City Sports surges higher on Europe’s elite meet ranking list

BUPA Cork City Sports has rocketed into up to third place on the European list of Permit Meetings and just below Grand Prix status, which is determined on budgets, attendances, appearance money and television coverage as well as performances on the track.

“It certainly came as a pleasant surprise,” said City Sports chairman, Dick Hodgins.

“Last year we jumped up to sixth place and we were quite chuffed about that but third place was beyond our wildest dreams.”

The performances at the 2006 showpiece earned the meet 70,301 points, ranking it behind the Veniziela Meeting in Chania, Greece, with 80,137 pts and Padova in Italy with 79,817 pts.

The points are decided on the performances of the top five athletes in each event and then, if the standard of the next two is high enough, that too will be taken into account.

“It is all about quality, and quality in depth,” Hodgins said. “We have had fields of a very high quality over the past two years — including Olympic and world championship medallists — and their performances are reflected in the overall performance of our meet.”

The placings on the list of EAA Permit Meetings immediately attracts the interest of agents and managers around the world and by noon yesterday Hodgins already received two enquires about next year’s meeting, which takes place on June 30 at The Mardyke.

“We are within touching distance of the No 1 spot and that will be our target,” he said. “We are thrilled with the way the meet has grown and that is due in no small measure to BUPA Ireland.

“They have been anchor sponsors since 2001 and the security they give us enables us to put world class fields together. The attraction of No 1 spot is huge. It is huge challenge and we want to move up to that challenge.”