demonstrate how wonderful our sport is." Conditions are expected to be showery, with the worst of this weekend's rain forecast on Saturday rather than Sunday. Jonny Clay of British Cycling commented: "Lightweight and water proof gear will be essential and riders should bring appropriate equipment based on the conditions. Some heavy showers are expected but temperatures will be mild." "There will be marshals throughout the route and CycleSurgery will handle any mechanical issues, but extra care should be taken on slippery roads." England football star Ian Wright has confirmed that he will line up alongside Leukemia charity fundraiser, Geoff Thomas. Thomas is warming up to take on the entire Tour de France route next month. A team of 30 from the London 2012 organising committee are also taking part. Sebastian Coe commented: "It is great to see London 2012 staff joining in and making the most of this opportunity to follow the route of some of the world's greatest cyclists. The Grand Depart of the Tour de France is an excellent event that London is delighted to host. We hope it will inspire many other people to give cycling a go." The route will take in some of the south's most famous countryside and picturesque towns, including Rochester and Royal Tunbridge Wells before passing Kent County Cricket Club, Canterbury's famous Roman city walls and finishing on Rheims Way. Riders could reach Canterbury as early as 11am, but the majority will adopt a steadier approach and reach the finish by the early afternoon. Jonny Clay added: "This is a one off event and will enable riders from all over the world to achieve lifestyle and fitness goals. We have people coming from 21 different countries, and support from London and Kent cyclists has been tremendous. The event sold out in less than 24 hours." "As with other sportive events, the roads will remain open throughout this event. Cyclists will take part under well marshaled and controlled conditions, and we've worked very closely with the police to organise this event. We would urge drivers to avoid the route as much as possible and take extra care when passing cyclists." To find out more see: http://www.everydaycycling.com/news.aspx?fid=797Our Clients, 29th June 2007  The Salford BG Triathlon World Cup is set to make a stunning return to Salford Quays on Sunday 29 July, and to whet appetites for Britain's only World Cup Triathlon race, an official preview event is taking place on 28 June.
International triathletes from 31 different countries came to Salford last year to contest one of the most competitive triathlon races of 2006. To preview the world coming to Salford next month, local triathletes will take on a mini-triathlon at the state of the art Esporta gym on Salford Quays. Each representing a different World Cup triathlon host nation, the triathletes will contest a 100m swim, 3mile indoor cycle ride and 1mile run. To help them prepare will be local cycling hero Emma Davis Jones and professional swimmer Alex Scotcher. Davies Jones hit the headlines in 2005 after being involved in a hit and run accident whilst training in Manchester. Despite having to re-learn how to walk, she won a medal for England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She commented: "I'm currently employed as a professional cyclist in Belgium but I'm delighted to be coming home to Manchester to support the Salford BG Triathlon World Cup." "It is a tremendous boost to British athletes to be able to race in front of a home crowd, and a great opportunity for people to see a live free sporting event in Salford." "A strong cycle leg is the key to a good triathlon, and as a part time coach I will offer my support to junior triathletes coming along to the preview event on Thursday." Retired Commonwealth champion, Scotcher commented: "I am working with Olympic medallist Steve Parry at Total Swimming, which is committed to raising the standards of swimming teaching in Manchester. I'm glad to be able to offer some support to stars of the future." "I have settled in Manchester now, and am hugely excited by the prospect of a world class sporting event coming to our neighbour city, Salford. I am very happy to be supporting the Salford BG Triathlon World Cup." Amongst the mini-triathletes taking part in the preview event are three members of Salford Junior Triathlon Club. Salford Quays is an ideal host for the World Cup with iconic landmarks, flat, fast cycle routes and traffic free running along the river. These junior triathletes aspire to one day take part in the World Cup event themselves. Leader of Salford City Council, Councillor John Merry is hosting the preview event, which marks the one-month countdown to the Salford BG Triathlon World Cup. Last year 22,000 spectators came to the Quays to watch the triathlon. With four current World Champions, British Triathlon is riding high with just one year to go until the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Hopes are high for a home winner in Salford on 29 July. Our Clients, 27th June 2007 Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to sport in Derbyshire? Well now is the time to let them be recognised. The nominations for the Derbyshire Sports Awards are open. The Derbyshire Sports Awards, sponsored by the University of Derby, provide a way of recognising and celebrating the successes of local athletes and people involved in sport in the county. Awards will be given to people from all areas of sport, from community heroes who have provided a service to sport for over five years, to top sports stars from the county. There are a variety of categories you can nominate in including: Sportsperson of the Year, Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, Community Coach of the Year, Service to Sport Award and Team of the Year. For a full list of the categories log on to www.derbyshiresport.co.uk Nominations can now be made for the local District/Borough Sports Awards which are currently taking place around the county. The winners from these awards are then put forward to the Derbyshire Sports Awards, where the winner and runner up for each category will be invited to attend a glittering presentation evening at the finals of the Derbyshire Sports Awards on 26th October at Pride Park Stadium, Derby.
