LONDON: Virgin Sport, the active lifestyle company within Richard Branson's Virgin Group announced last year, went live Tuesday with plans to launch four Festivals of Sport this year in the UK and US: two in London neighborhoods (Hackney and Westminster), one in Oxford, 60 miles northwest of London and the fourth in San Francisco.
Kicking off the proceedings is Virgin Sport Hackney, registration for which opens on 30 April; followed by Westminster (9 July); San Francisco (14-15 October); and finally Oxford (TBA October).
Each of the four festivals will be customized to each host borough or city, the company stated. Festivals of sport include a distance run, more accessible short run and group fitness training. Active experiences are combined with local food, music art and culture for a unique experience.
Virgin Sport Hackney includes: the Hackney Half (a 13.1 mile run through Hackney); a new Chase your Mate 5.5k (to give 110% and a fun, competitive spirit to the 5k); and a free fitness + yoga bootcamp on Hackney Marshes, with paid access for a VIP front row. Tickets also include the celebratory festival experience.
In its first Hackney event, Virgin Sport partners with Youth Sport Trust to get more kids in Hackney playing sports. Virgin Sport welcomes all prospective charity partners to its events and charges charities the same rate as participants, to encourage more people to move for a cause.
Virgin Sport is co-located in New York City and London, and led by CEO Mary Wittenberg, former President/CEO of New York Road Runners and race director for the New York City Marathon. In the coming months, Virgin Sport will expand to new festivals of sport and active lifestyle products in cities and communities around the world.
Branson said: "Sport is something that I try to make time for every day. Pushing past physical and mental expectations has been an important part of my life. Some of my favourite memories have been spent running, cycling and being active with family and friends. Festivals of sport embody our work hard play hard lifestyle at Virgin, and I can't wait to line up with everyone in Hackney and San Francisco."
Wittenberg added: "We are so excited to welcome you to the starting line of Virgin Sport and share our vision for a healthier, more active world. We aim to enhance lives by making sport accessible, irresistible and connected to our host neighborhoods. We hope you will join us for our first steps this year, and many more miles together in the coming years."
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