Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships are now on sale, with attendances of around 250,000 expected at venues in Glasgow and Scotland next year.

Fans can buy tickets for 84 sessions of sport starting at just £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s and over 60s.

Glasgow 2018, which brings together the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships, will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar and the biggest sporting event hosted in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth and European champion swimmer, Ross Murdoch, who has been named as the first Glasgow 2018 sporting ambassador, joined young people from across Scotland at a sporting street carnival in Glasgow’s Buchanan Street to celebrate tickets going on public sale.

He said: “I’ve got such great memories of competing in Glasgow – the fans really are something else and that really brings out the best in athletes. You always want to perform in front of passionate fans in packed venues and that is what you get when you compete in Glasgow. It is an unbelievable place to perform in.

“And that is what will make the Glasgow 2018 European Championships so special. The fans really get behind you and take you to the next level. I have no doubt that will be the case next year and that Glasgow 2018 will be one of the best sporting events ever staged in this country.”

Fans can buy tickets for 84 sessions of sport starting at £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and over-60s. There are also a number of free events including the Cycling Road Race and Open Water Swimming, ensuring that as many people as possible have the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events and next summer the stage is set for 11 days of fantastic competition across six sports. The Glasgow 2018 European Championships will be an incredible event, building on the legacy created by the 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup, and giving everyone the chance to once again see world-class sport on their doorstep. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action. Get your tickets now before it’s too late.”

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is delivered in partnership with several leading European sports federations with support from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council and will build on the legacy of events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships. The event is also backed by a number of partner local authorities from across Scotland.

Minister for Sport Aileen Campbell said: “We know the passion and support shown by fans in Scotland helped to make both the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup a huge success and we want that replicated across the country next year.

“We are expecting a quarter of a million people to turn out and cheer on some of the world’s top sporting talent at events across Scotland and I encourage anyone who wants to be there and experience that famous Scottish welcome to get their tickets.

“2018 will be a hugely special year for Scotland, as it is also the year we celebrate the Year of Young People, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s one of your favourite sports or not – it’s all about getting involved, seeing what other sports are out there and being part of an event which will showcase Scotland to the world.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow is a sporting city like no other. We are known all across the world for our passionate fans and warm welcome and nowhere will that be more evident than at the Glasgow 2018 European Championships which will see Glasgow once again take centre stage.

“Glasgow 2018 will be a truly historic sporting moment as Europe’s very best athletes go for gold in our magnificent sporting arenas. With attendances of up to 250,000 expected across all six sports it will be an unmissable event, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.”

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete at Glasgow 2018. The action will take place in 12 venues across Scotland including Glasgow’s iconic SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (Diving), Strathclyde Country Park (Rowing and Triathlon) in North Lanarkshire and the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course (Golf) in Perth & Kinross.

A number of free events – including the Cycling Road Race through the streets of the city and beyond, Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Mountain Bike at Cathkin Braes – will also take place, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

A vibrant cultural festival, with Glasgow’s George Square at its beating heart, will also run alongside the sporting action, bringing local communities across the country to life with a celebration of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. Themes from the national Year of Young People in 2018 will also run through the programme.

Glasgow 2018 will take Scotland’s sporting reputation to the next level and with a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across Europe set to watch the action, Glasgow and Scotland will again shine in the global spotlight with the event being covered by free-to-air broadcasters across the continent including the BBC.

Tickets for all events can be purchased from glasgow2018.com/tickets and will be sold on a first come first served basis, with fans encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment. Those lucky enough to secure a ticket will see athletes from 52 nations compete in a bid to be crowned European champion.

Sky Sports’ innovative coverage of The 145th Open at Royal Troon in July 2016 has earned them a BAFTA after being named best sports production during the awards ceremony in London.

The Sky Sports team won the award for best sports production for their enhanced coverage of the championships, including the thrilling climax when Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson were embroiled in a sensational final-day battle watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

The Open was named the winner ahead of BBC's coverage of the Rio Olympics and the Six Nations clash between England and Wales, while the Paralympics on Channel 4 was also nominated.

