Ogden, Utah will host the first ever Qualifiers for the Youth Olympic Games in Archery


  The event will take place July 12-19, 2009 and will have the full support of Weber County, the city of Ogden, Ogden/Weber Convention & Visitors Bureau, USA Archery, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Easton Sports Development Foundation.   The 2009 Youth Archery World Championships is expected to bring over 450 athletes, between the ages of 14 and 18, from more than 50 different countries to compete for a Youth World Champion title and vie for coveted slots in the first-ever Youth Olympic Games to be held in Singapore in 2010. The full details will be published as soon as the International Olympic Committee has finalized the qualification system, but at least half of the slots will be awarded in Ogden.   The organizing committee will be headed up by Greg Easton and Denise Parker. Mr. Easton is a board member of the Easton Sports Development Foundation, a foundation established by Jim Easton to support archery programs. “One of the goals of the Easton Sports Development Foundation is to educate and expose as many people as possible to the lifetime sport of archery,” says Greg Easton. “We think there is no greater promotional tool than to help bring a world-class archery competition to the United States.” Denise Parker is a three time Olympian and was the youngest Olympic archery medallist in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. She now operates DP Event Marketing, an event management and marketing business. “Being able to help organize such an event is a true honour. Having won a Youth World Championship in 1991, and now organizing events for a living, I can’t imagine a more fulfilling project to undertake,” says Ms. Parker.   One of the key elements of the Ogden bid was the commitment and desire from the city of Ogden and Weber County to host the competition. “We were very impressed during our visit at how supportive the city of Ogden was toward the project,” commented Juan-Carlos Holgado, FITA Events Director. “This is an important element that we take into consideration when awarding events.”   The competition will be held at Weber State University located in Weber County just 33 miles north of the Salt Lake City International Airport. Ogden was also the host to the men’s downhill and curling competitions for the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City. Sara Toliver, President of the Ogden/Weber Convention & Visitors Bureau feels this experience will pay off. “We are honoured to be hosting the 2009 Youth Archery World Championships in Ogden. Ogden has a committed volunteer base with event planning and organizing experience, including the 2002 Winter Olympics and the inaugural Xterra Winter World Championships hosted in March 2008.”   The city of Ogden is quickly becoming known as a recreational hot spot, focusing resources on attracting recreation and sporting events and organizations to the area. “We are thrilled to be hosting this World Championship in Ogden,” says Ogden Mayor, Matthew Godfrey. “We are confident we can be a venue of choice for years to come.  This kind of event is great not only for showcasing our beautiful community, but also economically.  We are grateful to have received their selection.”   Any questions about the event can be directed to Denise Parker at denise@dpeventmarketing.com or call 801-737-1917.   Didier Miéville FITA Communication Director   Denise Parker DP Event Marketing              
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