Thousands of runners and spectators are expected to attend the Sport Aberdeen event which takes place on Sunday 5 May.
A number of traffic restrictions will be in place around the city and beach area of Aberdeen next weekend for the BHGE 10K Running Festival.
Kicking off at the Race Village on Beach Boulevard, the scenic race route will take runners out towards Waterloo Quay and Aberdeen Harbour, before running the length of the Beach Esplanade, through Bridge of Don, Pittodrie Park and Sport Aberdeen’s King’s Links golf course, before finishing at the Beach Ballroom.
Keith Gerrard, Director of Health and Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, said:
“The support that the race receives each year is consistently inspiring and as always, the run up to the event is a very exciting time for all involved and it is a pleasure to see the joint efforts of the community, charities and organisers pay off, come the big day.
“We’d like to thank our participants, spectators and sponsors for their support and look forward to seeing them on race day.”
Residents have been advised there will be parking and traffic restrictions in place on roads around the race route.
Organisers are advising people to plan their journeys in advance, with additional crowds anticipated with it being the May bank holiday weekend.
Links Road between the Beach Ballroom and Urquhart Road will be closed from 6.00am on Saturday 27 April until 2.00pm on Sunday 5 May.
Accommodation Road will be closed between the Beach Esplanade and Golf Road from 6.00am on Saturday 4 May until 2.00pm on Sunday 5 May.
The Beach Esplanade from King Street at Bridge of Don to New Pier Road and Pittodrie Street will be closed rom 4.00am on Sunday 5 May, reopening at 1.00pm.
Beach Boulevard from Links Road to the Beach Esplanade will be closed from 4.00am until 2.00pm, with the road from Links Road to Wellington Street closed from 9.00am until noon.
Elsewhere a number of other routes will be closed to traffic from 9.00am until noon to make way for the crowds, including Wellington Street to Waterloo Quay, York Place heading to York Street, Pocra Quay and New Pier Road.
There will also be no traffic access on Commerce Street southbound from Virginia Street and Miller Street to Waterloo Quay between 6.00am and 1.00pm on Sunday 5 May.
Regent Walk at Golf Road eastbound and Seaton Crescent to Seaton Road, Seaton Drive, Seaton Walk to King Street will all be closed from 6.00am to 1.00pm on Sunday 5 May.
Those taking part in the race can meet at the Race Village, which will open at 8.00am, with family activities starting at 8.30am.
The Specsavers 2K Race will start at 9.00am from outside Sport Aberdeen’s Beach Leisure Centre.
The Wheelchair 10K Race begins at 9.25am and the main 10K Race will begin at 9.30am.
This year, organisers also hope to make it one of the most environmentally friendly races in Scotland.
This year’s BHGE 10K Running Festival will see a reduced number of single use plastics in use and water stations to reduce waste and biodegradable goody bags with fewer plastic items inside them.
Zoe Lewis, Sport Aberdeen’s Event Lead, continued:
“Every year we strive to be more environmentally friendly. We understand the importance of reducing our single use plastic use and are making positive changes to help make this year’s race one of the most sustainable yet.
“In addition, there are small ways participants and spectators can help with our plans on the day too, for example by using the green recycling bins provided or taking their own reusable water bottle to fill up at the water station in the Race Village.”
A local Primary School pupil’s design has been selected to appear on the water bottles that will be handed out to thousands of runners taking part in the 2019 BHGE 10K road race.
Eight year old Emma Punchard’s design was selected from entries received for the competition run by Deeside Mineral Water, an official partner of the BHGE 10K Running Festival.
Emma’s winning design will be printed onto the label appearing on bottles of water that will be handed out to runners on race day, Sunday 5 May.
She will also have the chance to be part of the official 10K race start and has been invited to attend a special tour of the Deeside Mineral Water facilities where she will see her label being applied to the bottles and receive a crate of Deeside Mineral Water and a Sport Aberdeen goody bag including freebies and vouchers to be used at Sport Aberdeen venues across Aberdeen.
