Excitement as staff travel to World Firefighter Games in Liverpool

21 August 2008

World Firefighter Games logo.

FIREFIGHTERS and support staff from Cambridgeshire are counting the hours until they travel to Liverpool to compete in the 10th World Firefighters Games.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has eight competitors taking part who are fired up and eager to prove that they have what it takes to bring home gold.

The Games - which are the Fire Service equivalent of the Olympics - take place in the UK from this Sunday until September 2. It is being hosted by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and will be held in Liverpool, the 2008 European Capital of Culture.

The new waterfront Liverpool Echo Arena has been transformed into the Official Games Villages and competitors can compete in as many of the 73 sporting and unique events as they wish in 43 venues across Liverpool and the North West. These include, Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool Football Club's Training Academy in Kirkby and the brand new Liverpool Aquatics Centre.

Held every four years, the Games are a highlight for firefighters and support staff around the world and are always well attended with up to 5,000 competitors from as far away as China, the USA and New Zealand

Events range from archery to athletics, badminton to bodybuilding and chess to cross country.

The Games last for ten days and are self-financing with any surplus being reinvested in local charities.
.
Those taking part from Cambridgeshire include:

 

  • Ady Slack (Station Manager in Peterborough) - Taking part in target archery 70M, clay shooting.
  • Tim Carr (Firefighter at Dogsthorpe in Peterborough) - Competing in target archery 70m.
  • James Thompson (Firefighter at Dogsthorpe in Peterborough) - Striving to gain a medal with the UK ice hockey team.
  • Phil Gould (Firefighter at Dogsthorpe in Peterborough) - Also taking part in the UK ice hockey team.
  • Mick Jackman (Station Manager in East Cambs) - Competing in the pole vault and golf.
  • Andy McMahon (Retired Firefighter from Dogthorpe) - Taking part in clay shooting all three disciplines.
  • Mick Lawrence (Head of Community Risk Reduction at Fire Service Headquarters in Huntingdon) - Triathlon.
  • Steve Cotton (Fire Safety Officer at Cambridge) - Triathlon and cycle events.
  • Louise Lesniak (District Administrator for East Cambs) - Competing in snow boarding, track and field events.

Graham Stagg, Chief Fire Officer for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "I wish all the competitors the best of luck and hope they are as successful as our national team have been in this year's Olympics.

"The Fire Service has traditionally been associated with sporting activities as the main qualities required in athletes are determination, stamina and the willingness to work as a team, something which I believe our Service excels at."