[Source: Super League Triathlon] Following on from the recent news of a groundbreaking partnership between World Triathlon and Super League Triathlon to grow a global esports world championship series – Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift – we are proud to announce the three cities chosen to host these races in 2022:

Arena Games Triathlon 2022 Locations:

•             April 9 2022: Munich, Germany at Olympia-Schwimmhalle

•             April 23 2022: London, UK at London Aquatics Centre

•             May 7 2022: Singapore Grand Final

The Arena Games Triathlon is a trailblazing concept pioneered by Super League Triathlon, grown from an ambition to drive competitive triathlon throughout the global pandemic. 2021 saw the first multi-city version of the Games set in Rotterdam and London; the recent partnership with World Triathlon means the Arena Games Triathlon will be bigger and better than ever in 2022, with a return to London (23rd April), a first Arena Games Triathlon event in Munich (9th April), and an inaugural Grand Final in Singapore (7th May).

We are working with all relevant authorities to host the events in accordance to local safety protocols and Covid regulations.

The blend of real-life and virtual reality racing provides an immersive viewing experience that allows fans to get up close and personal with the best triathletes in the world without leaving the comfort of their seat. The event also gives esport fans, and lovers of sports statistics, the chance to enjoy live data from the athletes in real time. Born in the COVID era but promising a new generation of stars, the Arena Games Triathlon is the future of indoor racing.

Each event will contribute points to the World Triathlon World Ranking, and the athletes who collect the most points over the course of the series will be awarded the first-ever triathlon esport World Titles in Singapore. All three venues will see the return of fast and furious Elite racing, offering an incredible spectator experience for the fans.

“We are delighted to welcome three amazing cities such as London, Munich and Singapore to our roster of hosts - we cannot think of a better scenario for the 2022 season of the Arena Games Triathlon. The three events offer a combination of vast experience of triathlon events, Olympic tradition and great hosting capabilities, so I am sure that both athletes and fans will enjoy it. We cannot wait for the start of the esports season!”, said World Triathlon President and IOC Member, Marisol Casado.

“We have continued to innovate during the pandemic, and the pinnacle of that is our Arena Games Triathlon, which we recently announced the partnership with World Triathlon. It's very exciting to see the first World Series of Triathlon esport coming together and announce this powerful line up with iconic locations. This series will be a milestone in triathlon’s history and these venues will really do that justice!” explained Michael D’hulst, CEO and co-founder of Super League Triathlon.

World Triathlon and Super League will collaborate on all aspects of Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift, including scheduling, participating athletes, involvement of national federations, promotion, broadcasters, host venues and amplifying the reach of the events.

[Source: Super League Triathlon] Super League Triathlon (SLT) has announced a three year deal with global athletic performance brand DRYWORLD (OTC Pink: IBGR) who are to become the official apparel partner of SLT. 

DRYWORLD will design, develop and manufacture tri-suits and training gear for Super League’s world-class professional athletes as well as kitting out staff. It will also create a special and eagerly awaited lifestyle collection for athletes and fans. This will be available in the New Year at events and online through a dedicated SLT global e-commerce platform. 

The Canadian-born athletic brand, known for its high performance and sustainable apparel lines, is celebrated for its laser-sharp focus on developing the best purpose-driven products for athletes. Now turning their unique approach to R&D on the triathlon market.

Through this partnership, Super League athletes and staff will enjoy the brand’s signature innovations and differentiators. SLT Professionals have even been involved in the product development and testing of DRYWORLD’s new technical tri-suit, which will be available in 2022. 

SLT is the world’s fastest swim-bike-run series. It pits the greatest triathletes against each other in quick and exciting race formats, across stunning destinations, worldwide.

The athletes will first showcase their DRYWORLD kit at the Arena Games Triathlon in spring 2022. A dynamic new esports format in collaboration with World Triathlon, the Arena Games Triathlon blends together real life and virtual racing to deliver an immersive viewing experience via a unique partnership with Zwift. 

SLT will then host its renowned annual Championship Series later in the year. The series sees professional triathletes battling against each other for one of the largest prize purses in the sport. Their disruptive race formats and revolutionary approach to triathlon is redefining the discipline for a modern audience. 