Young people from schools across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire were asked to design a label that shows how plastic bottles can be recycled responsibly to help save the incredible wildlife found in our local rivers, seas and oceans.
This is the 32nd year of the North East’s well established road race organised by registered charity Sport Aberdeen in partnership with Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE).
Commenting, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Healthy and Active Communities, Keith Gerrard, said:
“On behalf of Sport Aberdeen, I would like to congratulate Emma and say a huge thank you to all of the children who took part in the competition.
“I would also like to thank Deeside Mineral Water for supporting us for the fourth year in a row. This is a fantastic competition that allows young people to step up and be part of an event at the heart of our community.
“The countdown to this year’s BHGE 10K Running Festival has started but there is still time to sign up for one of our 10K or 2K races”.
Martin Simpson, Managing Director of Deeside Mineral Water commented:
“Deeside Mineral Water are delighted to supply water for runners in this year’s BHGE 10K road race and to continue working with Sport Aberdeen and Baker Hughes, a GE company.
“Congratulations to Emma for her winning label design, which we hope will remind people to recycle responsibly. We look forward to her visit to the Deeside Water factory and wish everyone an enjoyable run on the 5 May.”
Award winning registered charity Sport Aberdeen will be a finalist at the prestigious Community Leisure UK Awards 2019, which recognises the extraordinary impact that leisure trusts make throughout the UK and in their local communities.
In announcing the UK finalists, Chief Executive, of Community Leisure UK Cate Atwater, said:
“Within our association, Sport Aberdeen has been consistently recognised as a progressive, innovative and highly respected community leisure trust. This has now been endorsed by an external judging panel of industry expects drawn from across the UK. Getting to the finals is a great achievement and being finalists in three categories is unprecedented and Sport Aberdeen is the only charity to have achieved this in the history of the event.
Responding to the news, Sport Aberdeen Managing Director, Alistair Robertson, said:
“Having the work we do across the city considered worthy of a UK award is truly humbling and a real tonic in very difficult times. It is a great testament to our Board, my staff and the many volunteers who have all worked very hard to provide the best we can to our customers across the city.
“I am immensely proud that Sport Aberdeen is the only trust in the UK shortlisted as finalists in three categories and this moves us nearer to our aim of being regarded as the best leisure trust in Scotland.”
British optical retail chain, Specsavers, has stepped up to show support to this year’s BHGE 10K Running Festival by sponsoring the 2K race.
With just five weeks to go until the event, race organiser Sport Aberdeen and title sponsor Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE), are delighted to welcome Specsavers as the 2K race sponsor for 2019.
The support provided by Specsavers, the Number 1 optician in the UK, will further enhance race day, in particular the 2K race, by ensuring each runner will be rewarded with a t-shirt and medal as they cross the finish line.
Commenting on the support, Keith Gerrard, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Healthy and Active Communities, said:
“We are thrilled to have Specsavers come on board as the 2K race sponsor, a new sponsor for this year’s BHGE 10K Running Festival, joining a host of local organisations who are backing and helping raise money for ten local causes.
“The Specsavers 2K race is the perfect opportunity to encourage the next generation to participate in physical activity to help maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
“This is especially notable at the transitional stage from Primary to Secondary School, where participation levels significantly decrease, particularly the level of girls’ participation that tends to drop over the course of their time at secondary school.”
Starting at the Beach Leisure Centre, making a loop past Pittodrie Stadium and finishing at the 10K finish line, the Specsavers 2K costs only £6 to enter and is open to children from primary 6 to S4 or as a shorter route for wheelchair participants of all ages.
Store Director at Specsavers Aberdeen, Dave McGinty, said the store was excited to contribute to one of the North East’s most popular running events:
“The BHGE 10k festival has become a huge date on the calendar for Aberdeen runners, not to mention competitors drawn from all corners of the world, and we’re delighted to have the opportunity of sponsoring it, allowing us to enhance what is already a memorable event for thousands.
