Photo: London's Mayor, Boris Johnson, takes pot shots at our photographer during the World Cup bid launch in London. England international Ashley Jackson offers some coaching tips. (www.hockeyimages.co.uk)England Hockey launched its bid to host the 2014 FIH World Cups in London today (Tuesday).
It has been an open secret for some time that the EHB was going to make a bid for the quadrennial event but today marked the formal announcement that England is one of the contenders. It is believed that at the present time the only known competition is from The Netherlands - who like London are bidding for both men's and women's tournaments - and India, who are believed to be bidding for the women's tournament only. India was, of course, the host for the 2010 Men's World Cup.
If England win the bid it will be only the second time that England has hosted the tournament – England won silver when the Men's World Cup was held in Willesden in London in 1986 – and it will be only the second time that both tournaments are held together. Utrecht in The Netherlands played host to both the men's and women's tournaments in a very successful World Cup in 1998.
The bid launch was held at Foreman's Fish Island, appropriately in the shadow of the new 2012 Olympic Stadium. The intention is to hold the Hockey World Cups in the legacy facility at nearby Eton Manor, which will house the Olympic hockey stadium after the Olympics have finished.
Frank Warren, probably best known as a boxing promoter, would lead the promotion and ticketing of the event if the bid is successful. Frank Warren said of the bid, "I am delighted to add my weight to this impressive bid. I have promoted many great Championship Events here in London and this is going to be one of the most exciting. First of course we have to win the bid but we have a great team so let's and bring the World Cups to London."
Also at the event was London Mayor, Boris Johnson.
You can hear interviews with Boris Johnson, Frank Warren and England International Ashleigh Ball, from the event, on our monthly podcast available from 4 November 2010. Go to our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk for more details of our podcasts. We also have images from the event at our photos web site at www.hockeyimages.co.uk.
