Leon Paul has won the bid to provide the fencing equipment for the 2007 UK school games. Leon Paul provided the equipment for the 2006 School Games and the organisers were impressed enough to continue the partnership. This is fantastic news as the School games is a multi million pound show case for our sport and last year generated huge media interest in fencing.
For those that missed it here is last years review:
Billed as the showcase multi-sport event for top level competition for young people, and the launch pad for young athletes dreaming of success at the London Olympics of 2012. The inaugural UK School Games certainly delivered on that promise. The four-day event, which took place at various world class venues across Glasgow, gave talented youngsters from across the UK a chance to compete at the highest level. The showcase event had both opening and closing ceremonies and an athletes' village - topped off with some valuable words of advice from Britain's multiple Olympic gold medallists Dame Kelly Holmes and Sir Steve Redgrave - the youngsters experienced a set up usually found at senior elite international events such as the Olympics Games or Para Olympic Games.
Over 1,000 talented young athletes took part in five sports - athletics, fencing, swimming, gymnastics and table tennis, with disability events in athletics and swimming. Television cameras filmed the action, providing many youngsters with a taste of competing under a variety of pressures.
Leon Paul provided all the fencing equipment for the event including a raised metallic finals piste and all the apparatus worth over £50,000. Leon Paul also printed English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland strip to help make the event look perfect. The athletes were given a real glimpse of how major competitions like the Olympics feel and it was a perfect showcase for our sport. Many illustrious guests visited the Games with Gordon Brown opening it; Dame Kelly Holmes showed a particular interest in the fencing and presented some of the medals.
Above President of British Fencing Keith Smith and Cherie Blair talking to some of the fencers.
Ex Olympian and Leon Paul sponsored fencer James Williams took time out of his own busy schedule to come to the UK School Games as a commentator and was absolutely incredible as a representative for fencing. He handled press perfectly while encouraging athletes and crowds to raise their game to new levels. With people like James involved in our sport we can look forward to its continued growth. Also congratulations must go to the organizers and volunteers at this event who were all outstanding.
We at Leon Paul are extremely proud that we were chosen to provide all the fencing equipment for such a prestigious event in Scotland and feel that all the effort and time taken to run this showcase event will pay dividends in the future for fencing in Great Britain. The 7 tonnes of equipment is now being shipped to Northern Ireland for the Commonwealth Championships. In one month Leon Paul will have provided all the apparatus for the field of play for the World Veterans Championships in Bath, the UK School Games in Scotland, the Bristol Open and the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Northern Ireland!
To see all the results from this event visit: http://www.ukschoolgames.com.
Quotes taken from the fencing forum: “I rarely experience a fencing event purely as a spectator, but the public face of this event was fantastic this was a unique event and it looked spectacular. Well done to all concerned with the administration, the extra stress lines you now have were worth it. And well done to all the fencers, not just the medallists. The effort put in by all was tremendous.”
“An excellent two days of fencing from a spectators point of view! well done to everyone involved! I was impressed by today particularly - the sportsmanship between teams and the atmosphere was electric! more team competitions please!”
“What a great weekend!! Opening ceremony was fantastic. Fencing hall was spacious and well set out (no kit, fencers or parents allowed anywhere near the pistes). Organization was terrific. The T.V cameras were there and fencers were being interviewed (the victorious Scottish ME team). There was quality refereeing and above all quality fencing. I particularly enjoyed the team events today. On paper, with the seeding's from the previous days fencing it looked as though England would win the team events easily. But each country should be congratulated for keeping the audience on the edge of their seats with some very close matches and some excellent fencing. I hope this weekend has proved to the non-fencing public that fencing is an exciting and dynamic sport and is well worth televising and including in the Commonwealth Games of the future.”
“I thought the whole event was fantastic. Plenty of photos of Cherie Blair holding a sabre in the national press, many Olympians talking to the kids, excellent presentation and plenty of adult volunteers .Really well done to everyone involved. Fencing can and should be proud of the organization, public image and the good time the fencers all experienced.”
Cherie Blair with Kevin Reilly in the fantastic "Fencing Road Show" which Kevin takes round the UK drumming up massive interest for Fencing!
For more pictures of this event please visit: www.leonpaul.co.uk/newsletter/uk_school_games/pictures/pictures_uksg.htm
All the pictures were provided by Peter Smith.
