PRESS RELEASE
Biarritz, 30th September 2019
Biarritz submitted its candidacy to the Organising Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to organise surfing competitions.
Biarritz’ candidacy, which is fully supported by its community and sustainable, is grounded in two of the town’s great strengths: a naturally compact site with a low-impact from an environmental and financial viewpoint.
Biarritz’ has chosen to capitalise and integrate its candidacy within the town, offering competing surfers, their trainers, Olympic family members, media and spectators a series of competitions that will take place in the heart of the town, surrounded by Biarritz citizens and the thousands of tourists who come to visit all year round.
Surfing competitions will take place on the "Grande Plage" within a highly concentrated area, close to lavish and boutique hotels with natural beauty spots for spectators and media. In addition, Biarritz is easily reached by train and planes. As a result, Biarritz is close to the Paris 2024 Olympic sites including the Olympic Village, the ceremonial Olympic stadium and the main media centre.
The compact nature of Biarritz’ project will include alternative means of transport in the town which are aligned to surfing values of humility and respect for nature.
As the European surfing birthplace for over the past 50 years, Biarritz already has all the required infrastructure for surf competitions and there is, therefore, no need for any additional constructions.
These choices mean that Biarritz’ candidacy has a very sober budget line that includes promotional activities ahead of the 2024 games. As of the Olympic Day 2020 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Biarritz plans to capitalise on the 400 annual events organised in the town to mobilise and attract all the stakeholders in line with the Olympic spirt and values. The schools, sports clubs and local associations will be invited to join in these festivities to position Biarritz Pays Basque and the surrounding terroir as a "place of games" 2024.
According to Laurent Ortiz, deputy Mayor of Biarritz in charge of surfing and councillor to the Greater Agglomeration Community of Biarritz (GACB): "We are extremely proud to propose our candidacy to the Organising Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, on behalf of all our citizens, local and regional partners and the surfing family who recognise Biarritz as an exceptional surfing spot. Biarritz has an unparalleled, long-standing relationship with surfing life-styles, which we want to bring to the 2024 Games and to athletes from all over the world, to organize a major sporting, cultural and sustainable festival that is fun-loving and respectful of our heritage site".
Media contact : Sophie Vivé / s.vive@biarritz.fr / 07 85 84 37 15
Sophie Vivé
Chargée des relations presse
Ville de Biarritz
s.vive@biarritz.fr
www.biarritz.fr
LD : 05 59 41 54 48
Port : 07 85 84 37 15
Logo Biarritz quadri jpeg
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