Up until last year, when awards organisers Derbyshire Sport resurrected the Sports Awards, the county had not had an awards ceremony for some years. Derbyshire Sport, a County Sports Partnership funded by Sport England, felt it important to pay tribute to the wealth of sporting talent in the area. Councillor Clive Moesby, Chair of Derbyshire Sport said: "We have a great number of talented sports people in the county, from community coaches to elite athletes, and we felt it was important to recognise the dedication these people show. "The awards are also a great showcase for Derbyshire and show the rest of the region and the country the abundance of gifted sportspeople that we have here. The nominations are now open so if you know a sporting hero, this is an opportunity to let them shine." At last yea's final, Commonwealth swimming star Ross Davenport, from Belper, took the University of Derby's Sportsperson of the Year award after a fantastic year in the pool. Spondon's Donna Kellogg was runner-up to Ross after winning silver in the badminton team event and bronze in the women's doubles at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Winners of the Derbyshire Sports Awards could go through to the East Midlands Sports Awards and even to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. To submit a nomination you can pick up a form by contacting your local authority or log on to www.derbyshiresport.co.uk. The closing date for District/Borough Sports Awards is 17 August 2007, with the exception of Bolsover District Council - 20 July 2007 and South Derbyshire District Council- 22 June 2007. Our Clients, 13th June 2007  CLIC Sargent, the UK's leading children's cancer charity, has appointed sports marketing firm, Perfect Motion, to manage its PR and media campaign for the Experian Robin Hood Festival of Running.
CLIC Sargent is one of the four official charities playing an instrumental role in the organisation and success of the Experian Robin Hood Festival of Running. Together with Headway, the Alzheimer's Society and the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund, CLIC Sargent is providing over 300 volunteer race marshals, filling over 12,000 runner goody bags and making the post race village a fun place to be. Perfect Motion has been appointed to create and execute a creative PR and media campaign surrounding CLIC Sargent's involvement in the festival, which is taking place on September 16th this year. With a wealth of regional expertise, Perfect Motion will be in an ideal position to help raise the profile of CLIC Sargent in the local media. Chris Simon, Director at Perfect Motion said, "This contract furthers Perfect Motion's involvement in the running and charity markets. We are extremely happy to be working with CLIC Sargent on the Experian Robin Hood Marathon and surrounding events. "Perfect Motion has an abundance of experience in dealing with sporting events regionally, nationally and internationally and our skills can be applied to all parties involved, including charities, brands and event organisers. We work to maximise our client's involvement in each event and ensure they gain the appropriate amount of exposure to meet their objectives." CLIC Sargent is aiming to attract more than 200 people to run on it's behalf in the festival and is hoping to raise more than £20,000. In Nottingham, the charity currently funds four CLIC Sargent care professionals who provide care and support to children and young people with cancer or leukaemia and their families. The money raised from the Experian Robin Hood Festival of Running could help fund a second CLIC Sargent Youth Development Worker for Nottingham.
