WideWorld BULLETIN 2

News in brief

GNR

This weekend will see runners from all over the world heading to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the 29th Great North Run. It has been announced that the half marathon will include record numbers: 54,000 competitors have numbers for the event, cementing the Geordie race as the world’s most popular half marathon.

Ran out of steam?

After a long absence from the running world following a foot operation, Paula Radcliffe won the New York City half marathon on August 16. Despite this success, her withdrawal from the half marathon World Championships later in the month had many thinking the runner’s career was coming to a close. Those critics have been silenced: Radcliffe has been named as part of the GB team for the World Half Marathon Championships, and will make a confident return to competing at the Birmingham event this October.

Back to reality

Whilst many of us are mourning the fading of the summer-that-never-really-was, for one Scotsman the Great British autumn will be rather more welcome: James Baxter, of Edinburgh, returned last week from a nine-month ‘Norwegian Odyssey’ trip. On New Year’s Day, the ambitious Baxter began his initial task: cross country skiing 1,677 miles, before cycling across the Russian border, paddling over 2,000miles down the coast. Encountering some tricky situations on his journey, the adventurer (who will now return to his ‘day-job’ as a pub landlord) was kept motivated by his charitable incentive; £4,685 of sponsorship will now go towards building schools in Nepal.

Dangers of adventure tourism

New Zealand must better regulate its adventure tourism industry, according to the father of a girl who drowned in the country last April. Chris Jordan's 21-year-old daughter, Emily, was trapped under a rock whilst riverboarding in the Kawarau River. The company involved has admitted to two Health and Safety charges, and meanwhile Jordan has emailed NZ prime minister John Keys urging proper audits to take place in adventure tourism as a whole.

The foreign office provides general advice on extreme sport holidays, as well as destination-specific warnings: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/ta-relevant-to-you/sports