Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Home soil

For some reason I have felt detached from much of the recent sporting action which has taken place over the past week on this small island we call home. In theory a true supporter’s interest should not vary when sporting events change their locations yet I have been aware of my personal enthusiasm waning as the north of the country has been attracting all the attention.
Admittedly I had a busy week of work which featured a lot of driving and even included a trip north of the M4, yet I have hardly taken any notice of this year’s Tour of Britain cycle race. That could be due to the lack of a British yellow jersey or more likely it is due to the location. The last two years I have followed the Tour diligently as it passed through the Southwest and beyond. Even friends from outside of sport were talking about it yet this September I haven’t even heard my cycle club mention the race. I am sure the whole of Yorkshire has been getting behind the cyclists but I do hope the legacy of this significant international cycle event will live on across the whole country. We need to encourage people to get on their bikes and not just when a few professionals fly past their door.
Thanks to Olympic champion Mo Farah I did hear more about the Great North Run. Aside from the elite race this event is a fine example of getting thousands of the public active and engaged in sport. It really is a major highlight in the sporting calendar and always receives a phenomenal level of support, even if it is the wrong side of the M4..
All of this pales into insignificance though compared to my excitement about the forthcoming Rugby World Cup which kicks off in less than a week. The action will be coming right to our doorstep as Exeter’s Sandy Park hosts a number of the opening pool games.

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