Police And Fire Games Venues Announced

Organisers of next year's World Police and Fire Games have chosen 41 Northern Ireland venues for the ten-day event.

The Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall will both hold boxing competitions and there will be a stair race at Belfast’s tallest building, the Obel.

Belfast will host most of the 66 featured sports between August 1 and 10 2013, but other events will happen outside the capital, including orienteering at Tollymore Forest Park and shooting events at Ballykinler Training Centre in County Down.

The announcement follows a ten day visit by the World Police and Fire Games Federation in April when every location was visited and matched against suitability criteria.

The Games' Chief Executive John Tully said this was a "unique opportunity" for Belfast to showcase.

He said: "The Federation Directors were extremely impressed by the range and quality of our facilities and share our confidence that Northern Ireland will deliver the most successful and the friendliest games ever. Sport is at the core of the event and it is essential both for the credibility of the Games and the reputation of the host country that competitors enjoy the optimum experience across every sport in which they participate."

The company will now work with venues to secure contracts and plan schedules.

Caral Ni Chuilin, Minister of Culture, Arts & Leisure said this would be the biggest sporting event ever to hit Northern Ireland.

It is expected to cost £14m.

For a complete list of events and venues, see www.2013wpfg.com/latest-news.

(NE/GK)