Musselburgh Racecourse gallops ahead with three industry awards
Musselburgh Racecourse has strengthened its position as Scotland’s leading horse racing venue with three accolades from leading industry and visitor attraction organisations.
The East Lothian course was awarded Gold Standard status by the Racehorse Owners’ Association (ROA), one of only 12 UK courses to achieve the standard and ranked third behind York and sister course Chester.
Musselburgh was assessed as having an overall quality score of 89% and received 100% ratings in four categories including for cleanliness. The ROA said the Gold Standard was awarded to courses which provide an outstanding race day experience for owners and demonstrated a “truly exemplary performance”.
Sixty courses participated in the scheme scoring an average quality score of 80%. Musselburgh achieved an 89% rating with an owner’s feedback score of 4.4 out of five against an average score of 3.7%.
The Racecourse Association’s (RCA) Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme assesses the raceday experience from the perspective of customers, with each racecourse visited by a trained assessor from VisitScotland. The assessments analyse all touchpoints of the customer experience including pre-raceday information, the on-course experience and post-raceday communications.
Musselburgh was awarded an RCA Excellence Accolade for its Staff Customer Service and also retained its five star visitor attraction status, meaning it is considered an “exceptional” venue by VisitScotland.
The RCA said 2022 had been a particularly challenging year for sport and leisure venues, and the retention of the prestigious five star rating demonstrated the ongoing investment in Scotland into the raceday experience.
Paul Swain, the RCA’s Raceday Experience & Communications Manager, said: “The scheme demonstrates the RCA and its members’ ongoing commitment to reviewing and enhancing the raceday experience.
“It has been a challenging year for racecourses with inflation, soaring energy bills and the wider cost of living crisis. This, along with the difficulties of securing staff, has meant that racecourses have had to adapt and innovate to continue to offer the experiences our racegoers are accustomed to.”
VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance Manager, Angie Fowler, said: “We congratulate the Scottish racecourses in retaining their excellent quality visitor attraction ratings, with three of them retaining our top accolade.
“A commitment to quality is clearly demonstrated across these racecourses and in particular, their dedication to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all visitors is helping to inspire other attractions across Scotland.
“Their determination to maintain and improve standards is about much more than just a star rating, it is about providing a visitor experience consistent in standards across all areas. Quality and value-for-money are important to consumers, especially during challenging economic times, and delivering experiences that meet and exceed visitor expectations is crucial in making Scotland a must-visit, must-return destination.”
Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “It is important and useful to be able to measure our performance and the race day experience we offer across multiple metrics and I am delighted that Musselburgh continues to be one of the best performing and value for money sports and visitor attractions in the UK.
“The bar is set high but we are always striving to find new or improved ways of making sure everyone who visits Musselburgh, be that regular racegoers and owners or casual visitor, leaves feeling they have enjoyed the day and will want to return.
“Maintaining these high standards is only possible because of the energy and commitment of our permanent and race day staff who work with key partners to ensure consistent quality across all our operations and these awards are recognition of their efforts.”
A LETTER TO SUPPORTERS FROM EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN RONALD J GORDON
Dear Supporters,
Some of you may have noticed that I have not been at Easter Road in some time. I love the Club and I love Edinburgh, and I come to our home in the city as often as possible and go to as many games as I can. That is why I’m writing this letter to you all to explain why I’ve not been around as usual.
For most of this past year I have been receiving treatment for cancer. It has been a difficult time for me and the family, but I’m blessed to have their love and support as we navigate through the challenge. I imagine many of you will have gone through similar times in your own families. We all stick together to get through these difficult times. Unfortunately, my treatment has made international travel a little more challenging as I’m sure you will understand.
However, while undergoing the treatment I’ve remained in daily contact with our Chief Executive Ben Kensell, who continues to run the club with the support of the Board. That will remain the case as we continue to move forward on a variety of initiatives to further advance the club.
I want to assure you all that our family’s commitment to the club’s long-term success remains absolute, and I will be back with you at Easter Road as soon as my treatment allows.
I realize that our men’s team has gone through a challenging time on the pitch – it was disappointing for all of us to go out of the Cup to our city rivals. However, the result and performance against Aberdeen showed that we can be a real force in this league once we manage to achieve some consistency. There have been mistakes, but we are learning from them, and we are working to put things in place to be better going forward.
