UEG starts with GOLDEN AGE FESTIVAL in 2005

Jeannette Häusler (UEG)

Opening of BLUME Gran Canaria
Today representatives of the European gymnastics federations met in the Hotel Beverly Park in Playa del Ingles on the holidays island Gran Canaria in order to get information on the ”1st GOLDEN AGE FESTIVAL“ which is scheduled for 2005.
The European Gymnastics Federation UEG has asked the organisers of the ”BLUME FESTIVALS GRAN CANARIA' to take care of it. The meeting was led by the member of the Technical Committee of the UEG for General Gymnastics Jesus TELO, the head of the TC Jeannett Häusler also was among the participants.

Jesus Telo jun. greets the head of the Norwegian delegation Martha M. Bjerkan

„1st GOLDEN AGE FESTIVAL 2005“
Already at the UEG congress in Vienna in October 2003 the delegates were informed about such kind of project. This festival – now for participants in the age of over 50 years! - should be organised in addition to the “EUROGYM” for youths from all over Europe which had been founded already in 1993.
“Everyone should know – also the currently active gymnasts – that it is worth it to stay active throughout your life even if you have reached the “best years” – the golden years“, mentioned TC- president Jeannette Häusler from Switzerland who together with the participants of the meeting went on a tour on the island in order to visit the sports venues, hotels and other event venues.

A smart selection by the UEG
The selection of Maspalomas as the first organiser has been a good selection by the UEG:
- With the president of the gymnastics federation from Gran Canaria Jesus TELO NUNEZ sen. and his team – which has organised since 44 years now (!!) the worldwide famous BLUME Gran Canaria-Festival with guests from 20 countries and overall 7,500 participants – they have a large experience in logistics and event management.
- In addition to that also the touristic fascination of the island doesn’t have to be explained to potential participants. In the month of November during which the festival is planned the island offers a nice southern summer flair.

Nice opening for the BLUME-Festival
The point of time for the meeting – right before the start of the 45th BLUME-Gran Canaria 2005 - was well chosen as all active seniors of Europe were just invited to stay a bit longer and to visit also the BLUME-Festival then.
From November 21st – 26th 2005 it’s “GOLDEN AGE FESTIVAL“-TIME.

participants of the meeting on a sightseeing- tour

The most important issue of the festival should be the exchange of experiences and getting to know each other.
The content is planned with two major aspects:
In the nice sports hal San Fernando in Maspalomas, the near-by swimming pool and the open-air fields like basketball- court or rollerblading- area as well as in the stadium the participants have the opportunites as well to present group performances as also the opportunity to exchange experiences in workshops which will be prepared by the experienced gymnastics offical from Germany Bärbel Schöttler.

A large shopping center should be transferred into an open-air arena

As special highlight the Spanish organisers plan to hold a large, international show event in the shopping center „JUMBO“. Experiences of the BLUME-Festival show that it is quite easy to get a large audience there as Maspalomas is highly frequented by tourists and international visitors.

The responsible city council for tourism Jaime BOUZAN ensured the guests of the meeting that the region will highly suppport the festival.
A few of the meeting participants will also be guests already of this year’s 44th BLUME- Festival in Gran Canaria – which takes place in memory of the gymnast Joaquim BLUME who won 4 European Championship titles and died at the end of the 50ies in a plane crash.

sports acrobats from Berlin at the BLUME Festival

GYMmedia as long-year media partner of the BLUME-Festival is on site and will report from it. Among the participants are sports acrobats from Berlin as well as German juniors in artistic gymnastics Philipp BOY and Kai WERNER from Cottbus and the third-ranked of the trampoline World Championships (DMT) Nico GÄRTNER who are honorary guests of the Spanish organisers.

Eckhard Herholz for GYMmedia
from Maspalomas/Gran Canaria (Spain)

♦♦♦