British University Championships To Debut In 2008

A new grass-roots sports event, the British University Championships, will
be staged early next year with the aim of bridging the gap between schools and
elite sport where a number of promising athletes are lost.

The new four-day championship, which will act as a culmination of a
year-round programme of sport, will feature 22 sports across a combination of
team finals and individual championships.

The inaugural British University Championships will take place in Sheffield
in March next year, bringing together 6500 university students at the UK’s
biggest annual multi-sport event.

Sheffield has won the right to host the British University Championships for
the next three years – with the debut event taking place between 13th-16th March
2008.

Venues to be utilised in the city include Don Valley Stadium, Ponds Forge ISC
and the EIS Sheffield (English Institute of Sport).

With the UK School Games launched successfully last year and now the British
University Championships, there is a clear line of progression from schools
participation all the way through to elite level.

As the governing body of university sport, BUSA is heavily involved in the
new event having already created national competitions in 49 sports, and
co-ordinating the Great Britain representative teams for the World University
Games and World University Championships.

The British University Championships will act as the climax of this season
with sports marketing agency Fast Track handling the event management and
commercial sales for the championships.