Race news: Bupa Great North 10k - Gateshead, June 23, 2013
The North East’s biggest 10k running event, the Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead, will take place on the morning of the final day of competition at the prestigious European Athletics Team Championships this summer. Thousands of runners will get the chance to cross the same finish line as the stars competing at the event in June.
The Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead - set for the morning of Sunday 23 June ahead of the final day of European Athletics’ flagship team competition – will see participants taking in iconic landmarks on the quayside including The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead Millennium Bridge and the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art before crossing the finish line at Gateshead International Stadium.
European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz said, “We believe this is an excellent initiative to bring the running community of the North East of England closer to our event and make them feel a part of it. European Athletics recognises the importance of engaging with local communities through large-scale runs such as these, and we hope to see many of the runners crossing the finish line and returning to the stadium later that day to watch some top-class athletics.”
As a result of the initiative, the Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead has become the Official Running Event Partner for the Gateshead 2013 European Athletics Team Championships.
The European Athletics Team Championships on 22-23 June is the first major athletics event in the UK after the London 2012 Games and will see more than 600 athletes from 12 countries battling to become European Team Champions. Team GB & NI will be competing in the event, which is the successor to the European Cup that was staged in Gateshead in 1989 and 2000.
Dave Newton, managing director of Nova, organisers of the Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead said: "The Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead is the biggest road race in the region behind the Bupa Great North Run, so we're delighted that it is the Official Running Event Partner for the Gateshead 2013 European Athletics Team Championships. It's a great opportunity for participants to take part in the region's biggest 10k running event, and cross the same finish line as Olympians and medal winners from across Europe."
Gateshead Council cabinet member for culture, Cllr Linda Green, said: "This is shaping up to be a spectacular weekend of athletics. It's going to be a very special occasion for the 10k runners, finishing their race in the same place on the same day as some of the biggest names in European athletics. Our region has a reputation for hosting amazing athletics events. Being able to organise such a popular community running event around the European Athletics Team Championships is a great feat. This is going to be a really memorable day."
Entries for the Bupa Great North 10k Gateshead are open at www.greatrun.org/north10k