I am very grateful and fully appreciate your continued support of the team and the club. As you know, it will take all of us working together to help the club achieve its goals on and off the pitch, so your commitment and engagement is both necessary and very welcomed. As always, thank you for your support and your trust, and I wish all of you the very best for 2023.
Iconic Scottish landmarks illuminated in the UCI’s rainbow colours to mark six months until the biggest cycling event in the world
Organisers of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships marked six months to go until the first-of-its-kind event by lighting up iconic landmarks in Glasgow and across Scotland where the 13 UCI World Championship events are set to take place from 3-13 August 2023.
Having these landmarks across the country illuminated in the colours of the UCI rainbow stripes, reflects not only the range of locations and venues where the UCI World Championships will take place, in a pan-Scotland celebration of cycling, but also how Scotland will be welcoming the world, with the stripes signifying the five continents.
From the Riverside Museum on the banks of the river Clyde in Glasgow to the majesty of Edinburgh Castle, the historic Stirling Castle, and the fortress like Caerlaverock Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland was on full display to begin the countdown to the inaugural cycling event in August.
All landmarks were chosen as they are located in the regions that are venues for the Championships.
The world-famous Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Highlands, the waters of Loch Lomond in West Dunbartonshire and in the Scottish Borders, the historic Traquair House were also illuminated in the colours of the iconic UCI rainbow stripes, helping to build awareness and anticipation for the upcoming Championships.
These regions of Scotland will see thousands of amateur and elite cycling athletes from over 120 countries competing across the 13 UCI World Championships for the first time at the mega-event, making it the largest event in cycling history.
Edinburgh Castle was illuminated in recognition of Edinburgh hosting the start of the Men’s Road race.
To register for tickets or for additional information, please visit the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships website.
Audrey Jones, Head of Hospitality and Events at Historic Environment Scotland, said:“We’re delighted that a number of our sites, including the iconic Edinburgh Castle, provided a fitting backdrop for kicking off the countdown to the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds, an event that is set to be truly historic.”
Angus Robertson, Culture Secretary, Scottish Government said:“It’s only six months to go until the eyes of the world are on Glasgow and Scotland for the UCI Cycling World Championships.
“Not only will this be an incredible showcase of talent from across the globe but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to highlight all that Scotland has to offer to people travelling from near and far for the event. We look forward to welcoming everyone from athletes to cycling enthusiasts to people just looking for a great day out.”
UCI President David Lappartient said:“We are now into the final stretch of preparations for these milestone UCI Cycling World Championships.Illuminating landmarks at key venues inGlasgow and across Scotland has given everyone a true sense of the importance and enormity of this inaugural event.
“Six months will pass by quickly and I cannot wait to see fans and athletes from cycling’s many different disciplines join together for these eleven days of excitement, celebration and competition that will crown virtually all of our UCI World Champions for 2023.”
Paul Bush, OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships said:“Shining the iconic UCI rainbow jersey colours onto some of the country’s most incredible and well-known locations heralds another significant milestone in the run up to the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships.
“With six months to go until Scotland hosts the biggest cycling event ever staged, the lighting up of landmarks acts as a celebratory beacon ahead of eleven action packed days in August where UCI World Champions will be crowned, and audiences wowed by must-see moments.
“Having mega events of this size and scale in our calendar further strengthens Scotland’s position as a world-leading events destination and reinforces Scotland’s place as the perfect stage for events”.
Since its start in January 1988, the Royal Rumble has become a popular mainstay on WWE’s calendar, known for its surprise appearances and unexpected winners.
Wrestling-World.com have provided a fascinating guide on everything you need to know about the current champions, records, and stats from Royal Rumble history:
1. The most viewed Royal Rumble matches on YouTube
WWE’s YouTube channel is currently the 8th most subscribed to channel worldwide, with 92.7 million followers. WWE often upload full matches to YouTube for fans to rewatch, so below are the most popular Royal Rumble matches on the verified WWE channel. Currently, the most viewed match on YouTube is the 2017 Royal Rumble, with 128 million views. The 2017 Rumble was a star-studded affair, featuring superstar legends such as The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, Goldberg, Randy Orton, and several other top stars from modern-day WWE.
The most viewed women’s Royal Rumble match, and the seventh most viewed overall, is the 2019 Royal Rumble won by Becky Lynch, with 33 million views.
The most viewed Royal Rumble matches on YouTube
Rank
Year
Views
Men’s/Women’s
1.
