Shorts: Gkl, Northampton Saints, Sportradar
Former Formula 1 engineer Rob Smedley has launched Global Karting League, a new initiative aimed at ‘levelling the playing field and increasing participation in motorsport from underrepresented groups.’
The UK outdoor electric kart championship will welcome drivers aged 6 to 17 and is set to focus on affordability, increasing participation, and talent identification.
All participants will compete in equal machinery, ensuring ‘talent comes first’, and will provide drivers with a ‘pioneering analytics platform developed using F1 methodologies.’
Rob Smedley, Founder of Global Karting League, said, “We believe the world’s fastest driver hasn’t raced…yet. GKL will give them that opportunity.
“4.5 million kids in the UK know how good they are at football, but only 2,000 know how fast they can drive. Global Karting League’s unique format means participants just arrive and drive, as we provide the karts and coaching in the price. By reducing costs up to 96%, we’re in a position to multiply participation 1000X.
“Professional motorsport relies on a small pool of talent that rises through established, expensive routes. With Global Karting League, we’ve created an affordable alternative pathway to the top of motorsport. We’re taking this format to countries where there’s a huge motorsport fanbase but minimal participation like India, China, and Nigeria. I’m convinced we’ll identify talented kids with the potential to become World Champions.
“By applying our F1 expertise, we can run affordable karting championships that use data science to identify talent and achieve mass participation. Over the next five years we have three goals: 1) to get over a million kids participating in karting; 2) to have 50 championships up and running, including in countries with little to no grassroots motorsport; and 3) to unearth a future World Champion.”
Gallagher Premiership rugby union club Northampton Saints has extended its ten-year partnership with Beachborough School.
The partnership began in September 2013 with the club’s community department initially providing a coach to assist with rugby sessions.
The relationship has developed over the years with the Brackley-based school now an elite partner school while also partaking in the ‘Saints In The Schools’ partnership programme, receiving extensive help and support coaching age groups from Under-8s up to Under-13s.
Henry Pollock, a former student of Beachborough recently made his Saints debut.
Henry Pollock, professional rugby player, said, “Beachborough played a big part in my rugby journey. It’s one of the places where I first caught a rugby ball, and got interested in the sport. They’re massive on sports there and it’s definitely where my hand-eye coordination skills started to grow.”
Sportradar has been selected as the official technology and services provider to Caribbean and Latin American gaming company Caribbean CAGE LLC.
Caribbean CAGE LLC is looking to work with sports and data technology business Sportradar to establish a sports betting offering for bettors in multiple jurisdictions including Antigua-Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and St. Kitts-Nevis.
Robert L. Johnson, Founder of The RLJ Companies, and majority owner of the CAGE Companies, said, “We are extremely excited to have entered into a strategic partnership with Sportradar. Together, we plan to operate Sports Betting at retail locations and online in markets throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. CAGE has existing licenses for Sports Betting in several countries in the region and we are working toward launching our new partnership during the first quarter 2024. “
Robert B. Washington Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CAGE Companies, added, “CAGE Sports will deliver a world class product to the benefit of small businesses throughout the region. Our customers will also benefit by having access to both retail and digital solutions to wager on their sport of choice. We see sports betting as a big part in the growth of our company. Having Sportradar as our partner creates tremendous value and will assist us in delivering a world class sports betting experience.”
The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) European Open has become the official European Championship as the event returns to Ibiza.
The event takes place between the 28th-29th September 2024 with the title of European Champion now at stake following PTO’s new partnership with World Triathlon that recognises the 2024 PTO Tour as the official World championship of long distance triathlon.
Sam Renouf, Chief Executive Officer of the PTO Tour, said, “We’ve been very clear with our strategy for the PTO Tour. It’s about getting the world’s best triathletes competing head-to-head over our new 100km distance (2km swim/80km bike/18km run) in iconic locations around the world and then broadcast to a global audience. Then we build other amateur race opportunities around that, from equivalent 100km races with regional titles at stake for amateurs, to shorter events that create a festival-like atmosphere of swim, bike and run. Last year’s inaugural event proved very successful, so we’re excited to be returning and working with the Spanish Triathlon Federation and Ibiza again.”
London-based sports marketing agency LimeLight Sports, that has been operating for over 30 years, has entered administration.
The administration does not involve the LimeLight Sports Club which includes Etape Caledonia, Blenheim Palace Triathlon, Hackney Moves, London Tri, London Duathlon and Oxford Half which was recently acquired by Y11 Sport & Media Holdings Ltd.
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