Games Cologne team recognized by North Rhine-Westphalia government

Michael Lohaus presents a banner from Gay Games VIII

Minster Barbara Steffens and Secretary of State Marlis Bredehorst

On 6 December the leadership team of Games Cologne, host committee for Gay Games VIII, were honored at a reception at the Ministry of Health and Emancipation of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Gay Games sponsor Ford celebrates employee Gay Games medals

"Ford takes Gold in Gay Games"

COLOGNE, Germany, August 31, 2010 -- Three Ford employees won medals in this summer's VIII Gay Games Cologne 2010. Open to everyone, the Gay Games are one of the world's largest amateur athletic events, attracting some 10,000 participants from more than 70 countries.

Ralf Schloesser won a gold medal in the team Table Tennis competition and a bronze in A-class mixed, Karina Knebel won a silver medal in women's Water Polo, and Jan Hoffman won a silver medal in singles Tennis. To demonstrate the international side of the Games, Jan had to beat an Australian, two Englishmen, two Americans and one Spaniard, before losing to German Sebastain Grochla in the final.

"The standard of player at the Gay Games was very high and I was delighted to be able to win the silver medal," said Jan. "However, gold would have been even better and my thoughts have already turned to the next Gay Games in Cleveland, USA, in 2014."

The motto of the Games is “Be part of it!” and a ONE Ford team from Ford Bank and Ford Werke Germany volunteered to support the event. Employees used their annual 16 hours of community involvement to support the games. In total 65 Ford volunteers covered over 160 shifts at the Games, and Ford lent the Games six cars for the duration of the event.

Read the article online HERE.

Paul Mart at WomenPlace

Paul Mart, the lone surviving male member of the team that organized Gay Games I in 1982 is in Cologne where he'll be competing in bodybuilding. Today he was at the Gay Games Village at Neumarkt where he visited the hosts of WomenPlace, a place for women, but where men are welcome!

Choose your Facebook icon for Gay Games VIII!

Games Cologne has prepared a special Facebook-friendly image you can use as your profile pic for the duration of Gay Games VIII.

Find them all HERE.

Cologne public transit gearing up for Gay Games crowds

Public transit news from KVB (this is information intended for the people of Cologne, here in English via a very rough Google Translation):

Street Sports in Longerich and Mülheim

From 31 July. until 7 August, the Gay Games in Cologne. In this period a very affordable ticket for local transport service, in order to reach the various venues with ease. In the same period is a day ticket for one person / price level 5 (€ 20.90) is not only a day but three days only - for the journey by bus and train in the entire VRS area!

Additional tracks for the opening on 31 July
The "gay games cologne VIII 2010" on Saturday, 31 July, with a big celebration opened in the RheinEnergie Stadium. These 30,000 people are expected. Directly following the opening ceremony will be held at the Lanxess Arena an opening party. The KVB is one on the east-west route from 16.30 clock 64 additional vehicles to provide for the outward and return journeys, an offer available.

"Cologne Classic" on 1 August
As part of the Gay Games Cologne 2010 will take place on Sunday 1st August, and the international cycling race "Cologne Classic in Longerich instead. In the period from 6.00 to about 20.00 clock clock bus line 121 runs only in the section "Langel ferry" to "Longericher road. The stations' Lindweilerweg "," Dionysstrasse "and" Dädalusring can "in the specified period can not be served.

Half-Marathon on 7 August
A week later, on Saturday 7 August is also in the Gay Games and the fifth GAG-marathon in the right place Rhenish. Start and finish is the Wiener space in Mülheim. For local transport, it may come in the morning from 9.00 to clock short-term disabilities, this applies to the city line 3 in the Heidelberg road and for the bus lines 151-154 and 157 and 159

Opening of exhibition at German Sport and Olympic Museum

The exhibition featuring portraits of out gay and lesbian athletes, the history of the LGBT sports movement, and memorabilia from past Gay Games lent by the San Francisco Public Library is one of the highlights of Gay Games VIII. Among the personalities present at the opening of the exhibition tonight were speakers including Deputy Mayor Angela Spizig and MP Volker Beck (initiator of the legislation creating same-sex marriage in Germany); Tom Waddell Award nominees Sara Waddell Lewinstein and Brent Nicholson Earle; and Gay Games Ambassadors John Amaechi and Michelle Ferris.

Exhibition flyer HERE.

Information about the exhibition HERE.

Gay Games issues downloadable highlights flyer

Games Cologne has created a downloadable "Highlight Flyer" that lists all cultural events, tours, cruises, parties, gay villages, ceremonies and some of the ticket sporting events (like Pink Flamingo and Bodybuilding).

The flyer is in German, but as they say "When in Koln!"

Click here to download the flyer (PDF)
Photo by Allice Cooperman from Chicago 2006.

Ford Cologne supports Gay Games with vehicles and volunteers

From Cologne this week comes news that six vehicles provided by Ford have been turned over to Games Cologne drivers for use during the Games. The six cars - four Transits, a Ford Focus and a Ford Mondeo - will be used for transportation for athletes and volunteers.

