Press Information – SEAT DécaNation EDITO
“ATHLETICS BEING A TEAM SPORT” BERNARD AMSALEM, PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH ATHLETICS FEDERATION. SATRUDAY 26TH OF AUGUST 2006 – 3 PM STADE CHARLÉTY – PARIS 10 EVENTS 8 COUNTRIES/NATIONS In 2005, the Athletics French Federation aimed to fill the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris for a team athletics competition called DécaNation. It was a success for at least 16 000 spectators came to support the French team and the seven other teams immediately after the World Championships in Helsinki.
Athletics spirit was in the air in Paris during this event. Values of the first of the Olympic sports were highlighted: ethics, fighting spirit, determination and solidarity. It was an exceptional show and its success leads us to organise it again in 2006. The City of Paris and the Ile-de-France Regional Council, our public partners, confirmed us rapidly their support and I deeply thank them for that.
More than ever this team event has to be a great athletics show, and we keep on working for that, thanks to the participation of our young people through the many events, dedicated to them and organised along with the cities of the Ile- de-France Region.
Thanks to it success, it became now a major event in the world athletics calendar and many major federations asked us to take part of this second edition. The date of the 26th of August will also give to this competition, which has no equivalent in the world, its legitimacy in the very fulfilled competition calendar of the International Athletics Federation. Best athletes are therefore expected for this event which is above all an international event of a very high level.
I also want to thank our headline partnership of this Seat DécaNation which has decided once again to contribute mainly to the success of this event and which involvement is a strong proof of confidence.
For this 2006 edition, France Télévision also would like to broadcast this event in live, as it did successfully last year, and I deeply thank its sport Department. In 2005, almost two million people watched the program.
I therefore invite all of you to come and watch this 2006 Seat DécaNation to make athletics a major sport able to gather thousands of people, from the youngest to the oldest sharing the same values.
EDITO THE COMPETITION
FRANCK CHEVALLIER, A UNIQUE CONCEPT: ATHLETICS BEING A TEAM SPORT NATIONAL TECHNICAL DIRECTOR When it created the unique concept of this competition, a national team
competing in the ten events of combined events, FFA wanted to fill in a gap in For the first edition in September 2005, more than 16 000 spectators thrilled and the international calendar, in which meetings are now the most numerous. The supported the French team in the Stade Sébastien Charléty. idea was to renew, in an original and dynamic way, the great international team
events there used to be. I am sure that the 2006 edition, on the 26th of August taking place just after the We know that wearing the national suit hearten athletes and enjoy the public and European Championships in Göteborg, will be even more enthralling. Medias.
I am sure that even more people will come and support the French team which has made them thrilled since the 2003 World Championships in Paris. THE CONCEPT I am certain that. In the Charléty Stadium the victory will not reward individual exploit but Nevertheless the French team will do its best to. versatility, complementarities, fighting spirit and solidarity.
See you on the 26th of August! Rules of the Seat DécaNation
Best men and women athletes from the eight countries taking part of the event are competing. In each event (100 m, 400 m, 1500 m, 110 m hurdles, 3000 m steeple, long jump, high jump, pole vault, hammer throw and shot put), the winner gets nine points, the second gets seven points and so on to the eighth athlete who only gets one point. Each country must present a team with twenty athlete composed of ten men and ten women.
Spectators could see great duels between best international athletes who are specialist in their event. This year most of the best nations will be present.