2017
128,298,794
Men’s
2.
2020
89,239,597
Men’s
3.
2018
80,421,380
Men’s
4.
2008
74,001,113
Men’s
5.
2016
57,912,789
Men’s
6.
2010
36,930,412
Men’s
7.
2019
33,764,419
Women’s
8.
2019
31,082,495
Men’s
9.
2012
27,972,770
Men’s
10.
2020
24,409,067
Women’s
2. Wrestlers with the most appearances in the Royal Rumble
Kane/Isaac Yankem/Diesel (20 appearances)
Dolph Ziggler (15 appearances)
Kofi Kingston, Randy Orton (14 appearances)
Goldust, The Miz, Rey Mysterio (13 appearances)
Big Show, Shawn Michaels (12 appearances)
Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, The Undertaker (11 appearances)
Mark Henry, Rikishi (10 appearances)
Great Khali, Mabel/Viscera, Sheamus, Triple H (9 appearances)
Booker T, Cody Rhodes, Edge, Godfather, John Cena, John Morrison, Matt Hardy, R-Truth (8 appearances)
Baron Corbi, Billy Gunn, Bob Holly, Cesaro, Jake Roberts, Rick Martel, Owen Hart (7 appearances)
Kane unsurprisingly still holds the record for the most Royal Rumble appearances, competing in 20 matches in the event’s history, including appearances from Dr. Isaac Yankhem and Fake Diesel. He also holds the record for cumulative eliminations at 46. Dolph Ziggler ranks in second place with 15 Royal Rumble entries, with Kofi Kingson and Randy Orton following behind with 14 entries each.
3. Who holds the record for the most Royal Rumble victories?
Stone Cold Steve Austin currently holds the record for the most Royal Rumble victories, emerging victorious in 1997, 1998, and 2001. Although technically eliminated from the 1997 Royal Rumble, Austin snook back into the ring while the officials were distracted and eliminated Bret Hart to win the match.
Just eight wrestlers have won the Rumble twice; Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Batista, John Cena, Randy Orton, and Edge.
Wrestlers with the most Royal Rumble victories
Wins
Wrestler
Year
3
Stone Cold Steve Austin
1997, 1998, 2001
2
Hulk Hogan
1990, 1991
2
Shawn Michaels
1995, 1996
2
Triple H
2002, 2016
2
Brock Lesnar
2003, 2022
2
Batista
2005, 2014
2
John Cena
2008, 2013
2
Randy Orton
2009, 2017
2
Edge
2010, 2021
4. Wrestlers with the longest cumulative time spent in the Royal Rumble
Chris Jericho (4:59:33)
Randy Orton (4:34:08)
Rey Mysterio (4:14:45)
Triple H (4:00:50)
Shawn Michaels (3:47:32)
Edge (3:31:51)
Kane/Diesel/Isaac Yankem/DDS (3:19:40)
Dolph Ziggler (3:08:40)
Cody Rhodes/Stardust (3:06:45)
John Cena (2:48:32)
Chris Jericho currently holds the record for overall time spent in the Royal Rumble match across a superstar’s career, with 4 hours, 59 minutes, and 33 seconds. In second place is Randy Orton with 4 hours, 34 minutes, and 8 seconds and in third place is Rey Mysterio, who could potentially take second place this year if he lasts over 20 minutes in the ring. In women’s matches, Charlotte Flair holds the record with 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 28 seconds.
5. Wrestlers with the most career eliminations in the Royal Rumble
Kane (46 eliminations)
The Undertaker (40 eliminations)
Shawn Michaels (39 eliminations)
Stone Cold Steve Austin (36 eliminations)
Braun Strowman (33 eliminations)
Big Show, Roman Reigns, Triple H (32 eliminations)
Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton (29 eliminations)
Hulk Hogan (27 eliminations)
John Cena (25 eliminations)
Edge (23 eliminations)
Kane currently holds the record for the most cumulative eliminations in Royal Rumble history after throwing an incredible 46 superstars over the top rope during his two dozen appearances in the company’s flagship battle royal. WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker ranks second, with 40 total career eliminations, followed by Shawn Michaels in third place, with 39 eliminations.
A spokesperson for Wrestling-World.com commented on the findings: “The WWE Royal Rumble is one of wrestling’s most legendary events, kicking off the year and setting the tone for what is to come for WrestleMania season.