Toni Fry, Running and Challenge Events Manager at CLIC Sargent, says, "CLIC Sargent is delighted to have Perfect Motion onboard. Working with Perfect Motion will give us the extra platform and awareness we want at this particular event. Working with our in-house PR team, Perfect Motion will help to not only create further awareness of the vital services CLIC Sargent provides for children and young people and their families in Nottingham, but it will help to establish CLIC Sargent as a leading provider of running events." CLIC Sargent has guaranteed places for a number of running events in the UK and overseas. To join the CLIC Sargent Running Team's campaign to raise £1 million in 2007, visit: www.clicsargent.org.uk/running or contact Laura Scowen, running events team, CLIC Sargent on 0845 602 4770. Perfect Motion News, 11th June 2007  There are some people who choose to do things the easy way, and others who decide to do things the hard way. Chris Fieldsend, a business development manager from Clapton in Hackney, is one of the people who likes to do things the hard way! Not only is Chris taking part in the demanding 120mile British Cyclosportive event on 1st July, he is doing it on a fixed gear Specialized Langster; a bike with only one gear. These bikes have only one gear which means you cannot freewheel; making steep descents almost as painful as uphill climbs. Chris is taking on this unusual challenge to raise funds for DeBRA, a charity supporting people who suffer with Epidermolysis Bullosa; a genetic condition where the skin breaks at the slightest touch, causing painful, open blisters and wounds. He has already raised over £650 on his Just Giving site: http://www.justgiving.com/tourdefrancefixi and is hoping to reach £1000. The Cyclosportive event mirrors stage one of the Tour de France from Greenwich Park to Canterbury. 5000 riders will have a rare opportunity to take on the same route as professional riders, who will complete the stage one week later. The Cyclosportive sold out in less than 24 hours, attracting a flurry of interest from riders within and outside of the UK. Chris, 27, was a keen cyclist as a teenager, participating in downhill mountain biking  events. After a break during university, he got back in to it about 18 months ago. Despite a string of bad luck, which saw one bike stolen and another involved in an accident, Chris purchased the fixed wheel bike and began commuting to central London. Chris said, "I entered the British Cyclosportive after spotting a poster in my local pub. My friends just laughed when I suggested riding it on the Langster, but I've done 950miles of training already." "Using that particular bike will mean I have to spin my legs throughout the entire route. Because of the way it's built you can't freewheel so I'll be peddling at top speed down every hill. It also means I won't have any easy gears to get up the hills!" "I cycle to work every day which is about 30miles and I do long rides at the weekend. I am doing a practice run of the route in a couple of weeks, over two days instead of one, to work out exactly how hard it will be on my bike! I am really excited about the event, even though it is going to be tough, it will be great to be a part of it."
He continued, "I decided to raise money for DeBRA after watching a documentary on Epidermolysis Bullosa about a year ago. I suffer with eczema and can only imagine how hard life is for people with such an extreme skin condition."
Johnny Clay of British Cycling commented, "It will certainly be a challenge to complete the ride on a fixed wheel bike! We'd like to wish Chris good luck and it sounds like his training is going well." "We're hoping that the British Cyclosportive will encourage many more people to take up regular cycling. Cycling just four miles a day halves the risk of heart disease gives people the fitness of someone ten years younger." Our Clients, 4th June 2007 Geoff Thomas and Ian Wright have announced that they will take on arguably the world's most demanding sporting challenge this summer, riding the Tour de France route. This is the second time Geoff will have cycled the Tour de France, but the first time for Ian Wright, who will be joining Geoff and five other cancer survivors for the first week of the grueling race. Official clothing partner Impsport will provide both leisurewear and specialist cycle  clothing, kitting out the riders and support team. The team will ride the 2,400 mile, 21 day Tour de France, setting off two days after the professionals and maintaining the same schedule, including the prologue and Stage One of the race, which starts in London. Geoff Thomas captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup Final in 1990 before retiring in 2002. He was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2003 and given just three years to live. Following a successful bone marrow transplant, intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Geoff's leukaemia went into remission in January 2005. Geoff has worked relentlessly ever since to raise funds for various leukaemia charities and this year is launching his own charity, The Geoff Thomas Foundation, which will raise money to fund clinical research into leukaemia.
Geoff said: "Most people think I'm mad putting myself through this again but I am in a position to help others and delighted to be able to do so. Riding the Tour de France is such an extreme challenge but it is amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it and stay positive. My motivation is to raise money for the Geoff Thomas Foundation, which supports the incredible research work that the professors are doing to help find a cure for leukaemia." Ian Wright commented: "It didn't quite sink in until recently exactly how far I am going to be cycling. I am getting fitter and fitter all the time, I have all the cycling kit now, and get out on my bike every day. The prospect of doing 200km a day up mountains is very daunting, and I have a long way still to go with my preparation."
"As well as supporting Geoff and the incredible work he has been doing with the Geoff Thomas Foundation, my aim is to encourage and inspire kids to get more active; get off the bus and walk or cycle to school, take up sports and get stuck in. Anything is possible!" Dan Ellmore from Impsport commented; "We're delighted to support Geoff and his team around le Tour. When you're cycling that far, for that many days, wearing the right gear is essential." "Geoff is a real inspiration, and the Foundation supports such a worthy cause that is was an easy decision for us to support him." Geoff Thomas commented "I'm thrilled that Impsport is onboard with us. The kit is looking great and it's vital for the team to be comfortable during a long three weeks of cycling. It's really important to me that the Foundation will benefit from every item of kit purchased and I am grateful to Impsport for making that happen."
In preparation for the Tour, Geoff will also be completing the London to Canterbury British Cyclosportive on the Sunday 1st July. Impsport is also the Official clothing partner for this event, and all purchases of the British Cyclosportive clothing and merchandise include a donation to the The Geoff Thomas Foundation. Impsport Managing Director Dan Ellmore and three other Impsports riders will be part of the 5000 riders at the event. Our Clients, 1st June 2007 | 