Head Of Partnerships at Dryworld, Ian Hollister, said:

“DRYWORLD is most excited about partnering with a brand that is innovative in its approach to the sport. As well as its incredible global Championship Series, Super League is the first major sports brand to incorporate a virtual element to real world competition in their unique product, the Arena Games Triathlon in partnership with Zwift. In fact, SLT Arena Games just won the Cutting Edge Award at the Sports Industry Awards”. 

Martin Cawte, Chief Commercial Officer at Super League Triathlon, said:

“Super League Triathlon is always looking to partner with brands who share our philosophy of innovation and progress and DRYWORLD is exactly that. This partnership will not only see DRYWORLD bring their science, expertise and unique technologies to prepare cutting edge race kits for the best triathletes on the planet, but also for age groupers around the world and fans of the sport, who will be able to enjoy a comprehensive SLT merchandise range.”

About Dryworld 

DRYWORLD is a premium performance sports brand offering innovative, superior quality apparel and gear for the athlete in all of us. We build purpose-driven products that give all athletes the edge. Engineered by athletes, proven by science. Shop DRYWORLD

DRYWORLD Instagram

DRYWORLD Facebook

DRYWORLD Twitter

Contact: info@thedryworld.com 

www.thedryworld.com 

About Super League Triathlon 

Super League Triathlon (SLT) is the world’s premier swim-bike-run series. We take the very best athletes and pit them against each other in fast, exciting, and unique race formats, in fantastic destinations across the globe. The Championship Series takes place from August-November. This sees the world’s best triathletes taking on game-changing race formats which are redefining the sport for a modern audience. 

Super League’s Arena Games Triathlon is a dynamic new esports format which blends real life and virtual racing. It delivers a unique and immersive viewing experience via a unique partnership with Zwift. It will crown the world’s first official triathlon esports World Champions, thanks to a ground-breaking partnership with World Triathlon. 

For more information visit superleaguetriathlon.com

AIPH International Horticultural Expos showcase beauty and creativity, with a magnificent Expo Park attracting many international participants, who build their pavilions lasting up to six months. The sites range from the smallest of 25 hectares to the largest of 500 hectares or more. Organisers spend millions developing these international spectacles that can stimulate the economic development of entire cities and transform the international reputation of hosting regions. 

Each event exposes millions of visitors to the world of horticulture and helps communicate the vital role that plants, flowers and the landscape play in improving the environment and the health and wellbeing of citizens. The Expos stimulate city greening and create better places to live.

From now until 2027, AIPH has approved the following Expos for cities in China, Turkey, Qatar, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Japan. You can see the AIPH-approved Expos calendar at https://aiph.org/expos/calendar/:

A1 World Horticultural Expos

Expo 2022 Floriade, Netherlands, 14 April–9 October 2022. Theme: Growing Green Cities 

Expo 2023 Doha, Qatar, 2 October 2023–28 March 2024. Theme: Green Desert, Better Environment 

World Horticultural Exhibition 2027 Yokohama, Japan, March–September 2027, Theme: Scenery of the Future for Happiness
 

B International Horticultural Exhibitions

Expo 2021 Yangzhou, China, 8 April–8 October 2021. Theme: Green City, Healthy Life

Expo 2021 Hatay, Turkey, 1 April–30 June 2022. Theme: Garden of Civilisations

Expo 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, 23 April–31 October 2023. Theme: Nature-Friendly City and Sensitivity

Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo 2023, South Korea, 22 April–22 October 2023. Theme: The Garden of the Earth

International Horticultural Exhibition Chengdu 2024, China, 26 April-28 October 2024. Theme: City in parks and life in poetries

Expo İzmir 2026, Turkey, 1 May-31 October 2026, Theme: Living in Harmony

C International Horticultural Show 

Euroflora 2022, Italy, 23 April until 8 May 2022. Theme: Voyage of Rare Beauty

AIPH ensure Expos are successful through a defined approval and monitoring process and through regulating the number of permitted Expos. This calendar lets you know of the current dates available for your city to host. You can view the bidding calendar at https://aiph.org/expos/bidding-calendar/

Putting Sustainability at the heart of AIPH-approved Expos

We are the world’s champion for the power of plants, and AIPH is committed to a sustainable future in which humanity, technology, and nature exist in a healthy and stable equilibrium.

