PRESS RELEASE

Royal Visit at the 2019 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Bogense, Denmark

An event is only as good as its organization, and in this respect, the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships are certainly in excellent hands. The Danish Cycling Union, North Funen Business and Tourism Association, Sport Event Fyn and Sport Event Denmark vouch for an excellent event and they look forward to welcoming HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark at the 2019 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships.

“It will be a great pleasure to show The Crown Prince a set-up along the seaside which we together with The Danish Cycling Union, North Funen Business and Tourism Association, and Sport Event Denmark have designed for the Worlds. HRH The Crown Prince already had a taste of the cycling terrain of Fyn himself as he did a test ride on the course for last summer’s Cross Triathlon World Championship. We are proud of being able to stage these major, international cycling events in Fyn,” says Jakob Staun, Business Manager at Sport Event Fyn.

”The fact that HRH The Crown Prince will visit is of major value to us and the event. It is also a seal of approval of North Funen as an innovative and epic part of the Kingdom of Denmark,” says Per Olesen, CEO, North Funen Business and Tourism Association.

With the royal visit comes an extra positive focus on the event and the spectacular discipline, Cyclo-Cross. Cyclo-Cross is a relatively minor discipline in Denmark with great growth potential for the riders and spectators.

At Sport Event Denmark, CEO, Lars Lundov, emphasizes the importance of the royal visits at major, international sporting events on Danish soil.

“We are honored that HRH The Crown Prince will visit Bogense and the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships. The Crown Prince is a frequent and highly appreciated guest at many of the major, international sporting events staged in Denmark. We are of course both happy and proud of his visits. The Crown Prince who is also an IOC member is a great promoter for sports on the field and outside. We thus look forward to welcoming His Royal Highness to the Worlds.

Facts

• From February 2nd and 3rd 2019
• 250 riders, 25 nations
• Expected spectators: 15.000-20.000
• 500 VIP-guest per day
• 300 TV and media representatives
• TV-coverage in 30-35 countries
• 18-20 TV-stations
• Expected: Over 40 million TV-viewers globally

2019 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Bogense is hosted by CrossDenmark – a cooperation between the Danish Cycling Union, North Funen Business and Tourism Association, Sport Event Fyn and Sport Event Denmark.

Denmark will play the host of the Thomas & Uber Cup 2020 and BWF World Championships 2023. Badminton World Federation has just awarded the two events to Denmark. It is the first time Denmark will host Thomas & Uber Cup and the fifth time for the BWF World Championships.

Denmark did it again!

Denmark attracted two of the greatest badminton events. Thomas & Uber Cup will be staged in Aarhus, Denmark, and BWF World Championships will be staged in Copenhagen, Denmark. The decision was made Thursday by Badminton World Federation, BWF, in Kuala Lumpur.

– The decision today further strengthens the partnership between BWF and Danish badminton. Denmark is a skilled event nation and therefore an attractive destination for our major championships. We look forward to the cooperation with Badminton Denmark, Sport Event Denmark, and the host cities Copenhagen and Aarhus, says BWF president Poul-Erik Høyer.
Badminton Denmark looks forward to hosting both championships:
– We are happy and proud that our long-term event strategy with Sport Event Denmark results in two of the greatest badminton events to be staged in Denmark. The work we each year put into DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR is at a very high level. We look forward to welcoming fans to the Thomas & Uber Cup and the BWF World Championships in world-class settings, says Bo Jensen, CEO, Badminton Denmark.

Sport Event Denmark shares the excitement:
– It’s a feather in the cap! The fact that Denmark will stage the Thomas & Uber Cup and the BWF World Championships underlines that Denmark is a strong badminton nation with a solid history when we talk about hosting the major, international sporting and badminton events, says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.
Thomas & Uber Cup will be held at Ceres Park & Arena in Aarhus – the same location as FZ FORZA/RSL DM, the Danish national championships, is held. In Aarhus they look forward to welcoming both players, coaches, staff, volunteers and not least spectators from all around the globe.

– Aarhus has gained a strong reputation in hosting major, international culture and sporting events. With Thomas & Uber Cup 2020 we continue this solid work, as Aarhus adds another international event to the calendar and creates a badminton festival for the entire town, says mayor Jacob Bundsgaard.

Mayor for Sport and Culture in Aarhus, Rabih Azad-Ahmad, adds:
– Fantastic news. In Aarhus, we will invite the town and the entire world to a gigantic badminton party. We have a strong tradition in staging international championships and raising the bar while embracing the town. We did so during the Sailing World Championships this summer and we look forward to repeating the work with Thomas & Uber Cup.