“The Royal Rumble has a rich and interesting history since its beginning in 1988, with a lengthy list of legendary wrestlers setting some iconic records along the way. The following facts and statistics offer a fascinating insight into which matches are clear fan favourites and which superstars hold the most records to this day.”
This research was conducted by Wrestling-World.com, a portal dedicated to everything about the sport of wrestling, which strives to provide readers with daily news updates from around the wrestling world.
Isuzu UK announced as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for Scottish Cup
The eagerly anticipated Fourth Round takes place between January 21-23
Agreement further demonstrates Isuzu UK’s support and commitment to football in the UK
Isuzu UK has announced a new multi-year partnership with the Scottish FA as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
With this new partnership, Isuzu UK is further expanding its role as the driving force behind domestic football with a partnership already in place in England, with the Isuzu FA Vase and Isuzu FA Trophy and with the Irish Football Association.
The Scottish Cup first began in the 1873-74 season and is the second oldest competition in association football. The first final was held on March 21, 1874, at the original Hampden Park with Queen’s Park emerging victorious against Clydesdale.
Celtic have won the trophy more times than any other club with 40 titles to their name, the most recent coming in 2020. Their Glasgow rivals Rangers are not far behind with 34 Scottish Cup triumphs.
The next round of this season’s competition is being held on the weekend of 21 January, with the Semi-Finals set for Saturday, 29April and Sunday, 30April 2023. The final will be held on Saturday 3 June 2023 at the National Stadium, Hampden Park.
The Pick-up Professionals at Isuzu dealerships across Scotland will be getting actively involved with their local clubs, with some having already started making preparations for local sponsorship deals and promotional matchday activations.
William Brown, Managing Director, Isuzu UK said “We are extremely proud to announce our new partnership with the Scottish FA and the Scottish Cup.
“This agreement further demonstrates our commitment to domestic football and is also the last piece of the puzzle which now provides us with sports sponsorship across the whole of the UK.”
Michael Paterson, Head of Marketing and Partnerships, Scottish FA commented “We are delighted to welcome Isuzu UK as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
“Our flagship tournament boasts an illustrious history and, with a bumper Fourth Round weekend to look forward to in January, it is a hugely exciting time to welcome on board such an iconic and established international brand.
“This prestigious competition has given us so many unforgettable moments over the years and we look forward to sharing some more alongside the team at Isuzu UK.”
A volunteer on-call firefighter and former rugby player has vowed to keep Doddie Weir’s fundraising legacy alive to help find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Rob Wainwright is a farmer on the Island on Coll who helps to protect his local community in his role supporting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He’s also a former Scottish rugby captain, British and Irish Lion, and teammate of rugby legend Doddie Weir.
Three years ago, Rob founded Doddie Aid. To date, the mass participation event has raised around £2m for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, with the Foundation itself ploughing around £8m into MND research in the last five years.
Rob and Doddie remained close after their days on the field finished. Sadly, Doddie passed away last month following a battle with MND.
Rob said: “We are going through a period of sadness, but Doddie would not want us moping about. He would want us getting on with it – fundraising and trying to find a cure – and that’s what we will do.”
Rob said: “It’s a huge legacy and it’s for nothing if it doesn’t continue. It falls upon us that are left to carry the flame for Doddie and carry on his determination to find breakthroughs in the science and treatment of MND. Doddie may be gone but he is still leading us and driving us onwards.”
The last time Rob saw Doddie was when Doddie made a flying visit to the Island of Coll around two months ago.
Rob said: “When you play rugby with someone you are bound together by being part of a team. Doddie was a country man, a bit like myself and we shared the same kind of humour. We just hit it off.
“He came up for a visit and it was great to see him. We had lunch at The Coll Hotel and went on a distillery tour at Ardnamurchan. He needed things like that to look forward to. That was the last time I saw him.”
When Doddie passed away tributes poured in from all around the world and Rob wasn’t surprised by the amount of love felt for Doddie.
Rob said: “He was an extremely warm character, wonderfully friendly, with the perfect blend of humour and compassion. He was just a really good people person, with a really attractive personality that people loved, and he was very giving of his time.
“There was a lot that happened behind the scenes. Doddie was introduced to people who had just been diagnosed with MND. He was able to give them guidance and he in turn got guidance from other people.”