To cement our dedication to a sustainable future, AIPH has developed a new Sustainability Policy with regulations for Expo Organisers, with the support of Independent Sustainability Expert Mr David Stubbs. He was formerly Head of Sustainability for London 2012 Olympics & Paralympic Games. He has been working with AIPH to help us identify how we can create best practices for Expo Organisers when planning and staging horticultural Expos and continue to ensure they are the world’s most sustainable major events.

Together we identified five thematic areas related to what we do and where we believe we can make the most positive impact:

1. Climate action – using plants and green spaces to support climate adaptation and resilience programmes in urban environments

2. Biodiversity conservation – promoting nature in cities and sustainable horticultural practices worldwide

3. Sustainable sourcing and resource management – adopting circular economy principles, reducing plastic waste and other forms of pollution, supporting efficient production and ethical supply chain management

4. Equity & inclusion – promoting plant growing and green spaces for all, upholding fair and equitable practices across the horticultural value chain, diversity, and human rights

5. Education & awareness raising – engaging, informing, and inspiring people to appreciate the importance of plants and the places where they grow, and to take action to protect and enhance their local environment through plant growing

Through this work, our sustainability strategy will substantially help towards several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Stubbs said, “Having a programme which can support the realisation of some of these goals is a very exciting opportunity for the association.

“AIPH has the ambition for World Horticultural Expos to be recognised as among the world’s most sustainable major events. When you think about how these sites can promote biodiversity conservation and create green legacies, this is a great opportunity. It’s about helping these cities to improve their adaptation and resilience to climate change.

“We must also recognise that putting on these events can create a lot of impacts – waste, construction impacts, congestion – unless they are planned and delivered properly you don’t necessarily realise these benefits. The key to this strategy we are developing is to direct organisers to a much more sustainable approach.”

Stubbs cited the example of the London Olympic Park, which resulted in the cleaning up of a polluted river and industrial land, the use of renewable energy, sustainable materials, nature-friendly features such as streetlights that face away from the river to avoid disturbing bats – and an accessible parkland was created for people to visit and enjoy.”

A recording of this presentation is here: https://youtu.be/cAQfETkwrEc

To view forthcoming Expos visit: https://aiph.org/expos/calendar/

To look back at 60 years of AIPH Expos visit: https://aiph.org/expos/history/

To find out more about AIPH International Horticultural Exhibitions watch: https://youtu.be/y4txnEQ8szc

AIPH Expo Support Programme

The AIPH has a support programme to help stage a World International Horticultural Expo and to bring together experts from different industries, often from outside the host city, to build together and deliver benefits for all before, during and after the Expo. Our Organiser’s Expo Guide is packed full of information. You can find many details, including our regulations and applications on the Exhibitions page on our website.

AIPH would be delighted to discuss the opportunity to host an expo, so please do speak to our AIPH Senior International Relations Manager treve.evans@aiph.org

[Source: UK Athletics] The Emirates Arena will stage the biggest Indoor athletics championships in the world, five years on from holding the hugely successful European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019.

News of the award has delighted the bid partners EventScotland, Glasgow Life, UK Athletics and UK Sport who received the outcome of the World Athletics Council vote earlier this afternoon.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, said: “I’m delighted that Glasgow has been chosen to host the prestigious World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2024. This will underline Scotland’s global reputation as the Perfect Stage for events and is welcome news as we look to recover from the pandemic.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We are delighted that Glasgow and Scotland have been chosen to host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. Scotland is the perfect stage for events and securing the Championships reinforces our reputation as a global leader in the delivery of innovative and world class events.

“We look forward to working closely with World Athletics and our partners to deliver the truly memorable Championships, and to welcoming athletes and fans from around the world to Glasgow and Scotland in 2024.”