In the Danish capital, Copenhagen, mayor Frank Jensen looks forward to 2023 as the city will host the BWF World Championships.
– As Lord Mayor, I look forward to welcoming the World’s best badminton players and their fans to wonderful Copenhagen. I am sure that they will have a great time at Royal Arena and enjoy the Nordic cuisine as well as the hip, laid back atmosphere of our city, he says.

Likewise, the capital tourism organization Wonderful Copenhagen is excited about the news:
– BWF choosing Copenhagen as host city for the BWF World Championships is once again underlining Copenhagen’s position as being in the top 8 of the world’s best sport cities. We are proud to be a part of the collaboration behind Copenhagen’s bid for this event and we are looking forward to welcoming badminton enthusiasts from all over the world, says Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen.

Denmark will play host of the Thomas & Uber Cup for the first time. The staging of the BWF World Championships will be for the fifth time.

Facts
The Danish Bid delegation consisted of:
Badminton Denmark: Brian Bach Moesgaard, Event Manager
Sport Event Denmark: Frederik Munk, senior event manager
Aarhus: Jørn Sønderkjær Christensen, head of events
Copenhagen: Lars Vallentin Christensen, head of events
Thomas & Uber Cup 2020 will be staged in Ceres Park & Arena in Aarhus. May 2020
BWF World Championships 2023 will be staged in Royal Arena in Copenhagen
Denmark has played the host of the World Badminton Championships in 2014, 1999, 1991, and 1983 as well as Sudirman Cup in 1991, and 1999.

Denmark to host 2019 IWRF European Championship: August 3 to 12 In Vejle, Denmark

The 2019 International Wheelchair Rugby Federation European Championship Division A will be held from August 3 to 12, 2019, in Vejle, Denmark, hosted by Parasport Denmark.
Host nation Denmark will be joined by France, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, and Sweden, who earned their positions at the 2017 Division A Championship. The field of eight teams will be completed by the top two finishers at the 2018 European Championship Division B, to be held October 7 to 15, 2018, in Pajulahti, Finland.

John Petersson, Chair of Parasport Denmark, said “The Municipality of Vejle, Sport Event Denmark and we are very pleased that IWRF has seen our vision and has confidence in our ability to host an event like the European Championship. We can’t wait to get started and will do our best, in close cooperation with IWRF, to make an unforgettable event.”
“Denmark has hosted several successful IWRF events, including the 2014 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship in Odense. The bid we received from Vejle was excellent and we look forward to returning to Denmark in 2019 for our European Championship,” said Eron Main, Chief Executive Officer of IWRF.

The European Championship Division A is the top tier of Wheelchair Rugby in Europe. The top two teams from this event will secure spots at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The bottom two teams will be relegated to Division B in 2020.

The tournament draw for the Division A Championship will be held by IWRF in early 2019.
Denmark has previously hosted the IWRF European Championship in 2005 and 2009. They finished seventh at the 2018 IWRF World Championship and are currently ranked eighth on the IWRF World Ranking List.

About the IWRF
The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) is the governing body responsible for the sport of Wheelchair Rugby. Our mission is to grow and support the global wheelchair rugby family, with a vision to be a world leader in wheelchair sport. For more information please visit our website at www.iwrf.com

Monday 25 June marked the first step on the path towards the World Championship title with the draw for the competition in Copenhagen.

The picturesque Town Hall of Copenhagen hosted the draw for the IHF Men’s World Championship 2019 in Germany and Denmark on 25 June. The entire area in and around the Town Hall was transformed into a huge handball event throughout the day with street handball in the Town Hall Square, shootout competitions, music and much more.

The Germans got paired with preassigned Korea to play the opening match. In the group were also powerhouse and reigning World Champions France as well as Russia, Serbia and Brazil in a very interesting Group A. Croatia was preassigned in Munich based Group B where the draw mixed them with European Champions Spain and Macedonia, Iceland, Bahrain and Japan.

In the Danish bracket, the hosts were teamed up with fellow Scandinavians Norway, Austria, Tunesia, Chile and Saudi Arabia in Group C. Neighboring Sweden were beforehand secured a place in Copenhagen’s Group D, and the draw saw them paired with Hungary, Qatar, Argentina, Egypt and Angola.The 26th IHF Men’s World Championship 2019 in Germany and Denmark will be played 10 January-27 January. The venues are Herning, Copenhagen (Denmark – where Sport Event Denmark is a partner), Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne and Munich (Germany). The semi-finals will be played at Hamburg’s Barclaycard Arena while the finals will take place in Herning’s Jyske Bank Boxen.