Paul Bush OBE, EventScotland director of events, said: “This is a tremendous accolade, not only for the team at Sky Sports but for golf in general to have beaten off competition from so many top-class sporting productions. It is also a triumph for the stunning Ayrshire coastline which provided the perfect backdrop for the high-class drama that unfolded on the course.

“I’m especially delighted for our golf events executive Katy Mathieson, who was part of the Sky Sports team producing coverage from Royal Troon before joining EventScotland last year. We have a great relationship with Sky Sports through the world-class portfolio of golf events taking place in Scotland and we look forward to working with them on many more in the coming years.”

The EventScotland team work across Scotland’s extensive golf portfolio, which includes the men’s and ladies Scottish Opens at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire and the RICOH Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns in Fife among others this summer. The Open also returns to Scotland in 2018 at Carnoustie.

Royal Windsor Horse Show organiser HPower Group called upon multiple Arena UK & Europe divisions to deliver 5,000m² of temporary structures complete with full interior fit-out, 3,689 seats throughout three Castle Arena tiered grandstands and event catering equipment.

Spurred on with the success of last year’s expansive additions to the equestrian show’s temporary infrastructure in honour of The Queen’s 90th Birthday BAFTA award-winning celebrations, HPower Group once again entrusted Arena Seating and Arena Structures to deliver and maintain the same level of high-quality hospitality and finish this year.

At the south end of the Castle Arena, two Members Enclosure viewing areas were installed by Arena Structures utilising the curved Arcus roofs to offer 250m² of premium sightlines. Situated behind, a multi-deck temporary Members Restaurant, provided 600m² of contemporary dining and hospitality restaurants and lounges.

Throughout the Royal site, an additional 800m² of Arcus structures played host to the Windsor Enclosure Bistro, Reception Structure, and the Royal Entrance Structure. Peaked roofed Aluhall temporary structures were home to the Stirrup Cup Kitchen, the Riders Lounge and the Members Kitchen.

Arena Seating’s project director Bradley Merchant and his 25-strong team installed three temporary covered grandstands offering unrivalled spectator views of equestrian entertainment in the main Castle Arena. The East Stand, under a 95m Arcus roof, comprised of 645 tiered dark blue clearview™ seats, 200 black VIP clearview™ seats, an integrated Royal Box accommodating 32 gold chairs for Her Majesty The Queen and dignitaries, as well as individual Stirrup Cup private boxes for invited guests. This year, the East Stand also incorporated tiered decks for VIP alfresco dining within the grandstand, to the left of the Queen’s Box and Royal Enclosure.

The West Stand consisted of 2,016 tiered tip-up seats offering spectator views of the equestrian action whilst the North Stand, also under an 35m Arcus roof, provided an additional 828 tiered seats with 45 wheelchair spaces and 45 helper spaces on Arena Deck, plus built-in commentary boxes and media desks. Arena Seating ensured event accessibility with ramps and staircases from the public car parks to pavement level and constructed four camera towers for elevated Castle Arena views for BBC live broadcasting coverage.

Merchant said: “It was key this year for HPower Group to keep building on the precedence set at last year’s royal celebrations, so it was our pleasure to work with the organisers once again, ensuring the high-profile show excels its reputation of consistently delivering world-class sporting event environments at the highest level.”

Nick Brooks-Ward, projector director, added: “We have worked with the Arena Group for many years, we use them because we can be assured that they will provide the high levels of service and quality of product that we expect for an event as prestigious as Royal Windsor Horse Show.”

ICSS INSIGHT CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros delivered a keynote address at the World Football Forum and highlighted the vital role that integrity and good governance can play in helping organisations across China and the wider football world achieve long-term and sustainable economic growth. 

Speaking during the World Football Forum – which took place in Changsha, China – Medeiros shared his 25 years’ of experience and expertise as a sports lawyer and senior executive within European and world football with senior leaders and investors from the Chinese and global football marketplace. 

Medeiros said: “Football, in China and around the world, has experienced unprecedented growth and commercial success over recent years. Clubs and leagues have become global brands; competitions are now broadcasted around the world, international recruitment and players’ transfers have increased exponentially.