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life and Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Today’s announcement by Word Athletics recognises Glasgow’s global reputation as a first choice host for major sporting events and as a city with a track record of delivering world-class event experiences. It’s a privilege to be bringing the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships to the Emirates Arena, which is widely regarded as one of the best athletics venues in the world.

“Glasgow is committed to using major international events to encourage participation in sport and physical activity, and to ensuring the positive impact of events benefits local communities. Together with our partners, we’re looking forward to continuing that important work and to delivering an outstanding Championships which helps to inspire Scotland’s next generation of talented athletes.”   

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair of UK Sport said: “I am delighted that with our event hosting partners, we have secured another world class event to take place in Scotland. As part of our new strategy to reach, inspire and unite communities across the UK, ensuring a wide geographical reach is of utmost importance to us. The National Lottery investment into this event will help ensure a truly inspirational event, both on and off the field of play.”

Ian Beattie, Chair of UK Athletics said: “We are delighted to be awarded the opportunity to host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. World Athletics have demonstrated their confidence in the UK to host global athletics championships once again, and history has shown time and time again our ability to deliver amazing events. 

“We’re thrilled with the outcome and look forward to a successful Championships working alongside our partners that will truly give all athletes a fantastic stage upon which to perform.”

The dates of the event have yet to be finalised, but are expected to be in March 2024.

Peru to host first World Athletics Series event in 2024

[Source: World Athletics] Lima will become the first city in Peru to host a World Athletics Series event when it welcomes the world’s best junior athletes in mid-2024.

The President of the Peruvian Athletics Federation, Javier Chirinos Hoyos, said this was a big moment for athletics in Peru.

“We are very happy and proud to have been chosen for the first time ever, to host the 2024 World U20 Championships,” he said. “Rest assured that we will organise the best event of this category in history. We have the experience and a great team to give the best in Lima in 2024. Thanks all and we will be waiting with open arms for all of you in Lima."

The general director of the Local Organising Committee, Luis Condeso Ocampo, added: “We are very happy and grateful to World Athletics for trusting us to host the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2024. We assume this designation with great responsibility, and be sure that the Peruvian Athletics Federation, with all the support of the Peruvian Sports Institute, the Municipality of Lima, and all sportspeople in Peru, we will make the World U20 Championships in Lima an unforgettable experience for all participants.” agreed on the host cities of two future World Athletics Series events at their meeting in Monaco.

[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Global Esports Federation celebrates the final months of 2021 with a host of activities, charting numerous firsts for the organization. Excitement among the world’s esports community for the inaugural Global Esports Games kicking off in Singapore on December 17 is at a fever pitch. The inaugural host city prepares to welcome athletes from over 40 countries and territories to compete in person at the historic event in the heart of vibrant Singapore.

[Source: The Sports Consultancy] With the World Choir Games 2021 in Flanders underway (October 30 – November 7), INTERKULTUR – the world’s leading organiser of international choir competitions – has already seen strong interest in the European Choir Games hosting opportunities for 2023 and 2025.

The European Choir Games – the European Championships of singing – is an 8-day festival that brings together 8,000 participants from over 50 countries from across Europe and beyond.

Through a newly launched host procurement process, INTERKULTUR will appoint host partners for the 2023 and potentially 2025 editions of the European Choir Games and have partnered with London based agency The Sports Consultancy (TSC) to run the bidding process.

In partnership with each host, INTERKULTUR will co-create as much of a bespoke, multi-dimensional partnership as possible to uniquely showcase each host’s destination, deliver choral and cultural legacies and drive visitation – with 90% of participants attending from outside the host market, the total economic impact of the event is independently estimated at approximately €10 million.

INTERKULTUR has received a total of 20 Expressions of Interest for 2023 and 2025 and is now moving through to the Candidate phase of the process.

There is however still time for other cities to join the process – interested cities should contact host@europeanchoirgames.com to receive further information on the hosting opportunities.

[Source: Bay Area 2026 Host Committee] Over the weekend, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee successfully completed its scheduled visit from the FIFA host city inspection delegation as part of the continued efforts to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to the Bay Area. Making its first and only in-person visit to the Bay Area ahead of the official host city selection announcement expected in early 2022, the delegation consisted of nearly 30 international football executives from FIFA, Concacaf, U.S. Soccer, and the Canadian Soccer Association. FIFA’s delegation was led by Concacaf President and FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani and FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer Colin Smith.

