August 2008 Archives

It's been great to get out and about during the World Firefighter Games to see everyone getting stuck into events and really enjoying themselves.
I popped along to the Dragon Boat racing and saw hundreds of people singing and cheering - some even in fancy dress.
It's nice to know that people are still getting into the spirit of the event. I'm sure lots of them are also enjoying the entertainment that Liverpool has to offer outside the events.
With the Games Village situated at the Echo Arena and most of the contestants staying local they have all had the chance to sample the city's clubs, bars and restaurants. And from what I hear they have really been partying hard!
On Saturday the real hard work starts - the fundraising.
The Chiefs challenge hopes to raise £100,000 for local charities - including the Roy Castle Lung Foundation and the Marina Dalgleish Appeal. Let's hope they hit the target.

Team UK have been going from success to success and are currently topping the medal table for the World Firefighter Games (A full medals and results table is available on the Echo website). Good on them I say.
Today brought more good news with Liverpool Lib Dem councillor Eddie Clein taking silver in the table tennis. He narrowly missed out on gold after being beaten by the German champ.
We have also have fantastic results in the Merseyside men's 11-a-side football team who beat Venezuela in the final as well as a double medal win in the Iron Dog.
The Toughest Firefighter appears to be living up to its name.
Allerton firefighter Lauren McCormack finished her heat in the Toughest Firefighter Alive today in a commendable 21mins 9 seconds.
Mike O'Mahoney from Croxteth fire station - a gold medal winner in the men's rowing - is currently in fourth place overall with an impressive 10mins 25secs.
Lauren, 24, said: "I am pleased with the time. The lad who ran with me did it in 17 minutes.
"I was a bit disappointed I never made it over the obstacle wall but three quarters into the course I dropped the 80kg dummy and had to drag it to the finish line so I was exhausted.
"The toughest part of it was running up St John's Beacon."
Lauren will next be in action in the 60kg women's boxing at the Echo arena on Monday.
It is also nice to see the firefighters themselves taking time out from the events to get involved in the Liverpool community.
A team of New York fire fighters took time out of the World Fire Fighter Games to visit youngsters in Kensington.
They thanked the children and staff of education charity Prospects 2000, who had sponsored five of the New York team to come to the Games, as part of their fire awareness project.

The 10th World Firefighter Games got underway on Monday in spectacular style.
It was a fantastic display of sportsmanship and solidarity and the hard work of organisers and volunteers in bringing everyone together was praised by all concerned.
Some competitors from South Africa actually told me that they believed Liverpool was better than Hong Kong! I don't think there is any doubt we know how to throw a party.
The first events got started today (Tues) with a great deal of excitement and Merseyside got its first gold medal in the rowing - it doesn't get better than that. Team GB have got nothing on these guys.
Keep your eyes peeled on the Echo website for the medals table - who knows our guys may do better than the team did in Beijing.
I went along to see the Iron Dog competition which seems to have caught a lot of people's imaginations but I mostly looking forward to watching the Toughest Firefighter Alive competition - I take off my hat to anyone who has the strength, the skill and endurance to complete such a gruelling event.

The World Firefighter Games 2008 gets underway on Monday with a spectacular Olympic-style opening ceremony which is expected to be attended by thousands.

Coming on the back of the Olympics in which Team GB have been unbelievably successful, organisers are hoping to recreate a similar atmosphere on Merseyside. After all where else would you see paintballing, cooking and arm wrestling appear side by side as competitive sports alongside boxing, martial arts, badminton, rowing and track and field?