Kent: International Sporting Destination

A large number of local areas across Kent played their part in the very successful Tour de France first stage, with around two million spectators turning out to watch the Tour wind its way across the county to Canterbury. On the previous day, Kent hosted our largest ever Paralympic Event, a World Series Handcycling Championship. A stated aim of the Kent Campaign is to grow the number of national and international sports events staged by the County.

This Summer also saw Dover hosting the Meteskan Archery World Cup 31 July – 5 August, with competitors from 32 nations across the world attending. A Kent Campaign soiree was held during the event, exploring with interested nations Kent as a Pre Games Training Camp venue, which has since been followed up with the attending nations.

It has also been confirmed that Sandwich will host the Open Golf Championship in 2011, and a number of national and international sports competition events are actively being explored for Kent, including water skiing, modern pentathlon, and cross country.

More information from Chris Hespe, Chair of the Kent Coordinating Group for the 2012 Games and Head of KCC’s Sport, Leisure and Olympics service at chris.hespe@kent.gov.uk