The venues for Germany/Denmark are Herning, Copenhagen (Denmark – where Sport Event Denmark is a partner), Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne and Munich (Germany). The semi-finals will be played at Hamburg’s Barclaycard Arena while the finals will take place in Herning’s Jyske Bank Boxen.

Tickets for the World Championship are available via www.handball19.com. The match days for Germany and Denmark in case of qualification for the main round are January 19, 21 and 23.

In a mild breeze, the Volvo Ocean Race hit Aarhus’ inner harbor with a ‘Fly By’. Thousands of spectators had gathered to witness first-hand the drama about the podium, while more than one million followed the race online.

The world’s longest offshore sailing competition visited Aarhus today on the last and shortest legs of the Volvo Ocean Race. The crews had been heading for Denmark from Gothenburg to make a ‘fly by’ in Denmark on the way to Dutch The Hague.

A vibrant mix of youthful energy and a blast from the past makes Aarhus a city with an energetic beat. Aarhus has a strong link to the sea and sailing. This year not only does the Volvo Ocean Race make its very first appearance to Danish shores but Aarhus will host the Hempel Sailing World Championships from 30 July to 12 August, a qualifying event for the Olympics 2020.

Today’s event was also a small preview of how the city and especially the new harbor area with the International Sailing Center will stage international sailing events.

The director of Sport Event Denmark was also very pleased with the Volvo Ocean Race short visit and with the focus the race has put on Aarhus and Denmark nationally and internationally:

“Today we have seen the Formula 1 of the Oceans, the Volvo Ocean Race, ‘Fly By’ Aarhus and, in six weeks, the world’s elite in all Olympic boat classes will come the World Sailing Championships also here in Aarhus. There was a festive celebration of sailing on the harbor today and the festivity will continue in August, because the new harbor area is designed for vivid activities on land and on the water. The many major international sailing events brand Denmark as a sailing nation and destination, “says Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, that partners both today’s ‘Fly By’ and the Hempel Sailing World Championships in August.

Today’s ‘Flyby’ of the fleet was staged by the City of Aarhus together with Sport Event Denmark.

In a month, Fynske Bank’s Multisport World Championships Festival kicks off in Fyn, Denmark. More than 3,000 triathletes from 45 different countries come to participate in one of the five ITU World Championships, making the Multisports Festival the most significant international sporting event in Fyn ever.

From July 6 to 14 triathletes from all over the world will come to Fyn in Denmark. More than 3,000 participants from 45 countries come to participate in the ITU world championships in one or more of the five disciplines duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, cross triathlon and long distance triathlon. Some with the goal of becoming world champions, others with the ambition to become the world’s best edition of themselves and everyone with the desire to celebrate the sport.

The Danish Triathlon Federation, Sport Event Fyn and Sport Event Denmark form the active partnership of the hosting together with the host cities Middelfart, Svendborg, and Odense.

“The Multisports Festival is a huge sporting event, where we together with Sport Event Fyn, Sport Event Denmark and the three host cities both have to compete with world champions and a lot of recreational participants. Open Race flanks the five world championships in all five disciplines where everyone can try out one of the five multisport disciplines duathlon, cross triathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, and long distance triathlon,” says Morten Fenger, Director of the Danish Triathlon Federation.

Both public partners are also looking forward to the upcoming ITU World Championships:

“Denmark has managed to attract more than 3,000 participants and 45 nationalities to the Fynske Bank Multisport World Championships Festival. At the same time, there will be great focus on Fyn and the five world championships. Together with the Danish Triathlon Federation, Sport Event Fyn and the three host cities we look forward to inviting to a genuine celebration of triathlon,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark and he is supported by the local sporting event organization:

“More than 3,000 participants from 45 different nations, as well as a lot of spectators and participants’ families, are a unique opportunity to put Fyn on the world map. It will be an excellent festival with a fantastic international look about it. The event will be the most prominent international sporting event in Fyn ever, and we are looking forward to launching the festival in less than a month with Sport Event Denmark and the Danish Triathlon Federation,” says Jacob Staun, business manager at Sport Event Fyn.

