[ST. GEORGES, Grenada] – Grenada Rugby World 7s (GRW7s) 2022 was officially launched at the destination’s National Stadium recently and will be the new home of the longest running Club Rugby 7s tournament in the region.
In an exciting first for Grenada, organizers of the highly anticipated event are partnering with the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) to bring more than 30 of the world’s best men’s and women’s Club Rugby 7s teams to the island for a week of official activities. thus providing an important financial injection in the local economy.
Sevens Rugby
Grenada Tourism Authority CEO, Petra Roach stated, “We are deliberately building sports tourism as one of our growth planks, so hosting this very prestigious tournament is a huge win for Grenada. Rugby sevens is one of the most widespread forms of rugby. It differs from traditional rugby union. Teams are made up of seven players who play seven-minute halves, instead of 15 players who play the usual 40-minute halves. It is exciting and fast-paced and we know that hosting this tournament will further fuel the interest of our youngsters in playing the game. We anticipate that this will further increase the membership of the recently formed Grenada Rugby Union.
Making History
The Honorable Lennox Andrews, Minister responsible for Tourism, acknowledged the novelty of rugby in Grenada saying: “Life is a process of constant change and this new sport on our island speaks to this idea of constant change – new ideas, ways of new lifestyles and new ways of doing things. So come December 2n.d and 3st2022 history will be written in Grenada.” Minister Andrews continued, “she [GRW7s tournament] it also shows the importance of the tourism industry to our economy, given its contribution to hotels and restaurants, but also its strong links with agriculture, music, the creative industry and of course sports, the tourism industry contributes much more than us. assessment.” Minister Andrews concluded by encouraging the people of Grenada to support the Grenada Rugby World 7s tournament.
Honored. Ron Redhead, Minister of State with responsibility for Youth, Sport and Culture Minister of State with responsibility for Youth, Sport and Culture, the Honorable Ron Redhead stated, “This Rugby Tournament can create many opportunities for Grenadians, including hoteliers, tour operators , vendors and ours. athletes, men and women, undoubtedly the intangibles of sport have a powerful influence on decision makers regarding the role of sport in economic development. The Minister further said, “Indeed we anticipate that many of our Grenadians who have only seen rugby on television now have a chance to witness the sport in person. As a nation of naturally talented youngsters, I have no doubt that there will be stars born after this tournament.”
International teams
It is set to take place on December 2n.d – 3st at the Grenada Cricket Stadium, teams from Canada, USA, England, Wales, Scotland, France and Fiji have already indicated their intention to travel to Grenada to compete this year., all competing fiercely for the total prize of $15,000 and the highly sought-after titles of winners up for grabs.
In an official statement, GRW7s general manager Brian Stollmeyer said the tournament, which has been running for over 30 years, is one of the most popular international rugby events, especially for the women’s divisions which will take precedence over the men’s divisions. in terms of prestige and prize money.
“This is our first year in Grenada and we are excited to host an event that will appeal to both locals and tourists,” he said. “After a two-year hiatus, what makes this year’s event particularly unique is that we are now offering a fun and family-friendly element to the mix. In addition to world-class rugby matches, the 2022 GRW7s experience also aims to showcase a sampling of Grenadian culture, including local music, arts and crafts stalls, culinary delights and much more.
In addition, as the local rugby community on the island is just starting to build momentum, we see this as a perfect opportunity for the general public to learn more about the sport and come and see for themselves the inclusive spirit of rugby. I encourage everyone at home and abroad to come out in December and show your support for this exciting international event.”
The taste of Pure Grenada
Speaking at the launch, GRW7’s events manager George Nicholson echoed these sentiments.
“A big draw card for this year’s event is its expanded format, which will include a taste of ‘Pure Grenada’ complemented by ‘Pure 7s’ rugby on the field,” he said. “We are delighted to partner with the Grenada Tourism Authority to highlight Grenada not only as a unique tourist destination, but also as a premier sporting event venue for world-class competitions such as this one.”
Nicholson took the opportunity to call on any potential partners, both local and international, to lend their support GRW7s.
“We have a variety of sponsorship and partnership packages which can be tailored to suit all types of budgets,” he said. “Given the event’s long heritage, we have a proven track record of attracting significant local and global exposure through live streaming, social media promotion and venue branding – just to name a few of our official channels of distribution. We invite all businesses and individuals to consider partnering with us to expand the reach and visibility of their brand in the public domain and to lend their support to this ever-expanding event.”
The ‘Caribbean 7s’ tour began in Trinidad in the 1980s before moving to Tobago in 2011, and then Barbados in 2016. With this year’s move to the Spice Isle of the Caribbean, 2022 GRW7s will break new ground by strengthening the synergy between sport and tourism, sport and entertainment, and provide teams, officials and spectators with an enhanced event ‘experience’ with something for everyone.
