Hoy Starts Glasgow Countdown Celebrations

Six-time Olympian and double Commonwealth gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy fired off a festival day of sporting and interactive fun in Glasgow on Tuesday, as the city and the country celebrated the one-year milestone to the Commonwealth Games.

Sir Chris kick-started a day of celebration by supporting a people’s Glasgow 2014 Cycle Challenge and a Breakfast of Champions with sports fans in the middle of the city’s main shopping zone, Buchanan Street. 

Glasgow 2014’s official mascot, Clyde, also took to the streets to join dancers, musicians and street performers in showcasing how vibrant and fun the city will feel at Games time.  

At the heart of the day’s action was the unveiling of the Glasgow 2014 Official Ticketing Guide – the route to up to one million seats at the heart of the Games live action, across 17 sports. The Ticketing Guide, featuring athletic imagery from across the sports programme, sets out full details how everyone can be part of an accessible and affordable Commonwealth Games. 

From today 350,000 copies of the guide will be available across Scotland and online at www.glasgow2014.com/tickets.

Ticketing for the Games goes live on Monday 19th August, with Glasgow 2014 stating that tickets will be affordable.

Prices start at £15 for all sports, with half-price tickets for under 16s and over 60s. Two thirds of all sports tickets are £25 or under and there are no booking fees for any tickets. The ticket price also includes public transport in the local area on the day of the sports session.

Glasgow 2014 ambassador, Sir Chris Hoy, said: ‘It’s a real thrill to be in the heart of Glasgow today celebrating the One Year to Go milestone to the Commonwealth Games. Glasgow 2014 is the biggest sporting celebration coming to the UK next year, the biggest sporting occasion ever seen in Scotland and the next opportunity to see a wealth of top athletes and the next generation of superstars in action.’

‘The Commonwealth Games has a very special place in my heart. It’s an occasion like no other in sport and I have no doubt that Glasgow and Scotland will ensure next year’s Games are an unforgettable and enjoyable experience for athletes and spectators alike. I’d encourage everyone to be part of this. Roll on next year and bring on Glasgow 2014!’   

Lord Smith of Kelvin, chairman of Glasgow 2014, added: ‘Today marks a special moment in the journey towards the biggest sporting and cultural festival Glasgow and Scotland has ever hosted.’ 

‘With one year to go, the Organising Committee is making great strides towards our ultimate goal of delivering an outstanding Games for the athletes of the Commonwealth.’ 

‘All permanent sports venues are open and in use, we are interviewing up to 1000 prospective volunteers each week and from today our Ticketing Guide throws open the opportunity for people to start planning their live Games experience. Glasgow 2014 is becoming an exciting and fast-approaching reality and everyone is welcome to be part of it.’

Meanwhile, imagery from some of Scotland’s most famous views also helped celebrate today’s ‘One Year to Go’ milestone for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

From the bleak beauty of Glen Etive (pictured) – which provided the memorable backdrop to the last Bond movie, Skyfall – to the Edinburgh skyline, the message that Glasgow and Scotland are counting down to the biggest sporting occasion in the nation’s history was writ large in the landscape – with a 16ft inflatable number one.

A series of nine portraits were commissioned by Glasgow 2014, each capturing a different aspect of the home nation for next summer’s Commonwealth Games – from its natural beauty, historic landmarks, iconic sporting fields of play or its connections with the Games themselves.