Led by Bay Area 2026 Board President and San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director Patricia Ernstrom, an esteemed group of California and Bay Area leaders made a direct pitch to FIFA about the benefits of including the Bay Area among the expected 16 host cities to be announced from across Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The leadership group who personally participated in the presentation to FIFA on Friday included California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, two-time FIFA World Cup champion Brandi Chastain, and ownership representatives from multiple Bay Area professional sports teams. The presentation also included video messages from California Governor and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Bay Area 2026 Honorary Chair Condoleezza Rice, as well as a hype video featuring a voiceover by Chastain.

“The Bay Area 2026 committee was honored to host these two gentlemen and their delegation and have the opportunity to make our case to bring the world's largest tournament to the San Francisco Bay Area and Levi's Stadium. I'm unbelievably proud of the support we have received from throughout the state of California,” said Al Guido. “Having the three mayors of our large cities – San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland – participate in our presentation demonstrated the strong support we have received throughout the nine counties of the Bay Area. Led by our honorary chair, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, we have tremendous leadership in this community, both in the public sector and in the private sector.”

As announced last week, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee and San Francisco 49ers were joined by Bay Area businesses like Airbnb, Coinbase, Cruise, Google, Levi’s, Lyft, Peet’s Coffee, Salesforce, SAP, and VISA to showcase the wide-ranging support from innovative and forward-thinking leaders across the region.

“The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee stands on the shoulders of 10 Bay Area companies alongside the 49ers to join our starting 11,” said Patricia Ernstrom, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director. “They are our starting 11 because our effort to build the necessary private support for this event is just getting started. Staging an event like this requires tremendous private support and there are 38 Fortune 500 companies in the Bay Area, representing nearly 2 million employees and $11 trillion in market cap. We truly believe we are ready to be selected as one of the hosts for FIFA World Cup 2026.”

On Saturday, a tour of Levi’s Stadium – the premier outdoor sports and entertainment venue on the West Coast and award-winning home of the 49ers – highlighted the final day of the FIFA inspection visit. In alignment with FIFA’s priorities, the tour focused on the facilities specific to player performance such as the locker rooms, pitch, and related infrastructure. Already providing a high-quality natural grass playing surface, Levi’s Stadium management has confirmed their intent to work with FIFA on implementing their new pitch profile in advance of potential matches in 2026. Beyond the stadium, other stops included key locations where FIFA events – such as team training sites, team base camp locations, FIFA Fan Fests – could be held from Oakland to San Francisco to San Jose to Santa Clara.

“It is an important thing that our incentives are aligned with FIFA as it pertains to the pitch and player health and safety,” said Al Guido. “We've hosted international soccer matches, which do not let you play on a turf surface. We all know grass surfaces are healthier than turf surfaces and that’s the reason why we make the investment to have one of the best, not just in the Bay Area, but within the NFL.”

Earlier this year, Levi’s Stadium participated in a FIFA Infrastructure Workshop which examined the venue’s feasibility of hosting FIFA World Cup matches. The stadium passed with flying colors due to a history of hosting other large-scale events including Super Bowl 50, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, 2016 Copa América Centenario, 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup, and multiple International Champions Cups. Plus, thanks to being in the heart of Silicon Valley’s innovation landscape, the stadium boasts ground-breaking technology that pushes the fan experience to a new level. Now completely cashless, the stadium also offers the world’s first-ever fully integrated 8K video replay system and world-class Wi-Fi infrastructure.

The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee also made a point of showcasing the rich Bay Area history of hosting major soccer events dating back to FIFA World Cup 1994 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 1999. The region’s diverse communities, residents, and culture were also celebrated as factors in support of its suitability to host the event, along with its consistently temperate climate that is especially beneficial to sport in June and July – the months in which FIFA World Cup would take place.

For additional information about the Bay Area bid, please visit bayarea2026.com.

