North Devon to host Atlantic Watersport Games

North Devon appeals to local businesses for £50,000 in sponsorship for the Atlantic Watersports Games

North Devon+ is appealing to local businesses to pledge up to £50,000 in sponsorship to support its bid to host the Atlantic Watersports Games which could mean a £14 million boost to the North Devon economy this summer.

North Devon+, the tourism and economic development partnership, is leading an initiative to secure the 2011 Atlantic Watersports Games for the area after Wales, which was due to stage the event, was forced to pull out due to budget cuts. The Atlantic Watersports International Committee has approved North Devon as a potential host for the Games but £50,000 in sponsorship is needed from local businesses within the next two weeks to allow the Games to go ahead.

The Atlantic Watersports Games is a prestigious world class sporting event which could attract the sport's top competitors as well as up to sixty thousand people from across Europe to North Devon. It is estimated that bringing the Games to North Devon could also bring in £14 million in revenue and investment.

Usually regions are given two years to plan the Games, but following the recent withdrawal of Wales, event organiser North Devon+ has just five months to organise the Games which are due to take place at the end of July.

A member of the Atlantic Watersports International Committee, Francois Arbellot, visited North Devon last week touring potential venues for the Games and meeting with local sports clubs and members of the local watersports industry. He was particularly impressed with the facilities and the team spirit he encountered with everyone working together to make the Games a success. North Devon+ is now seeking financial support from the International Committee to host the Games.

Most importantly in order to access funding from Sport England and ultimately from the EU, North Devon+ needs to receive sponsorship pledges from local businesses during the next two weeks.

The Commercial Director of North Devon+ Robin Makeig-Jones believes that the Atlantic Watersports Games would be a huge cultural and economic asset to North Devon showcasing the area to an international audience. "This is a fantastic opportunity for North Devon as it would attract a huge amount of investment in the local economy and raise our international profile. Securing sponsorship is central to delivering the Games, for every £100 in sponsorship we receive from local businesses we can access £100 from Sport England which then allows us to bid for EU funding equivalent to £371. So it is important that local business come forward and back us now. The Sports England bid would take 12 weeks to process, so to secure funding for North Devon we need pledges of sponsorship within the next two weeks, the more sponsorship we receive the more funding we can access."

The Atlantic Watersports Games which are aimed at under 21's would involve seven events including: Surfing, Surf Life Saving, Surf Kayaking, Kite Surfing, Sailing, Sea Kayaking and Rowing. Venues to host the events would include: Roadford Lake, Bideford and Westward Ho! Also playing a big part would be Saunton Sands and Croyde. The Games attract an international line up of world class, watersports champions, with regions such as Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, France, Portugal and Spain all taking part.

Anyone wishing to offer sponsorship should contact Isabelle Bromham at North Devon+ Tel 01237 426 426.