Welcome to sports city
Record entries for Coast’s Masters Games hot on the heels of massive marathon
THE Gold Coast’s reputation as a mecca for sport continues to grow with record entries for next month’s Masters Games.
Entries for the 2018 Pan Pacific Masters Games have surged past 15,000, up by more than 2000 on 2016.
That number is tipped to continue to keep climbing in the next month ahead of the November 2-11 event.
Among those already registered
are 1800 internationals coming from 38 different countries and 6600 from around Australia.
The record in registrations comes on the back of a recordsetting
Gold Coast Marathon earlier this year, also a bonafide tourism winner.
Assistant Tourism Industry Development minister Meaghan Scanlon said the Pan Pa- cific Masters Games was on track to generate more than 90,000 visitor nights and inject about $20 million into the city.
“The appeal of the event is at an all-time high thanks to the success of the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
Athletes will compete at Commonwealth Games venues including Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, Gold Coast’s Aquatic Centre, Sports and Leisure Centre, Hockey Centre and Nerang Mountain Bike Trails, Ms Scanlon said.
“This world-class event allows us to place the global spotlight on the Gold Coast once more and reinforces the city’s position as a world-class events destination,” she said.
It is not only weekend warriors who take part – high-profile names registered include Australian motorcycle racing legend and three-time Superbike World champion Troy Bayliss.
He will compete in the mountain biking along with four-time Olympian, Australian marathon record holder and 2004 World Cross Countrychamp Benita Willis.
Events Management Queensland CEO Cameron Hart said record interstate entries reinforced the “sports tourism” success story.
It was first staged in 1998 with 9383 entrants.
The Gold Coast has also secured the world’s biggest convention for sports tournaments, SportAccord. It is expected to bring up to 2000 delegates to the city next May.