The new UBS Kids Cup will represent an ideal platform for more than 70,000 young athletes - throughout Switzerland and throughout the year. With its new role as a title sponsor of the national athletics kids programme, UBS is to expand its commitment in athletics substantially. UBS also renews both long-term sponsoring agreements with Weltklasse Zürich and Athletissima Lausanne, the two Swiss Diamond League meetings. This two-tier support of the sport of athletics allows UBS to help promote both leisure and professional sport.
UBS will be the title sponsor for the new UBS Kids Cup that is to replace the Erdgas Athletic Cup (an athletics competition involving three disciplines) in summer 2011, as well as the Rivella Kids Cup (an indoor team event) in fall 2011. Both the indoor and outdoor Cup for up and coming athletes have drawn more than 70,000 children between 7 and 15. As of next year, there will be a summer and a winter edition of the UBS Kids Cup. Lukas Gähwiler, CEO UBS Switzerland, said, "The UBS Kids Cup will show kids the fun of sport. We support the UBS Kids Cup to highlight our attachment to our home market and to athletics. Both Cups offer energetic, cool sports experiences for kids and youngsters."
The UBS Kids Cups play a key role for the Swiss national athletics federation Swiss Athletics. "Our clubs recruit a large number of junior athletes through such platforms," said Hansruedi Müller, President of Swiss Athletics. "UBS will make a strong partner to generate new momentum to two well established competitions. This impetus is particularly inspiring in view of the European Athletics Championships 2014 in Zurich."
National Final after Weltklasse Zürich
In the new Cup, local finals in all cantons will serve as stepping stones for the national final to be held at the end of the season. The involvement of UBS as a title sponsor and of Weltklasse Zürich and Athletissima Lausanne on an organisational level will take the season’s highlight of the Cup to an entirely new level:
„As of 2011, the final will be held at Letzigrund Stadium, two days after the Weltklasse Zürich meeting," Meeting Director Patrick K. Magyar explained. The young talents who qualified for the final will get a chance to compete on the same track as the world’s best athletes two days earlier. Even the meeting infrastructure in the stadium, including the TV feed for the video screen, will be maintained for the event. "The Cup finalists will feel a little like top stars and will also have the opportunity to meet some of their role models. A number of the international top stars will stay to support their young colleagues at the UBS Kids Cup final."
The winter edition of the UBS Kids Cup will be a team competition in which children will practice the three core aspects of athletics (running - jumping - throwing) in a fun team event that will include disciplines such as pole long jump, biathlon, and a team cross country race.
Renewal of Sponsoring Agreements with Diamond League Meetings
UBS does not only reinforce its commitment in children’s athletics, but also extends its respective contracts with the two major Swiss athletics meetings until 2014. After 35 of successful co-operation with Weltklasse Zürich and after 27 years with Athletissima Lausanne, UBS has decided to maintain its partnership as main sponsor for both meetings. Jacky Delapierre, Meeting Director of Athletissima Lausanne commented, "We are very happy that we will be able to continue our partnership with UBS. This vote of confidence confirms our efforts and allows us to focus on the upcoming projects for and the future of our meeting."