THE COMPETITION THE COMPETITION
COMPETITION PLAN SEAT DECANATION SCHEDULE
The choice of the events and the schedule will made the competition rhythm and Time EVENTS - RACES SEXE FIELDS EVENTS SEXE balance. The first event, the hammer throw, will start at 3 pm and the 1500 m men race will conclude the competition at 5.40 pm. 15:00 Hammer H / M
15:10 Relay LIFA (1) There only be four tries for Throw Events and for Long Jump Event. The opening ceremony will present captains and official team composition just after 15:20 Relay LIFA (2) demonstration relays by Ile de France regional athletes. 15:30 Opening Ceremony 15:40 Invalid race Long Jump F / W Thanks to a regular updating of the ranking list and animations at the fringe of 15:40 High Jump F / W the event, the audience will be able to know, after each event, the ranking of its 15:55 Hammer F / W favourite team. 15:55 1500 m F / W High Jump H / M
16:00 Pole Vault H / M CONTESTANT COUNTRIES 16:00 Shot Put F / W 16:00 Pole Vault F / W )) GERMANY 16:05 100 m H / M )) CHINA 16:15 100 m F / W )) SPAIN 16:25 3000 m Steeple H / M )) FRANCE 16:40 400 m F / W Long Jump H / M )) POLAND 16:50 110 m Hurdles H / M Shot Put H / M 17:05 110 m Hurdles F / W )) RUSSIA 17:15 400 m H / M )) UNITED STATES 17:25 3000 m Steeple F / W 17:40 1500 m H / M
SEE THE ATHLETICS EVENT IN LIVE ON WWW.ATHLE.ORG
THE COMPETITION EVENT INFORMATION TICKETING 2005 DECANATION IN FIGURES
TH TILL THE 15 OF JUNE THE FRENCH RESULTS OF DÉCANATION FEDERATION MAKES A SPECIAL RD 1 – Russia 127 PRICE ONLY FOR SEATS OF THE 3
2 – France 120 TH AND 4 LEVEL. : 5 € INSTEAD OF 8 3 – Poland 110
4 – United States 103
5 – Great Britain 82,5 You can buy a ticket to: 6 – Spain 82 France Billet 7 – Italy 75,5 In outlets: Fnac, Carrefour… 8 – China 35 In www.francebillet.com
) ONE NEW POLISH NATIONAL RECORD And indeed at the FFA stand. MADEJCZYK Barbara POL Javelin 63,03 m ) ONE EQUALLED FRENCH NATIONAL RECORD Thanks to its official partner, Dima Sport, FFA will keep on with its special offer BOSLAK Vanessa FRA Pole Vault 4m60 to its members through a promotional action and will reward the three associations which have bought the maximum of tickets from a kit dedicated to ) 7 ATHLETES BEAT THEIR PERSONAL BEST RECORDS children. MADEJCZYK Barbara POL Javellin 63,03 m You could download the registration form on our website www.athle.com, Seat BOSLAK Vanessa FRA Pole Vault 4,60 m (equalled) DecaNation webpage. ANIA Emma GBR 100 M 11’’35 CIOTTI Giulio ITA High Jump 2,29 m DOBRISKEY Lisa GBR 1500 m 4’07’’47 REINA Antonio ESP 400 m 45’’98 ACCESS CZERWINSKI Prezemyslaw POL Pole Vault 5,65 m STADE SEBASTIEN CHARLETY 17 AVENUE PIERRE DE COUBERTIN ) 7 ATHLETES ACHIEVED THEIR PERSONAL BEST RECORD FOR THE 2005 SEASON ème CHICHEROVA Anna RUS High Jump 1,99 m PARIS 13 BEITIA Ruth ESP High Jump 1,97 M POLNOVA Tatyana RUS Pole Vault 4,55 m BY TRAIN (RER) AGIRRE Naroa ESP Pole Vault 4,45 m RER B direction to Robinson/St Rémy-les-Chevreuse BARBER Eunice FRA Long Jump 6,80 m Stop at Cité Universitaire or Gentilly stations GERASIMOV Pavel RUS Pole Vault 5,70 m LI Zhenzhu CHN 1500 m 4’16’’49 BY BUS Many buses stop at Stade Charléty. One of them is “PC” bus From Gare St Lazare / Opéra Line n°21 – direction to Gentilly – Stop at Porte de Gentilly 16252 SPECTATORS From Châtelet AN AUDIENCE OF 1,5 MILLION VIEWERS (19,3% OF THE AUDIENCE SHARE) Lines n° 21 and 63 - direction to Gentilly – Stop at Porte de Gentilly 160 ATHLETES 6 OLYMPIC MEDALLISTS CHARLÉTY STADIUM GETS 20 000 SEATS. THIS STADIUM WAS ENTIRELY REBUILT IN 1994 18 WORLD MEDALLISTS AND WELCOME THE GRAND PRIX FINALE FOR ITS OPENING THEN THE GRAND PRIX MEETING 13 FINALISTS IN HELSINKI TOOK PLACE IN THE STADIUM FOR SEVERAL TIMES AND IN 1999 IT WELCOMED THE SPAR 297 VOULUNTEERS EUROPEAN CUP (EAA). 234 ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS
COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
IT’S ALREADY VERY EXCITING A COMPLETE, ORIGINAL AND IMPACTING COMMUNICATING PLAN Further to the success of the first edition, FFA increased its needs for the next edition of the Seat DécaNation. The result is an innovating communicating plan A classical communicating plan but powerful and complete one was developed entitled “Ca va déchirer” (meaning: it will be great) which is composed of three and will achieve its climax in phase 3 just before the event. phases. ) Urban billposting and in the Metro ) Giant posters ) National press “CA VA DÉCHIRER “CONCEPT ) Radio campaign made in 3 phases ) Leaflets in the major sport events in Paris As FFA would like to reveal the Seat DecaNation’s artwork using the teasing technique, an impacting process of communication, the idea was to stir people’s Moreover a “buzz” website : www.seatdecanation.com, curiosity up along with new posters. Therefore the communication plan has been created by the Atnetplanet company is on line. This website gives access to built in three phases. animations based on challenges. Net surfers will collect points which allow them to win numerous free gifts and of course, among them, are tickets to go and THE CONCEPT IS BASED ON THE DOUBLE MEANING OF THE FRENCH WORD “DÉCHIRER” (first support the French team in Charléty Stadium. Among proposed challenges, one meaning : to tear up and second one in the complete phrase “Ca va déchirer” can remix the video spot of the Seat DécaNation, discover each day a new piece meaning in popular language, it will be very exciting”) : of the poster or even take up a throw, run and jump challenge.