Ford's support of the Gay Games extends beyond vehicles, however. Sixty five (65) employees from Ford will be working almost 160 volunteer shifts during the Gay Games as part of Ford's community-involvement initiative. And the parking lot at the Fuehlinger See, owned by Ford, will be open to the public for the swimming portion of the Triathlon that will take place on the lake.

Congratulations to Games Cologne on its registration success!

The co-presidents of the FGG, on behalf of the Board and Assembly, sent the following letter yesterday to the co-presidents of Games Cologne:

Dear Annette, Dear Michael,

It is with the greatest pleasure that we received the final registration figures for Gay Games VIII. In very difficult circumstances, and in particular due to an unprecedented economic downturn which impacted both sponsorship revenues and the ability of individuals to register, you have reached nearly 9500 paid registrations, a fabulous achievement!

This is an outstanding accomplishment for which all of you at Games Cologne deserve to be very, very proud. Thanks to a strong showing from Germany, numbers are high. But Gay Games VIII remain a thoroughly international event, with over 60 countries represented, in part thanks to our joint efforts for scholarship beneficiaries, allowing hundreds of men and women from Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia will be able to “be part of it” in Cologne.

As you enter the final days and hours before Opening Ceremony, on behalf of the Board and Assembly of the Federation, we want you to know how much we appreciate your efforts, and how much we are looking forward to sharing a week in Cologne that will once again, change the world.

Herzlichen Dank!

Emy Ritt, Kurt Dahl

More details of Opening Ceremony!

Leaping flames in a production for the stadium at the opening ceremony for the Gay Games VIII in Cologne.

Fitting perfectly into the opening ceremony of the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010, worldwide biggest sports and cultural event with more than 10.000 participants in Cologne on July, 31 Petra Quednau of the project PQ under the direction of Maria Derfuß, owner of the Cologne agency tap act – event entertainment, developed a spectacular production with 24 fire artists. The scene for the newest pyrotechnic – accompany the show to the highlight of the opening ceremony in the RheinEnergieStadium. A colossal field to play on, to fill the crowd for the world premiere of the official hymn for the Gay Games Cologne “Facing a Miracle”, sung by Taylor Dayne (well known for “Tell it to my heart”) with enthusiasm. A fire show of this size of course is something special. For this production in a stadium you need another feeling for space than for a normal stage show, Petra Quednau, owner of the project PQ, explains. Experiences we already made in other productions will serve us well now. We will show you fire and emotion in XXL format.


Fireshows and Artists by Project PQ from Petra Quednau on Vimeo.
The goal of the Gay Games, to show each single athlete with his/her own skills and disciplines and create a mutual experience strongly inspired the project PQ for the choreography. "All of the 24 artists handle their medium "fire" very individually. Each of us performs strongly with certain props and certain moves. We take exactly these individual strong points into the choreography" explain Isabella von Gatterburg and Heidi Schink, both fire artists as well at the project PQ, the concept.

Luminale Trailer 2010 from Petra Quednau on Vimeo.

"Simultaneous course where we play the same movements with different props change with individual choreographies where everybody can show what he/she knows to do best. Both combine to a whole picture full with emotions, which will impress the crowd." A maximum of positive energy for the athletes in the RheinEnergieStadium.

Be part of it! Tickets for the opening ceremony are available at
www.games-cologne.de

Cologne's Excorner Bar gets ready for the Gay Games

I've been to Cologne 5 times in the past few years and some of the greatest fun I've had has been at the Excorner Bar. When the Chicago 2006 team first traveled to Cologne in 2005 for an FGG Annual Meeting, Excorner's owner Dieter made sure the Chicagoans always had a glass of Kölsch in our hands ... except when he sent us shots, including one round on fire. And yes, he and his staff keep track of everyone's orders on yellow post-it notes with dozens of them stuck up around the bar all night long. I wonder if they'll be able to keep up with thousands more people in town.

Everytime I go back to Cologne I make sure to stop in at Excorner and say hello to Dieter. Excorner is kind of like a gay "Cheers" (for Americans familiar with the TV sitcom). The crowd is mostly men and a nice of mix of all types. Excorner is in Cologne's famous "Bermuda Triangle," an area of the city with several fun gay bars. It's at the top of Excorner's "corner" entrance that you'll find one of the Gay Games Cologne countdown clocks, slowly ticking down the days, hours and minutes to the Gay Games - now less than 6 days away. Excorner has been a supporter of Cologne 2010 from the very beginning.

You can tell the guys at Excorner have gotten into the Gay Games spirit. They have a great animated website, and they've got a special animated splash page up just for us. View the website, not just the photo here, for the full effect. Prost (Cheers)!

Excorner

http://www.excorner.de/

Schaafenstrasse 57 - 59 Köln

Right next to Rudolfplatz, one of the Gay Games villages

Kevin Boyer

Chicago 2006 Organizer & Cologne 2010 Participant

Cologne: Gay and lesbian journey through 700 years of art history

From the website of the Wallraf das Museum in Cologne.