“Whilst this incredible success should be celebrated and applauded, history has shown that there can be a dark side to the beautiful game. Developing and enforcing strong integrity policies is vital for the future of football in China and worldwide, to ensure its long-term development, commercial success and people’s trust and passion.”

During the keynote speech, he highlighted China’s vision to develop 50,000 youth academies by 2025 as one example of the exciting ambition to grow football in the country, as well as encouraging clubs, leagues, sponsors, as well as other organisations working within Chinese football, to join forces to ensure the highest standards and best practice is followed within their integrity, good governance and compliance regulation frameworks.

As a former CEO of the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), Medeiros also proposed a 7-point “Game Plan” for the future of world football. These recommendations included:

1. Reform football’s governance, at a national and international level, with implementation of the highest standards in terms of democracy, transparency, accountability and meaningful stakeholder representation.
2. Implement club licensing systems throughout all professional competitions, at national and international level, including appropriate sporting, legal, infrastructural and financial requirements.
3. Implement best practice for youth development of young players, covering holistically all areas of the process, including recruitment, training, education and protection of minors.
4. Carry out a comprehensive regulatory reform on club ownership, as a matter of priority, with introduction of effective due diligence and independent supervision.
5. Establish a ‘clearing house’ system, both at national and international level, to ensure effective financial integrity of sport/related financial transactions, such as players' transfers fees and agents commissions.
6. Regulate and discipline the sports betting market and enhance international cooperation mechanisms, to effectively prevent and combat illegal betting and ensure the necessary protection of consumers (in particular, minors), the integrity of sporting competitions and football’s own economic viability.
7. Support the mission of SIGA (Sport Integrity Global Alliance) and its reform agenda, including the implementation of its core principles and universal standards on good governance, financial integrity and sports betting integrity.

He added: “The threats to the integrity of sport are big, global and increasingly sophisticated. At the ICSS, we are committed to safeguarding sport and sharing our knowledge and expertise with organisations around the world. Only through a global, holistic and multi-stakeholder approach can the sporting industry safeguard its reputation and in positive role in today’s society and economy.”

Tickets for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – a brand new event on the global sporting calendar – will go on sale to the general public from Wednesday, June 14.

The on-sale date for the 84 sporting sessions across 12 venues was revealed via an interactive light show projected onto the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. The event will be inclusive and accessible, with tickets starting from just £10, and under-16s attending the cheapest sessions for just £5.

Fans who want to secure tickets to their preferred sports before the general sale date are urged to sign up for priority ticket access via the Glasgow 2018 website at www.glasgow2018.com/join-in-form while they still can.

A comprehensive online ticketing and destination marketing guide has also been released by Glasgow 2018 giving people the chance to identify which of the sessions they wish to see, with added information on dates and timings and venues across Scotland.

Glasgow 2018 is part of a brand new multi-sport event running between August 2-12 2018 which will combine the existing European Championships for Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon – plus a brand new Golf Team Championships – to create 11 days of exhilarating sporting action. At the same time Berlin will host the European Athletics Championships completing the line-up for the first edition of the European Championships.

More than 3,000 of the best athletes on the continent will compete in Glasgow and Scotland during the Championships and attendances across all sports are expected to be in the region of 250,000. It will be the biggest sporting event held in Scotland since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The sporting action will take place across 12 venues in Glasgow and Scotland including Glasgow’s SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (Diving), Strathclyde Country Park (Rowing and Triathlon) in North Lanarkshire and Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course (Golf) in Perth & Kinross.  

A number of free events – including the Cycling Road Race through the streets of the city and beyond, Open Water Swimming at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Mountain Bike at Cathkin Braes – will also take place, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to witness sporting history on their doorsteps.

A vibrant cultural programme, with Glasgow’s George Square at its beating heart, will also run alongside the sporting action, bringing local communities across the country to life with a celebration of Scottish and Glaswegian culture. Themes from the national Year of Young People in 2018 will also run through the programme.

Glasgow 2018 Championships director Colin Hartley said: “The moment is coming. The European Championships promises to be one of the most memorable sporting and cultural events this country has ever experienced and we want as many people as possible to come to Glasgow and Scotland to join us on this historic journey.