“With so many great causes receiving a massive boost from this community-focused family event, we’re proud to be associated with its wonderful aims and look forward to lending our support on race day.”
With the 10 weeks to 10K training programme now in full flow, people are being urged to sign up for the race in good time to avoid disappointment. Over half the spaces have already been filled, but there is still time to secure your place.
For more information about the BHGE 10K Running Festival or to sign up for 2019, please visit: www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/bhge-10k
Registered charity Sport Aberdeen is delighted to announce that its Active Girls Committee has been commended by Scottish Parliament for the important work it does in Aberdeen.
The Active Girls Committee, facilitated by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team, aims to increase activity amongst girls by 10% by the end of school year 2019/20. The committee comprises of girls from each academy across the city who are championing a move to get more young girls involved in sport and physical activity.
MSP Mark McDonald, who represents the Aberdeen Donside ward, lodged the motion in the Scottish Parliament to celebrate the work of Sport Aberdeen’s Active Girls Committee. Mr McDonalds motion stated:
“That the Parliament commends the work of the Active Girls Committee, which has been established by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team and aims to increase activity among girls by 10% by the end of the 2019-20 school year; notes that the committee is comprised of girls from each academy across Aberdeen who endeavour to inspire their peers and increase the number of girls taking part in regular sport and physical activity; highlights the committee’s hard work in organising a recent outing to Transition Extreme with girls from Dyce Academy; embraces the number of alternative activities showcased, including skateboarding, BMX biking and rock climbing, and welcomes this focus on breaking down the barriers that can stop many girls from participating in sport.”
Sport Aberdeen is delighted to have reached the finals in prestigious industry awards recognising its excellence in the fields of human resources (HR).
One of only three charitable organisations to reach the finals, Sport Aberdeen has been shortlisted in the Exceptional Employee Engagement and Mike Reid Community Award categories of The Press and Journal cHeRries Awards 2019, which will take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) on Thursday 30 May.
Commenting on the news, Sport Aberdeen Managing Director, Alistair Robertson, said:
“It is great to see Sport Aberdeen at the forefront championing for the charitable sector. We are humbled to be one of only three trusts selected as finalists amongst a host of excellent entries from major organisations across the city.
“The news has been received very well by Nickie and the small HR team who do so much and reaching the finals in the Exceptional Employee Engagement category is a reflection of the wider organisation, as each and every employee contributes towards HR.”
Golf in Aberdeen has been given a boost as a popular links golf course received recognition from a trusted golfing website.
Sport Aberdeen’s Balnagask Golf Course received an outstanding 4.75 out of 5 rating, placing it 16th in the top 50 courses for its course layout, condition, hospitality, value for money and pace of play, as part of online golfing community, Golfshake’s, Top 50 Golf Courses Rated for Condition in 2018.
Balnagask features alongside world renowned Scottish golf courses Gleneagles, St Andrews Links and Dundonald – which have played host to The Open and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open in previous years.
Commenting on the accolade, Sport Aberdeen’s Golf and Outdoor Services Manager, Nigel Spencer, said:
“We are extremely proud of the four courses we manage on behalf of Aberdeen City Council and the membership packages we offer to play these, such as our Get active 5 membership, which is great value for money.
“What is particularly pleasing about this, is that the recognition comes from independent reviews submitted to Golfshake by golfers who have played the course.
“Having Balnagask recognised and listed alongside so many other world class golf courses, showcases the high standard of golf in Aberdeen.”
Golfshake considers Sport Aberdeen’s Balnagask Golf Course as ‘highly recommended’ with 96 per cent of it’s users saying that they would play it again and recommend it to fellow golfers.
Local running experts shared their training and race day tips with seasoned runners and those new to the sport, at a free running seminar ahead of the BHGE 10K Running Festival on Sunday 5 May.
Organised by race organiser, Sport Aberdeen and title sponsor Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE), the evening welcomed four experienced speakers, including four time BHGE 10K women’s category winner, Fiona Brian.
