WHY WE’RE SO EXCITED

BUCKLE up Gold Coast. Yesterday we urged the city to “take the ride’’, having bought the ticket that is about to deliver the biggest event in Gold Coast history.

Today we ask you to settle in for the Commonwealth Games journey and enjoy each moment as it unfolds.

With the Games just over two weeks away, the stars have begun arriving, an atmosphere is developing, we’ve had a sneak peek at the athletes village and the Queen’s Baton Relay is on the home straight, meandering its way through Townsville and North Queensland yesterday as it heads for the Gold Coast.

The final runner will carry the baton into the stadium at Carrara on August 4 during the opening ceremony, handing it to the Queen’s representative, Prince Charles, who will read her message to thousands packing the stands and up to a billion people throughout the rest of the Commonwealth, watching the ceremony on TV.

This will be our moment in the international spotlight, for all the right reasons. There is plenty to be proud of – a vibrant sun-drenched culture, a city that has produced many of the athletes who will thrill sports fans worldwide, amazing facilities, far-sighted planning that delivered infrastructure such as the light rail, and a legacy that will include stadium facilities already in use and never likely to end up like the white-elephant structures that drained the resources of other Games cities.

Delivering the Games has been a mammoth task. We understand that, but remain puzzled why surfing was overlooked, given the Gold Coast is the world’s surf city.

As revealed today, professional surfers and organisers involved in the world championship round at Snapper Rocks and Kirra would have loved to have been involved in the Games and believed that could easily have been achieved.

But we move on. There is much to be excited about and when the Games are over, Gold Coasters will have an extra bounce in their step.