[Source: Global Esports Federation] 

The Global Esports Tour heads to Riyadh, hot on the heels of the first event held in Los Angeles last month. Convened by the Global Esports Federation and hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation, as live audiences return to events across the world. The GET Riyadh goes live from Sunday 24 – Tuesday, 26 October 2021 and will be battled out on PUBG MOBILE, one of the world’s most popular esports titles with over 1 billion total downloads worldwide.

The GET Riyadh will see 16 of the finest PUBG MOBILE pro-teams compete for a prize pool of US$150,000. High profile teams competing in Riyadh include Russia-based Virtus.pro, Saudi’s Rico Infinity Esports, Nepal’s DRS Gaming (Da Real Soldiers) and T2K, Morocco’s Cryptics, and Jordan’s FATE Esports, in a truly global line-up.

“The Global Esports Tour underscores the true energy of our #worldconnected motto. From LA – one of the global centers for entertainment, we head to the Middle East – one of the fastest-growing esports regions on the planet, Saudi Arabia. We are proud to join our host and GEF Board Member HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, and we look forward to connecting with players and fans in Riyadh,” said Paul J. Foster, CEO of the GEF.

“Riyadh is pleased to host the Global Esports Tour, which will be a prominent part of our annual calendar of esports events. The Global Esports Federation has been a valuable partner to us, and we are delighted to bring this event to our nation's capital, Riyadh. Esports continues to flourish around the world, and we are excited about the opportunity to host and organize tournaments that connect, excite, and engage the community," said HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, President of the Saudi Esports Federation.

Joining the pro-team line-up and providing their expert commentary and analysis at the GET Riyadh will be British esports commentator and analyst, Jake “Highland Wolf” Hannett; as well as esports caster, analyst and coach, Joshua “Professor Tarzan” Chan. They will be joined by Arabic casters and gaming video creators Abdulaziz “Henky” Almuhanna and Tariq “K0de” Khtatneh.

The broadcast kicks off at 4.00pm (Riyadh) daily, from Sunday, October 24, 2021, till Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Broadcast channels:

● Global Esports Federation Twitch Channel

● Global Esports Federation YouTube Channel

"When one choir sings that's great, when two choirs sing together that's better, but when you get as in these INTERKULTUR events with many choirs, then there is an energy which flows from it, which is not like anything else, except maybe a great sports event" — John Rutter, composer (Great Britain).

Choir competitions bring out a feeling that you can’t really get anywhere else, except maybe at a big sporting event like the Olympic Games. And that’s why the World Choir Games started in the first place to give singing its own huge event — bringing the excitement and unity that we feel at major sport events into the world of singing.

Since 1988 the German-based company INTERKULTUR has been organising international choir competitions and festivals; since 2000 they have been organising the world’s largest international choir competition in the world: the World Choir Games, also known as the Olympics of Choral Music. But at each of the individual INTERKULTUR events – be it a smaller-sized regional event or at a huge choir competition with more than 20.000 participants – both participants and organisers can witness the same thing: choir competitions create a special atmosphere.

And that is why in 2022, INTERKULTUR is doing something big again. Sing for Gold — The World Choral Cup will take place in Calella/Barcelona. It’s an exciting addition to the World Choir Games, and another opportunity to see a global community of choirs compete in this new competition with a clear reference to the world of sports: This new event will feature choirs from all around the world, all vying for the first ever World Cup of Choirs!

And, when you start to think about the world of sports and competitive singing, you find a lot of similarities. Maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising that they deliver such a similar feeling.

The Sport of Song

Anyone who has sung in a choir knows that it is truly a unique experience. When your voice joins with others, following music that you have practiced together for a long time, magic happens. You start to lose yourself in the activity, and for a while, the group works as one.

That feeling of community is special. It’s a big part of why choral music will always be an important part of the art and culture of humanity.

And anyone who has played team sports will know that this same feeling can appear on the field (or the court, or wherever else the game is played). Playing together with a shared goal brings teams in unison. There are moments in a game when the team is completely absorbed in the act of seeking victory, working as one. Again, it’s magic.