Rob has been putting plans in place for Doddie Aid. The mass participation event starts on January 1, 2023, and anyone can sign up and set their own challenge and fundraising goals.
Doddie Aid also includes a cycling event where hundreds of cyclists will leave from Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium on Thursday February 9, to arrive at Murrayfield in Edinburgh for the Scotland v Wales Six Nations match on Saturday February 11. The 555 mile cycle will be a continuous ride throughout the 48 hours.
And next year’s event is set to be even more emotional.
Rob said: “Everything will be a lot more poignant. It’s emotional anyway – when you get tired and you’ve been at it for a day and half, you’re running out of energy, haven’t eaten properly or slept and then the amazing welcomes at some of the rugby clubs.
“This year there’s even more determination, to make it even bigger and channel that love for Doddie now that he has gone.
“I’ve set myself a target of having 50,000 people signed up to Doddie Aid and to raise £2m for MND research.”
As well as organising Doddie Aid, Rob helps to keep his local Coll community safe as a volunteer on call firefighter – a role he’s held for nearly 20 years.
His colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have rallied to submit a cycling team for Doddie Aid. Rob’s fellow volunteer on call firefighters from the island’s fire station will be joining a 13-strong team from the SFRS East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute area.
Rob will be cycling as part of a British and Irish Rugby Lions Team.
He said: “I’m wishing luck to the SFRS team. I know they’ve been in training. Winter cycling in February might sound like a stupid thing to do but it’s overcoming these challenges working as a team – it will be a very uplifting experience.”
Area Commander Joe McKay is SFRS Local Senior Officer for East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute. He said: “We’ve seen first-hand the huge amount of effort it takes to organise Doddie Aid and we’re delighted to support Rob’s determination and importantly to support Doddie’s mission to raise money to help find a cure for MND.”
Jill Douglas, CEO, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We’re incredibly appreciative of all that the SFRS do, and to have them joining the Doddie Cup 555 ride is great!
“The ride is a gruelling challenge, but made easier knowing that each push of a pedal and mile covered takes us closer towards finding a cure to motor neuron disease.”
And that’s Rob’s goal – to keep fundraising to try to help others.
He said: “This is a call to arms. Please get involved, download the app, sign up, encourage people to join and spread the word.
“We have come a long way, but the journey needs to be pushed on. Doddie was defined not by what he did in his glory days on the rugby field, but by how he coped with his ultimate challenge, how he attacked it and the momentum he created to find solutions for MND.
“There’s lots of people out there with MND. Many of them don’t have the platform that Doddie had but he had that platform, and he used it. He had an amazing energy and determination to find a solution to this disease and to help others. He’ll keep pushing us on even though he isn’t here.
“We’ll keep funding research and hopefully there will be a breakthrough that will really make a difference for sufferers of MND. It’s what Doddie would have wanted.”
A service celebrating the life of rugby legend Doddie Weir is due to be held in the Scottish Borders today.
The former Scotland international died last month at the age of 52, six years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
The event takes place at Melrose Parish Church at 13:00 with anyone attending encouraged to wear tartan – a request made by Doddie Weir himself.
Athletes relish challenge as historic New Year’s Day race event makes its return
New Years day Races 010118
Picture: Alan Rennie
ATHLETES will compete in one of Scotland’s oldest sporting competitions as it makes a highly-anticipated return to its traditional place in the sporting calendar.
The annual sprint at Musselburgh Racecourse is now in its 154th year, but the pandemic forced it out of its New Year’s Day slot where it has been a popular annual fixture since 1999.
However, the first day of 2023 will see the New Year Sprint return to Musselburgh, as it welcomes athletes to compete in a 110m race with the winner receiving a top prize of £3,500.
It has been a top event on the open athlete sporting calendar since the 1870s, but was forced to take place mid-summer in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic.
Now, finalists will be shortlisted after a day of heats on 30 December at Meadowbank Sports Centre, before the main event at Musselburgh Racecourse’s New Year’s Day Meeting supported by Fitzdares (1 January).
Since the sprint has been held at Musselburgh it has been a huge attraction for the venue, which is typically packed with race-goers for the New Year’s Day horse racing fixture.
Frank Hanlon, promoter of the New Year Sprint, said: “During its long history, the ‘Sprint’ has produced many top-class competitors and this year is no different. Its even more special as the event returns to Musselburgh Racecourse after a two-year break.