“Our fair and competitive pricing structure, combined with a number of high-profile free events and an exciting cultural programme, will ensure that everyone feels part of this momentous occasion and can enjoy the sport and culture and also sample our fantastic tourism offer.

“Of course our crowds are internationally renowned as some of the most passionate and welcoming in the world and I have no doubts that the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will serve to strengthen that reputation to a global audience.

“We aim to put on a truly remarkable sporting event and, along with the athletes and the sports themselves, the fans will play an important role in ensuring the first ever European Championships is a success.”

International broadcasters came together this week to meet with Eurovision Production Coordination (EPC), host cities Berlin and Glasgow, and the seven participating European Sports Federations for a world broadcaster briefing ahead of the inaugural multisport European Championships in August 2018.

The working session, complemented by site visits at some of the main event venues, is a major milestone in developing up to 300 hours of programming delivered to a potential worldwide audience of more than one billion people.

The European Championships is a major new multisport event taking place every four years, supported by Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters, which aggregates the existing senior continental championships of Athletics (European Athletics), Aquatics (LEN), Cycling (UEC), Gymnastics (UEG), Rowing (FISA), Triathlon (ETU), with a new Golf Team Championships (ET & LET) – all unified under a common brand.

EPC introduced its international signal production plans and gave an overview of the content, venue and network services to be offered to rights-holding broadcasters, including integrated digital solutions to support first- and second-screen programming.

With the meeting in Glasgow, the participating broadcasters visited some of the key venues including Glasgow's Tollcross International Swimming Centre (Aquatics), Emirates Arena (Track Cycling at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and SSE Hydro (Gymnastics), as well as Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire (Rowing and Triathlon).

In Berlin, the Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

The venue tour also covered George Square and Glasgow Green, along with a visit to BBC Scotland’s facilities, where Eurovision Production Coordination will set up the Broadcast Operation Centre (BOC) during the event. A similar facility, the International Broadcaster Centre (IBC) will be in Berlin, next to the Olympic Stadium.

The three-day meeting also offered an opportunity for broadcasters to meet with the Glasgow and Berlin local organising committees and Federation representatives.

“As the Broadcast Partner and Host Broadcaster for the upcoming European Championships, we are pleased to see such strong interest coming from the broadcasting community for this milestone event,” said Stefan Kuerten, Director of EBU Sport. “We've received positive feedback from rights-holding broadcasters and will continue working with all parties to provide the overall production and technical solutions for broadcasters to showcase engaging content for audiences.”

Earlier this year, the seven European Federations, Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin, and the EBU agreed on a sports competition schedule that will run from Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 12 2018 with a compelling 10 days of television coverage starting Friday, August 3.

Newly-elected Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) president, Neven Ilic, and the PASO executive committee have completed three days of planning meetings with the Lima 2019 Organising Committee.

During the visit, Ilic and the committee met with key members of the Lima 2019 Organising Committee, including its president, Carlos Neuhaus. The delegation also toured event sites and venues.

The working groups in Lima follow Ilic’s visit to the capital last week where he met with Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and was reassured of Peru’s commitment to successfully delivering the Pan American Games in 2019.

Neuhaus said: “We were delighted to welcome back President Ilic and his team so soon after his initial visit and we have completed three days of very fruitful meetings.

"The knowledge and experience that Mr Ilic and his team possess on the Pan American Games is second to none and it was invaluable to be able to update them on our progress and in return receive their feedback and advice. There is a real sense of energy and urgency from both sides as we begin to accelerate our Pan-American Games' preparations.”

Ilic added: “It was a pleasure to return to Lima following my meetings with President Kuczynski and President Neuhaus last week. Both have demonstrated their full commitment to delivering a successful event and I am convinced that Lima 2019 will be a memorable Pan American Games – but we must make the most of all the time we have left.

"That is why, I immediately returned with my PASO Executive Committee so we could meet with Mr Neuhaus and his team to get an update on the progress being made and strengthen our plan of action for the coming months. Our aim is to improve the coordination between both organisations so that PASO can take a more active role in the delivery of the Games.”

