It was an exciting start to the year for UK sport, as the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) announced that a World Climbing Series event will return to the UK in June 2027.

Revealed at the launch of the governing body’s new 2030 strategy, Route to Adventure, the news marks a major moment for Climbing in Britain, bringing international competition back to the UK calendar for the first time since the Climbing World Cup Edinburgh in 2022.

Taking place one year ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the event, to be staged in Manchester, gives GB Climbing athletes the chance to compete on home turf in the build-up to the next Olympic and Paralympic Games, while providing sports and live event fans a rare opportunity to experience world-class competition in the UK.

Speaking on the announcement, Marco Scolaris, President of World Climbing, said: “Great Britain has a rich history in organising world class events and we are thrilled to be back with our World Climbing Series in 2027, in a city synonymous with sport.

“The timing is also perfect with the strength of the British athletes on the world stage, the climbers and the BMC have helped grow the climbing community in Britain. Since Toby Roberts capped a strong British Olympic performance with a gold medal at Paris 2024, everything has gone up another level.

“I’m excited to visit Manchester and see the reaction of the crowd not only to the British athletes, but all of our climbers. The British public always comes out to support sport, and now we will get to experience that amazing support firsthand.”

Paul Ratcliffe, CEO of the British Mountaineering Council, added: “It’s exciting to be able to confirm that a World Series climbing event will return to the UK in 2027 as part of the BMC’s major event programme. Hosting a competition of this scale in Manchester is a strong statement about the UK’s place on the international climbing stage and a great opportunity for our athletes, fans, the climbing community and the wider public to experience the sport at the very highest level.

“Our Route to Adventure strategy sets out how we will build on moments like this to support people into climbing and help them progress, whatever their starting point. Using major events to inspire participation, strengthen pathways and reinforce our commitment to inclusion is central to our long-term approach”.

The event, which will include Olympic and Paralympic disciplines, has been secured through collaboration between the BMC, Manchester City Council, Manchester Accommodation BID, World Climbing and substantial National Lottery investment through UK Sport.

To be amongst the first to find out more sign up for further information here.

We were proud to support the BMC on the delivery of the announcement.  For further information on our team’s extensive sports expertise including British Cycling, Mountain Mayhem, the Festival of Cycling, GB Taekwondo, National Road Series, and UK Athletics get in touch with [email protected].  Alternatively see here for a taste of our work with Simon Jersey on the business’s sponsorship of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

We’re delighted to introduce Outside Of Ordinary to Strong’s portfolio of clients.

Specialists in building authentic active and outdoor brands that better connect to people and planet, the agency offers extraordinary thinking for brands looking to create a better future.

Working in close partnership, Strong will shine a light on Outside of Ordinary’s impactful work, further raising the profile of the expert team and its breadth of exceptional services in a suite of specialist media outlets.

With deep knowledge and experience of outdoor and active cultures, the specialist creative agency works in a number of transformational areas, collaborating with brands who are aiming to be extraordinary.  These include brand vision, creative strategy, creative narratives and story-telling campaigns, brand design, film and photoshoots, considered content creation, brand activation, and campaign guidance and asset packs.

Outside of Ordinary works with an impressive roster of clients including Adidas Terrex, Montane, Ronhill, TOG24, Alpkit, Mountain Equipment, Ribble Cycles, and the British Mountaineering Council, there are no shortage of powerful stories to tell.

We’re looking forward to sharing them.  For tips on building extraordinary outdoor and active brands, the team’s latest news, recent client successes, the odd bit of adventure, and #shootingthebreeze: Q&As with outdoor industry folk, visit Inside Out at outsideoforidnary.co.uk/inside-out.

Football legend Paul Scholes has joined forces with children Arron and Alicia to open a new state-of-the-art gym, Scholes Gym, in his hometown, Oldham.

The 10,000 sq. ft development, designed by award-winning designer Mark Mason, sees a £500k investment in the new facility, bringing new life to Lees Road and the surrounding area.

Designed over two floors, the impressive facility features a functional fitness area with personalised track; personalised steel dumbbells; pin and plate loaded elite bodybuilding machines; a bespoke Astroturf; and top-of-the-range kit such as the plate loaded fly, which is designed to hit all chest muscle fibres.

Members also have access to a Batak reaction machine, a piece of kit rarely found outside of professional sports studios and applauded by elite sportspeople including Paul for improving reaction, hand eye coordination and stamina.

A range of cardio equipment with treadmills, assault bikes, rowers and ski ergs is also available to members with an enclosed studio playing host to cardio, strength, and conditioning classes including HIIT, Functional Fitness, and Abs Blast.

The Strong Agency was pleased to be appointed to manage the launch providing the media with an exclusive first look at the gym and interviews with Paul Scholes and children Arron and Alicia.  It was a packed schedule with widespread broadcast, print and online coverage enjoyed.  Highlights include ITV News, TalkSport, The Manchester Evening News, The Manc, Global, Manchester World, Insider Media to name but a few.

Scholes Gym is open now.  To register visit www.scholesgym.com.

The opening is the latest in a series of launches delivered by The Strong Agency and follows the press launch of the 2020 Olympics formalwear collection for leading retailer, Simon Jersey, and re-launch of women’s outdoorwear brand, ACAI Outdoorwear.  Read more on the medal worth Olympic press launch here and multi-award-winning campaign for ACAI Outdoorwear here.

Leading uniform company Simon Jersey has revealed Team GB’s official formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics.

The bespoke suits were unveiled at an exclusive launch event hosted at the company’s headquarters and attended by British Olympians Elinor Barker, Dan Bibby and Mahama Cho.

The official formalwear supplier to Team GB for the third consecutive Olympic Games, Simon Jersey’s specially designed suits will be worn by athletes, coaches and staff at all formal engagements at the delayed Summer Games, which open on July 23.

We were pleased to support the Cheshire-based company in taking news to the press, working closely with the brilliant team at Simon Jersey and Team GB.  It was an absolute pleasure for Strong Founder Jules, who counts seven years working with British Cycling to promote a wide range of international cycling events and her experience of working with GB Taekwondo to host the 2015 World Taekwondo Grand Prix, amongst her career highlights, and a welcome opportunity to combine the agency’s sport and retail PR expertise.

Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion cyclist, Elinor Barker, was the first to showcase the chic blue slim-cut trouser suit, complemented with a red low tie blouse and matching clutch bag, which will be worn by Britain’s female Olympians.

She was joined by fellow Team GB athletes, Dan Bibby, whose rugby sevens side won silver at Rio 2016, and taekwondo star, Mahama Cho, who competed at Rio 2016 and secured a silver medal in the World Taekwondo Championships a year later. They unveiled the formalwear for Britain’s male athletes, which includes a stylish slim-fitting blue suit, paired with a white shirt and blue tie.

Speaking on the final preparations for kitting out Team GB for the Tokyo Olympics, Simon Jersey Managing Director, Matthew Stead, said: “Dressing Team GB is a real privilege and it’s down to us to make sure our Olympic athletes look and feel their best during formal engagements. Our team is highly experienced in working alongside Team GB and formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics has been specially designed with athletic body shapes in mind, delivering both comfort and style in equal measures.

“Our preparations for the postponed Olympic Games began in 2019 and with the challenge of a significantly extended time frame between our first sizing sessions and final fittings, we’re going to great lengths to make sure each and every suit is a perfect fit. We’re incredibly excited about seeing Team GB suited and booted in Simon Jersey formalwear to enhance their winning reputation. I’m sure they will do us proud, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

Widespread national, regional and trade coverage was enjoyed.  For further examples of Strong’s award-winning retail PR work visit here.