“For this event, a handicap starting system has been designed to ensure that any runner, no matter what their ability, age or gender, has a chance of scooping the big first prize.
“We’re looking forward to getting the heats underway and uncovering who will be competing in this year’s main event.”
The sprint final will be televised as part of ITV’s racing coverage of the day’s events, with runners taking place on the outer horse racing circuit used for flat racing, in front of the crowds gathered at the Grand Stand.
The Highland Fling marquee will host entertainment from ‘The Funkwagen’, a Volkswagen campervan which has been converted to include DJ decks – with racegoers able to enjoy many other entertainment options, including a wide range of bars and street food outlets.
Aisling Johnston, Commercial Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse said: “After two years without the New Year Sprint, it is hugely exciting to get it back in front of a roaring crowd.
“The course is in fantastic condition for both horse and human racing and its set to kick off the New Year with a bang.”
The racecourse is also laying on a fleet of “first footer” ticketed buses from Penicuik, Dalkeith, Galashiels, Gorebridge, Dunbar, Haddington and Edinburgh which will ferry revellers to and from the East Lothian venue, which is a VisitScotland 5-star visitor attraction.
Advanced Adult tickets currently cost £40 – book before midnight 31st December to save £5 per person – on the day, will cost £45. Children 17 years and under go free
A timetable for the full New Year’s Day Sprint programme is available here:
Musselburgh Racecourse will see out 2022 with two Christmas racedays on Mondays 5 and 19 December before preparing for an expected sell-out occasion on New Year’s Day.
The Festive Jumps meeting on Monday (5 December) is an £80,000 seven race card with the feature race the two-mile Everyrace Live on Racing TV juvenile hurdle, supported by a £15,000 three mile handicap hurdle.
Members of the neighbouring Elite Loretto Choir will get racegoers into the festive spirt with a selection of seasonal tunes and representatives from the East Lothian Foodbank (ELF) will be at the racecourse to raise funds.
Supported by the Trussell Trust, ELF are working to provide Christmas boxes for local families to ensure they have the ingredients to enjoy a festive meal. As part of a continued partnership with ELF, the racecourse will provide a free adult ticket to the race meeting on Tuesday 3January for all recipients living in the Musselburgh area.
The £50,000 Christmas Jumper Race Day on 19 December is another seven race card with the feature race the £10,000 Watch on Racing TV novice handicap chase over 2 miles 4 furlongs. Musselburgh staff will be wearing Christmas jumpers and are encouraging race goers to do the same, with prizes for the best festive jumpers.
Aisling Johnston, Musselburgh Racecourse marketing manager, said: “Monday racing in the run up to Christmas can be a nice escape from the frenzy of city centre shopping, but we will be doing our bit to spread good cheer and to get race goers in to the festive spirit.
“We are happy to welcome again East Lothian Food Bank and to support them supporting local families, and we are delighted that the talented choir from neighbouring Loretto School will be here on 5 December.
“At our meeting on 19 December we are hoping to see lots of race goers sporting Christmas jumpers at what will be our last race day of 2022 before we prep for the big meeting on New Year’s Day.”
Gates open on both days at 11am and general admission tickets priced £20 can be purchased online by visiting www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk
● The All Blacks stopped off in Edinburgh today on their Northern Hemisphere tour to inspire children across Scotland to get moving.
● This is the All Blacks’ first visit to Scotland since 2017, and tomorrow they will face Scotland in the highly-anticipated Autumn Internationals match.
● The All Blacks are supporting The Daily Mile to help millions of children improve health & wellbeing by exercising for 15 minutes a day.
● All Blacks Captain Sam Whitelock said:“It’s fantastic to be in Scotland supporting the charity of our sponsor INEOS and getting the chance to run alongside the kids and teach them some of our best rugby moves! We’ve been so impressed by the work The Daily Mile is doing to get kids more active and bring communities together through daily exercise – it’s something so simple but effective that everyone can benefit from.”
The All Blacks took time out from their Northern Hemisphere tour today to visit schoolchildren in Edinburgh to help inspire more children across the country to get active through The Daily Mile.
60 local school children from Leith Walk Primary School had the opportunity to take part in a very special Daily Mile with their guests from New Zealand and receive rugby skills coaching from All Blacks players at an event day hosted at Drummond Community High School.
