News Release – 25 June 2008
Contact: Kevin G. Boyer, (312) 588-3713, Kevin.Boyer@allterrain.net
Sport Shooting Added to Sports Program at Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010
Popular Olympic and German sport becomes 34th and final sport offered at Gay Games VIII
Cologne, Germany – Gay Games VIII organizers in Cologne , Germany , announced today that Sport Shooting has been added to the official Sports Program for Gay Games VIII Sports & Cultural Festival. Extremely popular in the host country of Germany , this will mark the first time that any shooting sport has been offered in the history of the Gay Games.
Air Rifle (10 meter) and Air Pistol (10 meter), both sport shooting disciplines offered in the Olympic Games, will be fired at the Cologne Gay Games in 2010. Air Rifle and Air Pistol disciplines will be offered for both men and women. Consistent with international rules, women will fire 40 rating shots in a period of 75 minutes while men will fire 60 shots within 105 minutes. Shots are fired standing free-hand, with the athletes standing without leaning and artificial support. Official rules and schedule will be posted at www.Games-Cologne.com prior to September 2008.
"We received many requests to add Sport Shooting," said Games Cologne Sports Director Karl-Heinz Schmitz. “We were surprised at how many lesbian and gay athletes, especially in Germany , wanted us to include the sport at Gay Games VIII. Assured of demand, we have added the sport.” The German Shooters Federation (Deutscher Schützenbund/DSB) is the fourth largest German sports association with 1.6 million members and almost 15,000 local shooting clubs. Sport Shooting is extremely popular in other parts of Europe .
Sports Shooting completes the sports program for Gay Games VIII, now to include 34 sports: Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Billiards, Bodybuilding, Bowling, Chess, Cycling, Dance Sport, Diving, Field Hockey, Figure Skating, Golf, Handball, Ice Hockey, Inline Speed Skating, Martial Arts, Powerlifting, Road Races including Marathon, Sailing, Soccer (Football), Softball, Sport Climbing, Sport Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling.
About Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010
Between July 31 and August 7, 2010 the Gay Games VIII Sports & Cultural Festival will take place in Cologne , Germany . As many as 12,000 participants from more than 70 countries will take part in this quadrennial sport and cultural event. More than 46,000 guests are expected for the Opening Ceremony at the RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne , home of the famous Cologne Soccer Club. Forty-percent (40%) of the 34 sports disciplines will take place at Cologne ’s 135-acre renowned Müngersdorfer Sportpark with all other sports (except sailing) occurring within 20 minutes of the centre of Cologne . A 2,000-year old city with its roots in the Roman era, Cologne is now one of Europe ’s most dynamic cities and is recognized for its sports and culture as well as its tolerance. Pre-registration for Gay Games VIII is now open at www.games-cologne.com (English) and www.games-cologne.de (German). Full registration will launch in July of 2008.
The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and was first held in San Francisco in 1982 with 1,350 participants. Subsequent Gay Games have been held in San Francisco (1986; 3,500 participants), Vancouver (1990; 7,300 participants), New York (1994; 12,500 participants), Amsterdam (1998; 13,000 participants), Sydney (2002; 11,000 participants) and Chicago (2006; 11,500 participants). The Federation of Gay Games is the international governing body that perpetuates the quadrennial Gay Games and promotes the event's founding principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best™. For more information, visit www.GayGames.org.
###
Kevin BoyerDirector of Public Relations and MarketingAll Terrain
No comments:
Post a Comment