The city of Valencia will become the very epicentre of sport for one week between 14th and 20th November, when in just seven days it will be holding the Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) Valencia Marathon, the meeting of the Association of International Marathons, the Technical Committee of the European Capitals of Sport Association, the 1st European Conference on Volunteering and the Expo Deporte Valencia sports fair.

The Divina Pastora Valencia Marathon will take centre stage, providing an ideal circuit (completely flat) and the perfect temperature (between 12 and 17 degrees) to break records. November is the perfect time of year for long-distance running. Together with the unique setting accompanying the event, the Divina Pastora Valencia Marathon is one of the most important events in the Spanish calendar.

Running a few meters from the sea and passing through parts of the city where the Formula 1 Grand Prix and America's Cup have been held are just some of the privileged features provided by the Divina Pastora Valencia Marathon.

The City of Arts and Sciences will be at the heart of an event that intends to be a celebration of sport. Both the starting and finishing line, as well as activities held along with the race, will be found in an architectural enclave that is without a doubt one of the most spectacular of this century. Athletes will reach their goal running literally over the water by the Príncipe Felipe Museum on a platform over 150 meters long and 8 wide marking the end of one of the most fascinating marathons ever seen.

A fair for the sports industry

Furthermore, starting two days before the big athletics event, the incomparable backdrop will be hosting Expo Deporte Valencia. This is to be held in the City of Arts and Sciences at the Príncipe Felipe museum on 18th and 19th November. There will be a privileged exhibition area of 3,600 m2 that is expected to host 20,000 visitors.

Expo Deporte Valencia stems from the aim of becoming the meeting point for the industry and sports associations in the city, a forum where professionals, amateurs and the general public will gather at the same time as the celebration of the 31st Divina Pastora event in Valencia.

Expo Deporte Valencia will also be where the shirt numbers are given out and participants register for the next Divina Pastora Marathon in Valencia and for the Divina Pastora 10 km Race in Valencia, thereby ensuring a large number of visitors to the fair with all of those registered.
http://maratondivinapastoravalencia.com/feria-del-corredor-3/

European Capitals of Sport Association Meeting

Also on these dates, European sport will focus on Valencia since our city will be hosting the meeting of the Technical Committee of the European Capitals of Sport Association (ACES). This has recently been formed and includes sports trainers with a university degree in the Science of Physical Activity and Sport from cities in ACES and other highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in the management of municipal sports, who are beginning this first European Network of Municipal Sports Management.

The main objectives of the ATC are to create an exemplary collection of good practices in European municipal sport while fostering an ongoing discussion and developing working guidelines with technical content and professional advice.

1st European Congress of Volunteering

Another event this week will be the 1st European Congress of Sports Volunteers, which will be held in the Principe Felipe Science Museum on 17th and 18th November 2011. The purpose of this first conference is to reflect on the position of "Volunteers" in the field of sport, considering that this is one of the features that sustains this system and encourages progress. Moreover, in recent years we have seen this become regulated by public authorities (EU, the state and the autonomous community region). The congress will feature three distinct areas: the sports volunteers' organizational context in the European Union, Spain and the Valencia region, the figure of the volunteer in sporting events and the figure of the volunteer in sports associations.

For more information, please consult the official website of the 1st European Congress of Volunteering:
www.voluntariadodeportivo.com

Meeting of the Association of International Marathons

These same two days, and also during the Divina Pastora Valencia Marathon, there will be one of the two meetings held every year by the Board of Directors of the Association of International Marathons and Long Distance Races (AIMS). AIMS, which includes 314 international races (mainly marathons) in 97 different countries, is the body that manages these long-distance races jointly with the IAAF.

All members of this Board are elected at the congress (50% of the members at each one) that the Association holds every two years. The last election was held in Athens in October 2010 where Francisco Borao (the representative of the Marathon and Half-Marathon in Valencia) was also elected as president of AIMS.

The board meetings and these congresses are organized at the AIMS race headquarters. A congress was held in Valencia in 2005 and it is now host to a meeting of the board. The meetings of this group of specialists deal with administrative, economic and social management of the association, as well as the activities related to fostering and promoting such distance races around the world.