This comes as Scottish children stepped their way into the history books in October, making Scotland the world’s first Daily Mile Nation. It means that more than half of Scottish primary schools are now participating in The Daily Mile.
The initiative encourages children to run, jog, wheel or walk for just 15 minutes a day in the fresh air with friends – promoting mental and physical wellbeing, which is especially important to help reduce the strain on the NHS this winter. Teachers can also take part alongside children, strengthening important school relationships and attainment outcomes.
It was started by former Head Teacher Elaine Wyllie MBE of St Ninian’s Primary in Stirling in 2012 and has grown every year, with the support of INEOS. Globally, there are now nearly 4 million children taking part in 16,000+ schools in 87 countries around the world. It is endorsed by some of the most successful athletes including marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, British track and field athlete Eilidh Doyle and the All Blacks.
Founder of The Daily Mile Elaine Wyllie MBE, said: “We are forever grateful for the incredible support we receive from athletes around the world and we can’t thank the All Blacks enough for taking time out of their busy schedules to come down and share their passion for daily exercise with the local schoolchildren.
“Their influence really does go a long way to inspire kids to get active outdoors and join in with their schoolmates. Just 15 minutes of daily physical activity improves a child’s mood, concentration and memory – enhancing their ability to learn.”
All Blacks Captain Sam Whitelock, said: “It’s fantastic to be in Scotland supporting the charity of our sponsor INEOS and getting the chance to run alongside the kids and teach them some of our best rugby moves!
“We’ve been so impressed by the work The Daily Mile is doing to get kids more active and bring communities together through daily exercise – it’s something so simple but effective that everyone can benefit from.”
Headteacher at Leith Walk Primary Mr. Gorrie, added: “This has been a terrific opportunity for the children at Leith Walk Primary School to take part in the Daily Mile alongside the All Blacks, and to receive some rugby coaching from the most famous of all international teams.
“The children have had a terrific time today. They were so excited to meet the All Blacks. “Seeing the amazing skill and fitness of the All Black players first hand, will certainly have increased the children’s motivation to be active and participate in sport.
“On behalf of everybody who attended I would like to say a huge thank you to the All Blacks and wish them all the very best for the rest of their Northern Hemisphere tour. I hope they visit us again soon!”
A Ukrainian teenage refugee, Arsenii Opryshko, is showing his prowess on the tennis courts with support from Edinburgh Leisure.
Every day, all over the world, people leave their own countries in search of a better life. While some choose to leave for work, study or play, others feel that the threat of persecution or conflict means they have no choice but to leave.
We watched in horror earlier this year as families just like our own were forced to flee warn-torn Ukraine with nothing but a suitcase in tow. Since then, more than 9,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Scotland.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity committed to creating opportunities for people in Edinburgh to keep active and well.
Each year our Active Communities programme uses the power of physical activity and sport to support around 10,000 people affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty to improve their health and wellbeing.
A combination of our Active Communities programme, city-wide venues and dedicated staff mean that we are uniquely placed to make relocated people feel welcome in our capital city.
While physical activity is by no means a magic wand that will make their problems disappear, Edinburgh Leisure believes that getting active can have a hugely positive impact on their lives.
Improving health and mental wellbeing, incorporating some routine into their week in a period of instability, boosting confidence and self-esteem, reducing loneliness and isolation, and helping them to integrate into their new communities are just some of the benefits that being active can bring them.
Since 2016 Edinburgh Leisure has delivered our Relocated People Access programme in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council’s Migration and Refugee Team.
Through the project, we give relocated people access cards, which allows them free use of our facilities for six months while they are settling into their new city. We are now supporting around 2,000 people from countries around the world including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria.
More recently we have also started providing children who are new to the city with free use of our facilities, places on our children’s sports coaching programmes and places on our holiday sports camps over the summer to help them enjoy the active childhood they deserve.
One such child who is benefitting from support, is a young teenage Ukrainian refugee, Arsenii Opryshko, who only arrived in Edinburgh in July 2022, but is already being recognised for his tennis skills.
Recently he has beaten other talented junior tennis players by winning the LTA Scotland Tour, Grade 5, Boys U16 event – coming first, which took place in Broughty Ferry and also came second in a similar event at Dalgety Bay on 14 October and more recently won the U16 boys event at Kelso (6 November 2022).
