Gateshead to Host 2013 European Team Athletics Champs.

It was announced yesterday, June 6, that the English city of Gateshead has been chosen to host the 2013 European Team Championships. 

The European Athletics Council made the decision at its meeting in Frankfurt following UK Athletics and the City of Gateshead bid presentation to host the fourth edition of the Super League.

It will be the first time that the North East city will host European Athletics’ flagship team event, after hosting its predecessor, the SPAR European Cup, in 1989 and 2000, when Britain’s men lifted the trophy on each occasion. 

European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz stated: “We are very pleased to confirm that Gateshead will be the hosts of the European Team Championships Super League in 2013.

“Athletics has a huge following in Great Britain and we have been assured today that we can look forward to an excellent event.”

Gateshead was chosen ahead of·Braunschweig in Germany, Bydgoszcz in Poland and Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

Niels de Vos, the chief executive of UK Athletics, added: “Gateshead 2013 will reinforce the European Team Championships as one of the biggest athletics events in the world.

“It will be the first major athletics event in Great Britain after the 2012 London Olympics and I am sure the event will develop, promote and foster athletics in Europe, and further raise the profile of the sport on the continent.”