London Gears Up For Hockey World Cup
London is gearing up for the start of the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, which will take place from Saturday July 21st to August 5th at Lee Valley Hockey and the Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
A launch event saw all 16 national captains welcome the trophy to the capital.
Over 100,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament, more than for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, as attendance at women’s sport events in England looks set to exceed half a million a year for the first time.
All three of the England team’s group games are sold out, with stadium capacity having been increased to cope with spectator demand. The tournament is expected to build on the success of Team GB’s Olympic gold medal-winning team, whose final match at Rio 2016 attracted a live UK audience of more than nine million.
Vitality’s role as the event’s headline partner forms part of the health and life insurance company’s long-term commitment both to hockey and women’s sport.
Alongside its backing for the Women’s World Cup, Vitality is also investing in the ongoing growth of hockey in England through the grassroots programme, Back to Hockey, aimed at inspiring more people to enjoy the game as part of a healthy life.
Speaking at the launch of the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, England captain Alex Danson, said: “It’s really exciting to be able to compete on home soil in front of your friends and family and we can’t wait to get started.
“I am honoured to be able to lead out this side on Saturday and I am sure I speak for the whole team when I say it will be a fantastic competition and hopefully the fans will be able to cheer us on to achieve our goals.
India’s captain Rani Rampal added: “We’re feeling really good ahead of Saturday and we look forward to soaking up the atmosphere, which I am sure will be amazing as we take on the host country.
“The World Cup is always competitive but we hope to still be in the competition by the knockout stages and then you never know.”
The England and India players will face off in the opening match on Saturday 21st July , with viewers able to watch for free on the BT Sport App. Commentary will be provided by a team including gold-medalists Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, who have also announced a deal to write exclusively for The Times throughout the tournament.
England Hockey is asking fans to get behind the team on social media. The governing body’s #BehindEveryGreatPlayer campaign celebrates the importance of a supportive social network in achieving sporting success. Supporters will be enouraged to use the official hashtag #HWC2018 to join in the tournament conversation.