Arsenii Opryshko, 13 years, a displaced refugee from Kharkiv, an eastern region of Ukraine, a region that borders Russia, arrived in Scotland under the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor scheme, along with his parents, Vadym and Olga. They are being hosted by a retired police sergeant, Mark McCool and his husband in Broomhouse, Edinburgh.
Arsenii was a pupil at Gymnasium Number 13, a secondary school in Kharkiv. He holds a national ranking in his chosen sport of tennis and as a talented tennis player undertook three hours of tennis coaching per day.
Realising his tennis talent, Mark McCool, along with the support of Mandy Fairnie, Operations Manager at Edinburgh Leisure’s Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, has managed to secure coaching from various sources, including coaches at the Edinburgh flagship tennis centre, and East of Scotland tennis clubs and through Tennis Scotland.
Arsenii is currently a member at Hatton Sports Club, which has tennis, padel tennis, squash and racketball facilities and is situated on the A71 near Kirknewton.
Caroline Newton, one of the committee members at Hatton, and a fellow Ukrainian host, secured free membership of the club, with the cooperation of her fellow committee members.
Mark McCool, host to the family said: “There’s no doubting the tennis talent of this young lad, especially in taking the overall trophy for the Under 16 Boys Singles competition, when he is only 13 years. Yet it shouldn’t be underestimated the hoops this family have had to through just to get to this stage.
“Like many of their fellow countrymen, none of them have chosen the journey they have all been on, but they are making the best of a bad situation. I’m so grateful to everyone that has supported the family so far to help progress their son’s talent.
“But then again, participating in tennis doesn’t come cheaply. And while everyone has given of their time freely until now, there are always the hidden costs associated at competing at such a level, including rackets, balls, shoes, entry costs etc.”
The family had left Ukraine to go on their first family holiday in three years to Egypt, a country they had been longing to visit for 10 years. It was a holiday that would combine rest and relaxation with a business opportunity that Vadym was developing and a business meeting with a new partner – not knowing that this would be the same week that Russia would invade Ukraine.
After the skies around their country were closed to all air traffic, the family were stranded in an Egyptian hotel with three suitcases full of summer clothes, sandals, and flip flops.
The family’s circumstance was very quickly recognised by other guests in the hotel and those guests, all of whom were on holiday, clubbed together and funded one of the German families to take Vadym, Olga and Arsenii home with them to southern Germany.
Before long Vadym, Olga and Arsenii found themselves surrounded by many Ukrainian refugee families who had themselves fled the regions worst hit by the Russian invasion.
In Germany, Vadym and Olga’s personal and professional experience was quickly recognised by the German authorities and Vadym, a fluent English speaker was recruited into a refugee support position by the Mayor’s office in the German village of Bad Schonborn, 80km from the city of Stuttgart.
Olga meanwhile found herself working in, and ultimately running, an already established kitchen that was now feeding a wave of refugees, over and above their normal duties in providing for the existing community.
As Mark McCool explained: “Despite the magnitude of the developing situation, Vadym and Olga’s main desire was to provide as normal a life as possible for their teenage son, which was made possible by the German community who quickly offered Arsenii a place in a school and who they also enrolled in a local tennis programme.”
Unfortunately for the family though, their time in Germany was short-lived.
As Vadym’s family had come to Germany from Egypt, a country seen by the German Government as a safe country, they refused to identify Vadym’s family as a refugee family. The German Government assessed Vadym’s family position as that of a non-EU family entering their country as tourists on a tourist visa which only gave the family a limited period of stay.
Their visa application was therefore rejected, and the family were given until 31st May 2022 to leave Germany, although an extension was granted until November, as they had not secured anywhere to go by the initial date. During this time Vadym discovered the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor scheme and arrived in Scotland on 15th July after Mark McCool and his partner agreed to sponsor the family’s application to come to Edinburgh.
Vadym Opryshko, father to Arsenii said: “As a family, we couldn’t have asked for a more supportive welcome from so many different people in Edinburgh.
“Like any parents, we just want the best for our child and for Arsenii, it’s to continue developing his natural tennis ability, despite the challenges we have experienced since leaving our homeland.”
Concluding, Mark McCool said: “My partner and I, along with so many other members of the local and tennis community have welcomed this displaced family into our hearts.
“Arsenii is one talented individual when it comes to playing tennis, and we couldn’t be prouder of his achievements over the weekend.
“We just hope we can continue to find support to nurture his talent while he is a guest in Scotland.”