Facts on Fynske Bank Multisport World Championships Festival:
• 6 to 14. July 2018 in the cities Middelfart, Svendborg, and Odense
• Five disciplines: Duathlon, Aquathlon, Aquabike, Cross Triathlon and Long Distance Triathlon. There are World Championships for the elite, U23, Junior, Para and age groups, and there is also an opportunity to sign up for open race competitions
• The World Championships and Open Races will be embraced by a festival where people from all over the world join in sports, fun, and festivities.
• The Danish Triathlon Federation, Sport Event Fyn, Sport Event Denmark and the host cities Middelfart, Svendborg, and Odense are partners at the event that is being staged for the International Triathlon Federation, ITU
#HighFiveFyn

Kind regards
Eline Andersen
Senior Kommunikationskonsulent/ Senior Communication Manager
T: +45 43 26 21 04
M: +45 51 22 53 85
ea@sporteventdenmark.com

Idraettens hus, Broendby Stadion 20, DK-2605 Broendby
www.sporteventdenmark.com

With just 71 days to go to the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 the new Aarhus International Sailing Center was officially opened today.
Denmark’s new home of sailing has immediately joined elite international company in being awarded the highest status by World Sailing and also gained the royal seal of approval from keen sailors, Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark.
“It’s a great day for the sport because the Center will be a magnet for developing talent,” Kim Andersen, president of World Sailing, said. “We see this all over the world where there are elite centres. People learn from each other across classes and across nations.
“Hopefully the Center and the Worlds will set new standards for how we grow the sport,” Andersen, who represented Denmark at multiple World and European Championships, added.“Sailing is backed by everyone in Denmark – the Crown Prince competes in the Farr 40 or Dragon – I always say Denmark isn’t a country it’s a coastline.”
Andersen and Crown Prince Frederik, both now more used to racing Dragons, hoisted a spinnaker on a 49er FX to mark the moment.
From July 30 – August 12, 2018, the Aarhus International Sailing Center will welcome 1,500 sailors from around 100 countries and an estimated 400,000 visitors. The sailors will be fighting for two prizes – medals in Aarhus and qualification for the Olympics. The Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus 2018 is the first big qualification event for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and Enoshima (sailing).
“A world-class competition needs world-class facilities and the official opening of the Aarhus International Sailing Center marks the fulfilment of a promise that we made four years ago,” Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, said. “It means a lot to Aarhus and to Denmark to be hosts. Denmark has a track record of delivering major sporting events – we’ve just staged highly successful Ice Hockey World Championships – and we hope this place will hold many good memories for the sailors, spectators and media. We’re on course for a great Sailing World Championships.”
After an inspection, which confirmed its high standard, the Aarhus International Sailing Center has become only the sixth facility in the world to be awarded Approved Centre Status by World Sailing.
The Aarhus International Sailing Centeris a jewel in the redeveloped Aarhus harbour area, Aarhus Ø. Designed by the architect firm Entasis, it looks out onto the World Championships competition area in the Bay of Aarhus and will act as a grandstand for the World Championship Medal Races.
“With the International Sailing Center and the upcoming Sailing World Championships we are cementing Aarhus’ position within the world’s elite of sailing,” Jacob Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus, said.

Editor’s notes:
Journalists interested in being accredited for the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 can begin the process here
Facts about the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018:
• Held every four years, the Sailing World Championships is one of the biggest global sailing event in the world and the principal qualification event for the Olympic sailing competition.
• Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 will include all 10 Olympic boat classes. Kiteboarding will be added to the programme for the first time.
• The ambition is to make the championships in Aarhus a unique and spectacular event, where sailing is made more popular and accessible than ever before.
• In terms of the number of participants, the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 will be more than three times bigger than the event at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus 2018 is the first big qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and Enoshima (sailing).
• Held simultaneously with the Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, a large festival will provide opportunities visiting families to get out on the water.
• Dates: July 30 –August 12, 2018.
• The Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 are organised by The Danish Sailing Association, Sailing Aarhus, City of Aarhus and Sport Event Denmark.
• 1,100 sailboats
• 1,500 participants from approx. 100 nations
• 350-400 accredited press
• 1,500 officials, managers and coaches
• The event expects to draw 400,000 visitors to Aarhus.
• More than 800 volunteers
Facts about Aarhus & Denmark:
• Aarhus – or “Aros” as the city was called in the Viking Age – means “mouth of the river”.
• Aarhus is surrounded by water, with a 20km coastline and one of the world’s cleanest bays to the east.
• Denmark has 7,314km of coastline (You are never more than 50km from the coast in Denmark and usually much closer to a sailor).
• Denmark has a population of 5,602,628.
• Aarhus is Denmark’s second largest city with a population of 324,000. There are approximately 1.5 million people within one hour`s drive.
• Denmark has 270 sailing clubs.
• Sailing Aarhus is made up of five sailing clubs, who have hosted over 300 international regattas in the last 25 years.
• Denmark has won 30 Olympic sailing medals; 12 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze, more than any other Olympic sport.
• The Bay of Aarhus has an area of approximately 150km², water depth varies between 10 and 25m.

