Wellington to host the 2011 Asia Pacific Outgames

Wellington is gearing up to host the 2011 Asia Pacific Outgames. With 16 sports announced to date, some of the parties, and a number of arts and cultural activities it's going to be an exciting event.

International interest in the event is building. “Over 25 swimmers from the Sydney club, Wett Ones, have already indicated their interest,” says Outgames Co-chair Virginia Hopkins-Burns. “With partners, friends and supporters, that’s likely to mean 40 or 50 people will come to the Outgames just from that one club alone.”

Further afield, a group from the Philippines is planning to come and has already established its own Facebook page. (See the Wellington Outgames Facebook page for details.) Outgames organisers are also in touch with groups in other Asian countries including Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Registrations will open on 12th June, 2010 via the official website http://www.wellingtonoutgames.com/

Click here to listen to the HDC chat with Wellington Outgames.

Gay Games and Outgames agree to a single world event

Instead of having two competing global sporting events - the Gay Games and the Outgames - from 2018 there will just be one world event every four years.

The organisers of the 2nd AsiaPacific Outgames being held in Wellington next year are delighted by the move. “It makes sense to have just one world event,” says David Hindley, co-chair of the upcoming Outgames. “And both organisations have committed to supporting the AsiaPacific Outgames next year.”

The agreement comes after a meeting of the Co-Presidents of the Federation of Gay Games and the Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association (which organises the Outgames) on 5 March in Manchester, UK. A joint working group will be set up to continue the discussions required to carry out the intended goal of one quadrennial world event in 2018.