Part of the unity in both choral singing and team sports comes from the physicality of both. Singing at a high level is a full body workout, and in a choir, you have to match your performance to others. It really is physically demanding like any sport, pushing singers to treat their bodies well.

And there is an even bigger kind of unity that begins to form in both competitive choral singing and sports. Because there are people in the stands who become attached to the action.

You can really feel it at the World Choir Games. Spectators come to see their country’s choir succeed. It isn’t that they want anyone to lose, it’s that they feel a certain pride in their own country’s singers. And who can deny that the same is true of the world of sports?

Go Team, Go!

Feeling all of this connection to others is the essence of what it means to be human. We connect with an important part of ourselves that is often absent from much of our day-to-day life.

And when you add competition into the mix, the excitement that can erupt is pure joy.

In the World Choir Games, as with any sport, the competition drives the action. It gives people a goal and forces them to be better than they’ve ever been before. And it creates a framework to understand exactly what you need to do to succeed.

For spectators, a competition gives us a direct way to understand when something good happens for our team, and when something bad happens. And it lets us all cheer as one.

It’s like a dramatic machine — instantly producing emotional highs and lows that we all feel together. 

The Electricity in the Air

These features make it clear that competitive singing and sports have a lot in common. And events like the upcoming SING FOR GOLD — The World Choral Cup 2022 in Calella/Barcelona or the World Choir Games and its worldwide Choir Olympic Movement promise to deliver the same thrills as the next big sporting event.

Go and visit www.worldofchoirs.com to find out how you can host a huge choir event in you host city bringing it the same energy and emotional feelings as any big sports event!

[Source: European Athletics] European Athletics, Glasgow Life, and EventScotland are pleased to announce that Dynamic New Athletics Indoor (DNA), a new mixed-gender, fast-paced, short and compact team athletics event, will be coming to the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday 5 February 2022.
This event will be a showcase for a new format of men and women competing together in athletics with Home Nations - England, Scotland and Wales - taking part along with Ireland, Spain and Turkey.
The six teams will be competing across 10 disciplines vying to be crowned the Dynamic New Athletics Indoor Champions 2022.
This will be the first-ever international indoor version of the previously launched outdoor Dynamic New Athletics event. More information under can be found at www.dna.run
Billy Garrett, Glasgow Life’s Director of Sport and Events, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting the first stand-alone edition of Dynamic New Athletics at the Emirates Arena in February next year.
“Glasgow and its people are fiercely proud of our global reputation for hosting inspiring and innovative events, and this has been built-up over years of experience hosting new and exciting events such as the Dynamic New Athletics. 
“As with other major events hosted in the city, we’re also looking forward to supporting a programme for young people which will run alongside DNA, giving the next generation the chance to get involved and try out new athletics activities.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “Scotland is a world-leader in delivering innovative new events and we are delighted to be working with European Athletics to develop Dynamic New Athletics for the next generation of young athletes.
“Glasgow and Scotland have a proud history in hosting athletics events, including the highly successful European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019, and we cannot wait to welcome athletics back to the Emirates Arena in 2022 where the Home Nations will kick off a year of sporting rivalry ahead of Birmingham Commonwealth Games.”
Cherry Alexander OBE, Vice President of European Athletics said: “I am absolutely delighted to be working again with Glasgow Life and EventScotland delivering European Athletics’ Dynamic New Athletics next February at the Emirates Arena.
“Scotland has proved itself time and time again to be an amazing friend to athletics and we're excited to bring this innovative competition here to engage with younger audiences and inspire them to be active.
“Our aim is to create an environment for athletes to showcase their energy and talent and provide a valuable opportunity for athletes in the UK to earn world ranking points. The Emirates is the place to be on 5 February.
What is Dynamic New Athletics Indoor?
6 Teams: Mixed men & women, up to 16 athletes in each team, focus on team tactics and strategy.
2 Hours: Fast-paced sequence of events, only one event at a time.
10 events: Focus on run, jump & throw, traditional & new formats presented in a new way.
Easy scoring: Everything counts, 2 to 12 points for each event - 12 points for 1st place to 2 points for 6th place.
Winner:  The last event (the Hunt) will decide the winning team.