Bali Travel news > Staying Competitive in Bali (Bali Sports Gala to Bring Island's Sporting Community to Together on December 1, 2007)

Source: www.balidiscovery.com
November 16, 2007

The first annual Bali Sports Gala will be held on December 1, 2007, to celebrate competitive sports activities on the Island and salute Bali's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.

Joining the festivities will be international sports personalities such as Australian Olympic and World swimming champion Michael Klim; Australian Rules Hawthorne football club captain, Richard Vandenberg; and Australian netball star Natasha Choklja. Acting a Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Justin 'Sambo' Sampson - Asia's resident rugby expert from ESPN Star Sports and coach of the Indonesian Rugby team.

The audience will for the memorable evening will include enthusiastic local and visiting sports enthusiasts together with members and supporters of local sporting clubs including the Bali Flames Netball Club, Bali Geckos Australian Rules Football team, Bali Rugby Club, Bali Bulldogs Football team, Royal Bali Yacht Club and the Metro, Geckos and Udayana cricket teams.

On tap for the evening is a review of highlights from the last year of sporting activity in Bali and tributes to the Island's to the island's most dedicated and talented athletes. Awards will also be presented to Bali's male and female Sports Personality of the Year, the Most Outstanding Sportsperson from each club, and the People's Choice Award for public nominations.

The night will also feature an auction of sporting memorabilia and an overview of what's in store for Bali in 2008.

This year's Gala follows successful sporting tournaments and competitions on the island over the past year, including the annual Bali Nines Australian Rules Football Tournament, Bali Tens Rugby Tournament, Bali Sevens Netball Tournament and the first Bali International Triathlon held in June which brought triathletes from around the world to compete in a world-class triathlon event for the first time in Bali.

Looking ahead, 2008 promises a return of the annual football and netball tournaments; and the next Bali International Triathlon scheduled for June 29, 2008 - all promising to further raise Bali's sporting profile and provide yet another reason for people to visit the island.

"It's time we came together to celebrate Bali's sporting achievements," said Gala founder Rodney Holt. "In recent years we've witnessed small groups of friends with a shared passion for a particular sport, develop into clubs with growing player numbers and supporter bases. They now compete in national and international leagues and bring overseas teams to the island for international tournaments, while giving back to the local community through charity fundraising, children's programs and sports development."

A portion of proceeds raised through ticket sales, the auction and sponsorship of the Gala will be donated to charity. "Fundraising for charity and future development of sports in Bali is an important element of the Annual Sports Gala," said Holt.

"Our aim is for the Gala to be the biggest night on Bali's sporting calendar. It will bring all these separate clubs together at one huge event to share the year's highlights with sporting enthusiasts and the wider Bali community."

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