Great North Weekend and all that!

Isn’t it always the same?  You wait for the Great North Run weekend to come along and, before you know it, it has gone for another year!

It is always a busy weekend as far as the press / snappers are concerned but add to that the cream of the Olympic medallist and you have a ‘picture fest’ to rival any of the previous Great North Run weekends.

It was very nice to see Mo back up in Newcastle after one of the busiest times he can remember.  Talk about a career- changing week for the lad! Best of all, he’s still the same nice, quite lad who was so please to see one of his old running mates from Sunderland who came trackside to see him at Friday’s press call.  Mo and Malcolm Husain used to run together as juniors and try and keep in touch, so it was nice that they got together to chat about old times and just ‘stuff’.  

From a personal point, it was very nice to see Greg Rutherford up at Gateshead too.

Greg and I have ‘bumped’ into each other at various tracks across the UK and Europe for more than 10 years and so it was nice to have a real chat as only two gingers can do! Out of the sun!

“I have never done so much TV and stuff” he said “That’s something to do with the medal you won in London” was the obvious reply from yours truly.

It was very nice for Greg to grab Gold in London.  He has had his fair share – and someone else’s share, of injuries and bad luck during his long jump career.

I could go on but to finish with them both, they are still nice blokes who are enjoying the results of some very hard work: not just for the past couple of years but a lifetime of dedication and commitment to their particular discipline.

For the event, Gateshead riverside was awash with sunshine, colour and spectators. All three and the top athletes involved with the events made the 2012 Powerade City Games a great success once again.

Next day and the weather was a little cooler, ideal for the people running the 13.1 miles that is the Bupa Great North Run.

You can read here http://www.greatrun.org/News/NormalNews.aspx?nid=8243

about the races with both the Men’s and Women’s races going right down to the last few yards which was great for TV and the spectators who braved the wet to see the race from the roadside.

Wilson Kipsang, who I spent a week with down at London Marathon earlier this year, was up to form and looking good for what I think could be a unique treble.  London Marathon, Great North Run and New York Marathon all in the same year. Wilson is funny, very good with the media and runs very fast and I can see him being the person to watch for a few years to come.

As I said at the top, this weekend goes too quickly but is always a great weekend.

BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN TIRUNESH DIBABA CONTESTING FIRST EVER HALF MARATHON

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba after her latest 10,000 metres victory in last month's London Games will turn her attention to winning the Bupa Great North Run on September 16.

Dibaba will make her debut over the distance in the World's greatest half marathon race from Newcastle-to-South Shields where the elite elite includes reigning Olympic and World marathon champions Tikki Gelana and Edna Kiplagat.

Her appearance in the IAAF Gold Label Event is a clear indication that the 27-year-old Ethiopian after highly successful track and cross country careers now intends switching her attention to road racing inlcuding a possible marathon next spring.

Dibaba has limited experience of road racing mainly having competed over five kilometres in recent years but in a rare outing over 15 kilometres in 2009 she set a World record 15K (8 mile) 46 minutes 28 minutes in Nijmegen.

Now Dibaba is taking the first step forward to emulating the achievements of her cousin Derartu Tulu the World's greatest ever women's distance runner who after her transition proved her legendary status with wins which included the Tokyo, London and New York City Marathons.

"Tulu was also a winner a winner of the 25th Anniversary Bupa Great North Run seven years ago so just as she followed in her footsteps at Olympic and World Championships level, Dibaba has another target to aim for," said Peter Riley, the race's elite athletes man.

"I'm sure although it is the furthest Tirunesh has ever competed over she will adapt to 13 1/2 miles quite easily and after resting before returning to training following her Olympic exploits where she also claimed the 5,000m bronze medal will be fully prepared.

But it is going to be a great challenge for her to win particularly with Gelana, Kiplagat and Jerotich who are also experienced half marathoners taking part and let'sa not forget Jo Pavey who always gives everyone a race fore their money."

Pavey will be joined in the race by Freya Murray the first Briton to finish in the Olympic Marathon while Portugal's Jessica Augusto the Bupa Great North Run winner in 2009 is also returning.

Tyneside firm taking on the world with major contracts

Tyneside based sports travel and tour operator Nirvana Europe Ltd, based in North Shields are set to complete a very successful 2012 with two major contracts in the sports travel industry.

Headed by MD Ken Morris, the company has been building its reputation for over 10 years on the international triathlon scene, making sure elite athletes as well as participants get to and from the event City safely - so all they have to worry about it doing well in the event.

“For over a decade Nirvana Europe has been the Official Travel Partner to British Triathlon, taking Elite and participant level Great Britain teams to Championship events all over the world, including Canada, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand and China.” Said Ken, “and it was a great compliment to us and the work the whole team do when the Governing Body of the sport, the International Triathlon Union announced, in July, that Nirvana Europe will be the Official Travel Partner to the World Triathlon Championships, in London next year.”

The World Triathlon Championships is a huge event with over 5,000 athletes expected to compete.

To give the company, who employ ten full time staff, a further boost in this year of sport, Nirvana Europe signed a contract with the European Triathlon Union, making them the official travel partner for the European governing body.

“It was at a very apt time to sign the contract with the ETU” said Ken, “It was less than 24 hours after the Brownlee brothers were winning Olympic Gold and Bronze medals for Great Britain.

This success has brought the sport right into the public eye - watching as well as participating which can only be good for us.”

Renato Bertrandi, ETU President said “It is the aim of ETU to develop long term relationships with premium partners and Nirvana Europe is one of those partners.”

Nirvana Europe are also the Official Travel & Accommodation Partner to the Bupa Great Run Series, including the Bupa Great North Run and specialise  in taking  sportsmen and spectators to major sporting events all over the world.

“We are very proud that our team based on Tyneside is now receiving worldwide recognition as the World’s leading multi-sport travel company.” Said Ken.

The agreement will run until the end of 2013 and will see Nirvana provide  a consistent standard of cost effectiveness and excellence in travel and  accommodation to the European Triathlon Union.  Nirvana will also provide access to information through muli-lingual web pages to assist customers with their booking.

For more information on Nirvana Europe please contact Ed Tutty Communications on 07947348058 or info@etcomm.co.uk

http://www.nirvanaeurope.com/

www.etcomm.co.uk