Fiona, who runs for Metro Aberdeen, represented Scotland at the British Half Marathon Championships in London on 10 March and took home the top prize in the women’s division of Denmark’s Lillebaelt Half Marathon last May, shared her journey into the sport and offered personal advice to attendees ahead of race day in six weeks’ time.
Keith Gerrard, Director of Healthy and Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, said:
“We are delighted to have Fiona share her experiences and it is my hope that her story will inspire more people to sign up for this year’s race, whether it be to beat a personal best or raise money for one of the ten affiliated charities.
“Events like the BHGE 10K Running Festival are part of Sport Aberdeen’s ongoing commitment to create opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives through sport and physical activity.”
Joining Fiona were representatives from Run4It, Sport Aberdeen’s Health and Wellness team and RGU:Wellness who covered a range of topics including nutrition, hydration, preventing injury, what to wear and how the gym can help your training.
Girls from Dyce Academy got the opportunity to try their hand at a range of exciting activities to inspire them to be more physically active.
Organised by positive female role models from Dyce Academy – English Teacher, Keri Taylor and senior pupils Rebekah Singer and Iona Copeland – in association with the Active Girls Committee, the outing to Transition Extreme showcased a number of alternative activities, including skateboarding, BMX biking and rock climbing to demonstrate the breadth of activities available to girls to encourage participation in physical activity to help maintain a healthy active lifestyle.
Development Manager – Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, Graeme Dale, said:
“The Active Girls Committee are working very hard throughout Aberdeen to encourage more girls and young women to get involved in sport and physical activity.
“The group are fantastic female role models and this year will continue their focus on breaking down barriers currently stopping many young girls from participating in sport.”
Commenting on the outing, Keri Taylor, English Teacher at Dyce Academy, said:
“Events like today’s are really important because a lot of these girls haven’t had the chance to try activities like this and it’s good to get them out of their comfort zones.
“Extreme sports might be seen as being dominated on school trips by boys, so this gives the girls a chance to come along with their pals and do it on their terms.”
Set up by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team, the ACG initiative aims to increase activity amongst girls by 10% by the end of school year 2019/20, after figures reported by Active Schools – both nationally and locally – have shown that the level of girls’ participation in extracurricular sport tends to drop over the course of their time at secondary school.
The committee itself comprises of girls from each academy across the city who endeavour to inspire their peers and increase the number of girls taking part in regular sport and physical activity.
Local businesses, Dundas Consultants and Apollo, have shown their continued support to the BHGE 10K Running Festival by sponsoring the running festival for another year.
Sport Aberdeen and title sponsor Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE) are delighted to welcome both companies back to the sponsor line up for 2019.
Dundas Consultants have supported the event since 2014 and Apollo Offshore Engineering, since 2016.
Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Healthy and Active Communities, Keith Gerrard, said:
“We are delighted to welcome back recurring sponsors Dundas and Apollo for 2019, joining other local organisations to back the event and help raise money for our ten affiliated charities.
As well as sponsoring the BHGE 10K Running Festival and Family Fun Run, employees from Apollo and Dundas Consultants will demonstrate their sporting prowess with teams taking part in 2019’s Corporate Team Challenge.
Richard Woodhouse, Director at Dundas Consultants, said:
“It’s terrific to see so many people participating in sport at the BHGE 10k. It always feels like such a positive experience for everyone there either through that sense of personal achievement at taking part or for many because they’re raising money for charities that are important to them. I hope Dundas will continue our involvement for years to come.”
Jonathan White, Business Development Director at Apollo added:
“Apollo look forward to not only sponsoring but also participating in this important sporting event for Aberdeen. We are proud to have supported the running festival for a number of years and have great fun as a company entering runners and raising money for charity!”
With the 10 weeks to 10K training programme now in full swing and just six weeks to go until race day, race organiser Sport Aberdeen and title sponsor Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE) are urging people to sign up for the race in good time to avoid disappointment. Over half the spaces have already been filled, but there is still time to secure your place.
For more information about the BHGE 10K Running Festival or to sign up for 2019, please visit www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/bhge-10k