During the forthcoming Gay Games Cologne 2010 (31 July till 7 August), the Wallraf will become the first museum in Germany to offer a tour of its collection highlighting the overtly or latently homosexual motifs in its paintings. Alongside Dürer’s Piper and Drummer, Bruyn’s Ecce Homo, and Boucher’s Resting Girl, the programme contains works such as the Sebastian Altar and the Legend of St Ursula.

With dedicated wall texts and two special guided tours, the Museum will present – with a wink in its eye – salacious details, amusing anecdotes and even thought-provoking aspects related to works and artists from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The aspects of gender and queer studies will be taken just as much into account as the historical, socio-critical and religious backgrounds.

A magenta dot will distinguish each of the around 20 exhibits as part of the tour. Moreover, at 4.30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday (6 and 7 August) there will be a special themed tour in English. Prior booking is not required, and the tour fee is included in the entry price. Meeting place for the tour is the museum foyer.

August 5 Special Exhibition and Performance Evening at the Wallraf
In addition, the Wallraf will also be co-hosting the exhibition “move it!” as part of the Gay Games. For this the museum will showcase the work of four contemporary artists who have worked specially round the theme “move it!”. This cameo exhibition is a satellite of the large show on view at the Altes Pfandhaus. On Thursday, 5 August, there will be a performance evening in the foyer of the Wallraf beginning at 8 p.m., featuring presentations by various artists.

WALLRAF-RICHARTZ-MUSEUM
Obenmarspforten (am Kölner Rathaus)
D- 50667 Köln
Tel.: +49 (0) 221 221-21119
Fax: +49 (0) 221 221-22629
http://www.wallraf.museum/

Hours
Tue to Fri - 10 am to 6 pm
Thu - 10 am to 10 pm
Sat & Sun 11 am to 6 pm
Closed Mondays

To learn more about all of the special tours in Cologne, visit the Tour Page at http://www.games-cologne.de/en/static/cologne/tours.

Figure Skating at Gay Games VIII

Washington DC's Heister and Ashley going for the gay gold in golf

Joey DiGuglielmo from the Washington Blade profiles Andrea Reister and her partner Marty Ashley competing together in golf in Cologne.

The Gay Games medals that lesbian attorney Andrea Reister keeps in her office at Covington & Burling on Pennsylvania Avenue — three golds and a silver for cycling — have had a somewhat unexpected effect.

Natural conversation starters, Reister says they’ve been a way to come out to clients without making a proclamation.

“People who know me very well know it’s just part of my persona,” she says. “They’ve become a very positive aspect of who I am. And it’s an easy way to get it out there without making it a big deal. They’re something everybody can relate to.”

Reister, 52, is gearing up for her third Gay Games. She competed in Sydney in 2002 and in Chicago in 2006 but is switching gears for this eighth installment of the Games, which kicks off next weekend in Cologne, Germany. She and her partner of nine years, Marty Ashley, will compete together in golf.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Volunteers gearing up for Gay Games VIII

Hundreds of volunteers recently took part in a briefing about the Gay Games and their work there to welcome nearly 10,000 participants from around the world to Cologne.

Safe and sound at Gay Games VIII

Herzenslust / FAIRPLAY and “I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING” are partners of the Gay Games Cologne.

The Gay Games VIII and HIV/AIDS relief organizations count on personal encounters – more than 100 honorary prevention co-workers are on active service – Herzenslust / FAIRPLAY and “I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING” are partners of the Gay Games Cologne.

The organizers of Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 provide an extensive offer for the prevention of HIV and other sexual transmittable diseases for the 10.000 participants and innumerable visitors.
“Our guest shouldn´t take home any unwanted souvenirs” Michael Lohaus accentuates. Therefore the organizers of the Gay Games named an HIV representative, who coordinates and steers the concepts and projects of the single responsible organizations.

Read more HERE.

Video on the construction of RheinEnergieStadion

Here's a video (in German) on the construction of the RheinEnergieStadion, the venue for the Opening Ceremony of Gay Games VIII. We recommend going to the very end of the video for great views of the finished stadium and its setting.

Q Salt Lake's "Countdown to Cologne"

Brad Di Ioria has written a nice preview of Team Utah getting ready for Cologne. Q Salt Lake is a Gay Games media sponsor.

"Twenty-seven gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight Utah athletes are registered to attend Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany. From July 31–Aug. 7 they will represent Utah in swimming, water polo, cycling, bowling, women’s fast-pitch softball and basketball....

...Although Utah is one of the least populated states, it has traditionally sent large contingents in the past — over 150 attended Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006. The next Gay Games is planned for Cleveland, Ohio in 2014, and is expected to attract larger numbers from around the world."

Read the full article HERE

Merchandise at Gay Games Shop

Mugs, baseball caps, tshirts are available now at the Gay Games Shop at Neumarkt.

You can also get tickets to Opening Ceremony and official parties.

Cologne is ready to welcome the world!

From last month's CSD (Cologne Pride)