The global conference and exhibition of cities and sports, business and cultural events is off to a flying start with 19 partners and sponsors already on board this year.

Launched in 2014, the annual Host City conference and exhibition is the first and largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events

EventScotland is Supporting Organiser for the 2017 event that is taking place in Glasgow on 28-29 November.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “EventScotland has a strong heritage with the Host City conference and exhibition and we are delighted to be supporting them to bring leading events professionals together for what promises to be an insightful and informative two days.

“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and Host City 2017 will really set the tone ahead of some amazing world-class events including the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, the 2019 European Athletics indoor Championships and the 2019 Solheim Cup.” 

Host City is a unique event combining high-level panel discussions featuring renowned industry figures with an effective marketplace where cities of all sizes can meet with rights holders, event suppliers, event organisers and their procurement officials.

Host City 2017 is backed by
Supporting Organiser: EventScotland 
Supporting Partners: Glasgow Convention Bureau and Glasgow 2018
Silver Sponsors: Aggreko, FarrPoint, Marsh and Red Bull Air Race 
Branding Sponsors: Arena Group and De Boer

Host City 2017 also enjoys the support of Media Partners signed up so far, including: Exhibition World; fcbusiness; isportconnect; Major Events International; Orange Sports Forum; Sportcal; SportBusiness; World Academy of Sport; Yutang Sports.

“We are immensely grateful for the support of all the fantastic organisations that make Host City the great event it is today,” said Host City’s Editorial and Conference Director Ben Avison. “In particular we are delighted with the renewed support from Event Scotland as Supporting Organiser and Glasgow Convention Bureau and Glasgow 2018 as Supporting Partners.”

Many more sponsors and partners are set to join in the coming months. 
To find out more about the opportunities visit www.hostcity.com or contact Adam Soroka on adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk or +44(0) 203 675 9531.

For information on the conference agenda or speaking opportunities contact ben.avison@hostcity.com

SportAccord Convention has announced ‘Marketing and Sponsorship’ as the theme of the Plenary Conference following feedback from International Federations and delegates.

For sport and entertainment organisations, sponsors spend millions to build brand equity and it’s not just about eyeball exposure. The Plenary Conference will look at how to tap into the spirit of the sport by marketers who are sponsoring to leverage the enthusiasm and loyalty of sports fans, and transfer the fan’s passion to the brand as well as meet international sports federations expectations. Sessions will also focus on best practices to create and measure sponsorship activation. The 16th edition of the Convention in Bangkok, Thailand will take place from April 15-20, 2018.

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, and organisations involved in the business of sport.

In addition to the two-day Plenary Conference, SportAccord Convention offers the ever popular City Forum which saw a packed conference hall at this year’s Convention in Aarhus, Denmark. The City Forum is designed to address the needs and concerns of cities and regions bidding for major international sporting events. It does this by bringing together cities, event organisers, sports commissions, host cities, development authorities, international sports federations, and commercial organisations to share their insights and proven advice as well as practical takeaways. The Forum’s aim is to help cities obtain and host world class sporting events.

“SportAccord Convention is flying again following its great success in Aarhus, Denmark. This included meetings with 15 cities interested in hosting future conventions from Asia, the USA, the Middle East and Europe. This confirms how relevant SportAccord Convention is for the international sports community.” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of SportAccord Convention.

The conference programme also includes LawAccord and offers the opportunity to examine the most pressing and relevant legal issues for the international sports movement and the cities that host them.

In addition, the MediaAccord conference enables international sports federations, media organisations and media experts to work together to share best practices and winning ways to capture fan engagement and build strong brands across all media platforms with the SAC2018 conference theme providing a strong focus.

Bangkok is the next destination and global sports gathering for SportAccord Convention 2018 and serves as an international hub for this region. A key opportunity for any organisation involved in the business of sport, Bangkok provides organisations with unique opportunities to deepen their relationships in this region, or use #SAC2018 as a springboard to kick-start their involvement and tap into the region with over 90% of the delegation being key decision-makers and in a position to take action. Organisations will have access to the Who’s Who in the world of sport and achieve many of their business goals in one location within days – the No. 1 key objective for delegates who attended SAC2017 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Ask any elite athlete what it takes to win an Olympic title and you will probably hear an answer including words such “hard work”, “lots of training” and “perseverance”.

