4 cities in running for 2020 WMA outdoor worlds, including Toronto

Sweden hasn't hosted worlds since 1977.

Sweden hasn’t hosted worlds since 1977.

Doug “Shaggy” Smith of Ontario Masters Athletics reported Wednesday night that bidders have been announced for the 2020 World Masters Athletics Championships. The WMA website says nothing, but Doug lists these cities in the hunt: Bogotá, Colombia; Gothenburg, Sweden; Tampere, Finland; and his own Toronto, Canada (site of the first WAVA meet in 1975). Gothenburg (aka Göteborg) hosted the second WAVA worlds in 1977. “Some fine locations,” he wrote on Facebook. “It will be an interesting vote. Full steam ahead on our bid – producing the best one possible.” The Toronto 2020 bid was telegraphed in November. (The 2018 worlds are set for Málaga, Spain. And Perth has 2016, of course.) Methinks Sweden and Canada are the front-runners. I presume the pick will be made at the Perth General Assembly.

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February 3, 2016

11 Responses

  1. Mary Harada - February 4, 2016

    Nice to have 4 bids, hopefully 4 well thought out and planned bids. It will be interesting to see how this plays out when the vote is taken in Perth.

  2. Kathryn Martin - February 4, 2016

    Brofessor,this your sis, let’s all get behind the Toronto shagman in his bid to have Toronto host 2020 Worlds. We know our Northern Brethren know how to do this. Doug, did I beat your steeple time last year?

  3. Ken Stone - February 4, 2016

    Toronto 2020 site shows possible venues and lists an Olympian on the LOC:
    http://wmatoronto2020.com/

  4. Paul Oakes - February 4, 2016

    My view:
    Perhaps Finland and Sweden ruled out due to 2018 Champs being in Europe?
    What guarantees are there that returning to South America wouldn’t be a repeat of the unmitigated disaster that was Brazil?
    Let’s spread the event around whilst keeping the event in safe hands and providing the participants with a memorable (for all the right reasons) experience and get behind the Toronto bid.

  5. Ken Stone - February 4, 2016

    Given the heavy European voting advantage, a vote for Sweden is a possibility. Lahti 2009 was well-run and also will have a shot.

  6. Emmanuel TARDI - February 4, 2016

    Championship in Finland ( Lahti , Jyvaskyla or Helsinki ) were always perfect . South America ( Porto Alegre ) was a nightmare . I hope Tampere will win .

  7. Ken Stone - February 4, 2016

    My WMA source suggests I jumped the gun.

    “I cannot confirm the bidders, as until after the 1st March they are not final bids,” the official says.

    So stay tuned.

  8. Doug Shaggy Smith - February 12, 2016

    Thanks for the support

  9. Doug Shaggy Smith - February 12, 2016

    To clarify…the Bid Applications had to be in at the end of January. The actual Bid documentation has to be in at the end of February. The vote is in Perth on November 3rd.

  10. Doug Shaggy Smith - February 22, 2016

    Ken – TWO Olympians on the LOC. 🙂

  11. Ken Stone - February 22, 2016

    I have a bid for two. Do I hear three?

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