The organising entity for the inaugural Asia Pacific Outgames is to stage a regional gay and lesbian, multi-sport event
in Melbourne, Australia which is set to take place between January 30 - February 3, 2008 during the Midsumma Festival –
Melbourne’s premier gay and lesbian cultural and arts festival.
The licence agreement between GLISA Asia Pacific
(Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association) and Melbourne Outgames Inc. (the organising entity) was signed in February
this year and GLISA Asia Pacific has given the go ahead for the inaugural regional Outgames to be held in Melbourne from January
30 - February 3, 2008.
Volunteers from the Asia Pacific Outgames organising team have been spreading the word, attending
a number of GLBT events in the region to help provide information and invite GLBT sport lovers and the broader community to
come and ‘play with your neighbours’ in Melbourne in 2008.
Multi-sport tournaments (including Badminton,
Dancesport, Field Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, Run, Swimming, Ten Pin Bowling,Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo), a Cultural
component and a Human Rights Conference are planned as part of the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames. There's also a vast number of
premier events taking place as part of the Midsumma Festival, which is one of Australia's largest cultural events.
The
organising body for the Outgames has also announced that it has secured the world-class Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
(MSAC), as one of the major venue hubs for the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames.
This state of the art venue recently hosted
water polo and diving for the 12th FINA World Championships and was home to aquatics, squash and other events for the Commonwealth
Games in 2006. The venue is Australia's leading sport and recreation facility, and has an Aquatics area that is world-class,
Sports Stadiums and dry-court facilities that are amongst the world's best and a number of multi-purpose function areas that
will be sure to impress.
The Commonwealth Games outdoor pool is a 10 lane, 50 metre pool heated to 27oC for competition
swimming events. The Aquatics area also features a 25m lap pool, a spa leisure area, plus a 14 board diving facility.
Melbourne
and its thriving GLBT community are looking forward to welcoming participants and their friends from across Australia and
the Asia Pacific region including New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and many other countries.
Registration
for the Asia Pacific Outgames is likely to commence in August 2007 and to receive regular updates please vist
http://www.melbourneoutgames.org and sign on for the Club Melbourne eNewsletter.