Sport Event Denmark celebrates 10 years in the international sports business and focuses thus on the tendencies of the next ten years with sporting events on this year’s SportAccord in Bangkok.

Sporting events face many challenges in the years to come, according to Mike Laflin, CEO and funder SportCal, who presented his forecast for the future at Speakers Corner in cooperation with SportAccord Gold Partner, Sport Event Denmark. Mike Laflin underlined the importance of innovation and creative thinking in staging major, internal sporting events and as an example, Mr. Laflin mentioned the IAAF World Half Marathon. For many years Mr. Laflin worked with IAAF and – with a humorous twist – shared his thoughts on how the World Half Marathon Championships used to be the most boring event ever. Then in 2014, Denmark staged the event in a new format allowing recreational runners to participate. More than 30,000 runners turned the event into a festive celebration of running and added value to the world championships. Now, this event in its new format in particular appeals to future organisers. Other events are undergoing the same transformation and Mr. Laflin mentioned the multisport events as an example. The International Triathlon Federation (ITU) have thus gathered their world championships in the ITU MultiSport Festival which also embraces recreational participation. Canada staged the first edition last year and Denmark will stage the event this summer based on the experiences cropped through the last 10 years.

“Crazy project – in a fun way!” and “Never thought I could get up nor down” were some of the cross-runners’ immediate comments on the extreme and unique World Championship course approved by The International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF, on Wednesday’s test race. The course passes over the roof of Moesgaard Museum. At the same time, the organizers announced Mikkeller, as a title partner of World Cross Country Championships 2019.

On Wednesday, March 7, IAAF brought the former cross-country world champion Annette Sergent-Petit from France to test the challenging course. The course consists of a 2k loop, and 75m of elevation ascend/descend per loop on grass and open woodland and with challenge zones of sandpit, mudpit, and The Roof: The course peaks as it takes the runners up the steep, grassy roof at Moesgaard Museum.

The main purpose of the visit was the official technical review and approval of the course conducted by IAAF’s technical delegate, Luis Saladie.

“With the approval of the Danish proposal for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019, we can now take cross country running back to its roots. Cross country is a about running beyond the limits. Together with the organizers, the city of Aarhus and Sport Event Denmark we will for sure stage an event that will go down in history,” said Mr. Saladie, when he stepped down from the roof and the former world champion, Annette Sergent-Petit added:

“I enjoyed very much the course. It is a real cross country course with a lot of up- and downhill as it is very intense with curves and you must keep concentrated all the time. There is not much time to recover. The Roof is brilliant and mixes culture and sport. To be on the roof of the culture is a good symbol. It is an interesting event-set-up. After having run the course today, I’m now actually motivated to register for the recreational race.”

Mikkeller official title partner of the World Cross Country Championships 2019
The organizers also announced the title partnership with the micro-brewery, Mikkeller, which also accounts for more than 200 race communities around the world:

“We hope that as many of them as possible will come along for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We are looking forward to it! In 1994, I ran my one-and-only World Cross Country Championship. Here, 25 years later, I’m now partnering with the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019,” says Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, who founded the micro-brewery, Mikkeller in 2006. In 2014, he established Mikkeller Running Club together with Søren Runge.

The organizers of the World Cross Championships are looking forward to the cooperation with the worldwide running community.

“With the various initiatives in the field of running, Mikkeller has been a refreshing addition to the continued development of running. In 2014, The Danish Athletics Federation staged a ‘game-changing’ World Half Marathon resulting in the great acknowledgment from IAAF. Now we repeat the success together with Mikkeller, and again together with Sport Event Denmark as in 2014. Aiming for the same in 2019 is ambitious, but we think the partnership with Mikkeller is an excellent start of the journey,” says Jakob Larsen, Director of the Danish Athletic Association.

Registration opens April 4
Registration opens on April 4, and there will be several opportunities for participating for the recreational runners:
· THE SPRINT: Blood, sweat, tears; and maximum speed on a crazy World Championships course: Compare yourself to the World’s best!
· THE RELAY: Who is going to be on your World Superstar Team? Think twice and pick only the hard-core runners for your 4x2k relay team!
· THE SEARCH: Cross Kings seek challengers in a cocktail of the wildest from World X Country and Trail Running!

FACTS ON THE WORLD CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019
NAME: IAAF / Mikkeller World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019
DATE: March 30, 2019
PLACE: Moesgaard Museum, Aarhus
ORGANIZERS: The Danish Athletics Association, Sport Event Denmark, The City of Aarhus and Moesgaard Museum.
REGISTRATION OPENS: April 4, 2018 at Aarhus2019.dk/eng
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Aarhus2019.dk/eng