Well, the same thing can be said for any city or country bidding to host a summer or winter Olympic Games. 

After missing out on both the 2010 and 2014 events, the Korean county of PyeongChang finally won the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games when it secured 63 votes compared to Munich (Germany) 25 votes and Annecy (France) seven votes in the 2011 IOC election.

In both the 2010 and 2014 bids, PyeongChang actually won the first stage of voting but lost out in the final rounds to Vancouver and Sochi by three and four votes respectively.

Losing once may be tough, losing twice may be soul destroying, but the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee were not going to give up on its Olympic dream easily. So once PyeongChang finally secured the bidding rights the organising committee was going to make sure that the “third time is a charm” – especially for its long-term sporting and social legacy plans.

A major test for Korea

Thirty years since the capital city Seoul held the Summer Olympic Games of 1988, Korea is preparing to welcome back the Olympic movement in February.

PyeongChang 2018 will see 102 events in 15 sport disciplines taking place at various locations, including six new venues purposely built for the winter games.

In order to be ready for 2018, a rigorous testing schedule under the “Hello PyeongChang” banner has seen the delivery of 25 test events (20 Olympic and five Paralympic) since February 2016 with thousands of athletes competing at 12 competition venues.

Speaking to Host City, Hee-beom Lee, the president and CEO of the PyeongChang Organising Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), explained the importance of learning from the test events.

He said: “Overall the hardware [venues and infrastructure] and software [operational know-how, sponsorship and promotion] preparations are progressing as the POCOG team, Gangwon Province and the Central Government continue to work closely together.

“The average completion rate for six of our new competition venues is 97%. For our non-competition venues, construction is also well underway and we expect them to be completed by September 2017.

“Even with the end of the test events, our team will still use opportunities from milestone events and other activities to further fine-tune the Games preparations to ensure we can deliver the best Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018.”

Thirty years after Seoul 1988 put Korea on the global sporting map, PyeongChang 2018 has the potential to do the same again for winter sports. Lee added: “We saw the impact of the Summer Games back in 1988 on Korea and the perception of Korea by the outside world and we know that 30 years on the Winter Games can do the same for the country.”

Progress and legacy of the venues

The 2018 Winter Olympic Games will see events held in two main clusters in the Gangwon-do province – the PyeongChang Mountain and Gangneung Coastal clusters.

Located in the north-east of the country, the mountainous Gangwon-do province has multiple ski resorts and national parks. A key factor to the hosting bid was that all PyeongChang 2018 competition venues are within 30 minutes’ driving distance from the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium.

POCOG’s president Lee said: “Out of the six brand-new competition facilities, four have been completed and two are still on-going. As for the non-competition venues, they are well on track for completion.”

In the long-term, the 2018 venues will have a lasting legacy for Korea’s elite level sportsmen and woman and also its residents. “We have developed a post-Games venue legacy plan to keep the Olympic spirit alive,” said Lee. “The venues for PyeongChang 2018 have been designed as much around what happens after the Games as during it. These world-class facilities will serve communities and athletes for years to come.

“Many of the competition venues will continue to be used by athletes from Korea and all around Asia. The Sliding Centre [will be used] by the Korea National Sports University, Gangneung Hockey Centre by the new Daemyung ice hockey team and Alpensia Sports Park for Nordic skiing.

“Other venues will be open to the public and benefit the local residents. Ice arena as a multi-use sport-for-all facility and the Kwandong Hockey Centre used by the university.”

Accessibility is key

While the sporting venues are either complete or in the final stages of construction, there’s also much work being done to make sure athletes, officials and visitors can easily access the games.

Transport links between Seoul and the games clusters have had huge upgrades and improvements as part of PyeongChang 2018’s long-term legacy plan. New motorways and high-speed railway are among the major projects.

“Looking at transport, the constructions of the high-speed railway, expressways and the road networks are on schedule,” said Lee. “The 2nd Yeongdong Express Highways was completed last year. We have seen great improvements in the traffic flow from Seoul to PyeongChang as congestions have been reduced. There is also an increase in traffic with more people driving into PyeongChang.

“The high-speed railway will be completed in June this year and it will undergo thorough testing throughout the rest of the year. Once completed, people can travel easily from Incheon Airport to PyeongChang and Gangneung in just 98 minutes and 113 minutes respectively.

“This is great news for those travelling from Seoul who can now reach PyeongChang with ease and at a much shorter time – around 70 minutes via train and within two hours by car. The transport system will make the Games very accessible to many people.”

Transportation within the venue clusters is also high on the agenda for POCOG and the host locations. The transportation system in host cities comprises of two categories – the one provided by POCOG, and the other provided by host cities. 

The POCOG transportation system for spectators includes a total of three transport malls (Jinbu and Hoenggye Mall in the Mountain Cluster and North Gangneung Mall in the Coastal Cluster) and 10 parking lots with a total 11,170-car capacity.

Dedicated free shuttle buses will be also provided to the public from the transport malls in the mountain and coastal clusters to the various Olympic venues.

Sporting legacy

The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games marks the start of a memorable six years for Asian sport as the first of three Olympic events scheduled for the region, with Tokyo 2020 and then Beijing 2022 taking over the baton.

But while the 2018 games will again put Korea in the spotlight, the event is as much for Asia as it is for the republic.

“We have realised our dream by being given the honour of hosting the 2018 Games and we are now working hard to bring that dream to life,” said Lee. “We want to create many more life-changing experiences and open up new horizons for everyone that will be touched by the Games.”

Grassroots sport is one sector that POCOG and the local authorities have focused on since winning the bid. Schools have been engaged by the POCOG education department to create lesson plans and multi-media materials for teachers to deliver to students so they are given the opportunity to take part in the Olympic movement by participating in competitions and try out different sports. This education programme will grow in the months leading up to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Another initiative launched by POCOG is its ‘Dream Programme’, which began in 2004. POCOG’s aim with the programme is to promote winter sports at grassroots level but on an international scale.

Lee said: “The aim of this programme is to offer young people from countries that lack the natural environment for winter sports, the opportunity to experience winter sports and advance the Olympic and Paralympic movement worldwide.

“A total of more than 1,500 people from 83 countries have participate in this programme by this year. We want to engage the younger generation and get more of them involved and excited by winter sports.”

Long-term tourism

With sporting and social legacy plans now in place one of the major industries that is looking to capitalise on the 2018 Winter Olympics is Korea’s tourism sector.

From the upgrades in venues and facilities to the new transport links, POCOG is working with government departments such as the Korea Tourism Organization to promote the country as a winter sports destination – not just in the run-up to next year, but also in the years after the event is held.

Lee said: “With the ‘New Horizons’ vision, we aim to develop winter sports and relevant industries in Asia, leaving a lasting legacy in the host region by transforming PyeongChang and Gangwon Province into an Asian winter sports hub and year-round tourist destination. This is part of the sporting legacy of POCOG 2018.

“The Gangwon province has the potential to go from a small region in Korea into a hub of winter sports. Its proximity to Seoul is a really strong selling point making the slopes and snow more accessible for everyone, especially with the new transport links that are currently being developed.”

Seunghyun Hwang, director of the Korea Tourism Organization in London, agreed that PyeongChang and the Gangwon-do province have the potential to be a winter sports hub. But Korea can also, according to Hwang, play a huge part in the run-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

“North Asia is quite lucky that in the two years after PC2018 there will be the Tokyo summer Olympics and then Beijing 2022, which gives our region a huge opportunity to solidify North Asia as a winter and summer sporting hub,” said Hwang. “The 12 venues and the Gangwondo province as a whole will become ideal training camps for athletes ahead of 2022. Asia is likely to see a major winter sport increase over the coming years with both 2018 and 2022 putting spotlight on region.

“The fact that Korea tried to get the Winter Olympics in 2010, 2014 and was successful for 2018 means there has been much time to create such things as a ‘ski school’ to encourage the best young Asian ski athletes from across South East Asia to get involved in elite [and amateur] and encourage a new generation to these type of sports.”