) One can expect an original and spectacular competition ; The idea is to involve net surfers to catch information. ) The evolution of the artwork of the poster “Ca va déchirer” As for the overall of the campaign, launching the buzz website is new. Indeed we would like to develop an unusual federal campaign. In each phase, the poster tears itself up and progressively to make appear the final artwork with the faces of the most popular athletes of the French team. So th forth, on the 16 of June people could see Christine ARRON, Eunice BARBER, A VARIOUS AUDIENCE AND INVOLVED PARTNERS Ladji DOUCOURÉ, Bouchra GHEZIELLE and Ronald POGNON, who, all of them, won a medal in the last World Championships in Helsinki and who will compete First of all, the communication plan is directed at clubs and federation members. for France at 2006 Seat DécaNation. But except from the “athletics family” and because of the date, people living in IIe de France Region are mainly concerned. To get their interest, all the partners AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT of the Seat DécaNation are deeply involved in the event. ) SEAT which was already our partner last year and liked the concept has THE POSTER OF LAST YEAR WAS VERY POPULAR. THIS YEAR, IN ORDER TO GET AN EVEN increased its involvement as it became our main partner. It will be in charge STRONGER IMPACT, IPSO FACTO AGENCY CREATED THIS PLAN WHICH WAS APPROVED BY of advertisement in their sale points of the Ile-de-France Region. ATHLETES AND THE WHOLE FFA MEMBERS AND WAS THE RESULT OF A VERY BOLD ) L’EQUIPE offers many advertisements in its paper. COMMUNICATING PLAN. ) ADIDAS will equipped all the volunteers of the event and will organise, as THROUGH THE VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS FOR THE MAIN COMPETITIONS IN FEBRUARY AND it did last year, through various promotional competitions in all its stores. MARCH IN FRANCE, OUR FIRST GOAL WAS ACHIEVED : THE PUBLIC GETS TO WONDER ) THE CITY OF PARIS makes available its communication networks in order
to promote the event. ) THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGIONAL COUNCIL allows us to organise promotional actions in every Ile-de-France leisure centres. ) FRANCE 2 TV will broadcast the event in live for twice.
WORDS OF SPONSORS
ATHLETES SEAT RONALD POGNON (FRA), Winner of the 100 m event (10’’02) in 2005: JOCHEN FUNK, DIRECTOR OF SEAT FRANCE “The atmosphere of such a competition is nice, it’s a bit like the World “WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN DÉCANATION” Championships two years ago.” Seat is one of the partners of FFA. Why did you chose to work with French EUNICE BARBER (FRA), Winner of the Long Jump event (6,80m) in 2005: athletics? “Competing in front of such an audience? Great! Athletics needs that. We Joche Funk: It seemed to us that athletics, even more that any other sport; lived that in Helsinki. French athletics is in good shape. ” represented our trademark values: The sport spirit, the performance quest, the liking of competition and challenge. Athletics is a very demanding sport, which LADJI DOUCOURÉ (FRA), Winner of the 110 m hurdles event (13’’53) in 2005: requires willpower, stamina, pugnacity and fair play. In Seat, we are close to “The competition concept reminds me the European Cup. We are these qualities, we identify ourselves to them. In addition, athletics is a bit the competing for our country; we first of all compete for our team. Time is reflection of seat trademark wide range of vehicles, in many aspects. It is a sport secondary, what we have to do is to win to get maximum points. The with many disciplines practised by men as well as women. Indeed, our vehicles atmosphere is very friendly in such a competition, every athletes are can meet every types of needs for men as well as women, for families, as well as fighting for others and put the team first what is very important for our bachelors. sport which is usually an individual one. “ You were present, last year, at the 1st edition of DécaNation. What do you remember of it? CHRISTINE ARRON (FRA), Winner of the 100 m event (10’’95) in 2005: J.F: I can say now that we were immediately confident in this event, in the new “This stadium is very good: people and supporters are closer to us than in concept and in its originality. I keep a strong remembrance of it. Since its first Stade de France.” edition the DécaNation has found its audience. And has taken profit from a large TV broadcasting. The atmosphere was very unique, thanks both to the audience BOUCHRA GHEZIELLE (FRA), Winner of the 1500 m event, (4’07’’ 12) in 2005: and to the athletes, involved in a team competition, where team interest was “This competition is a very good idea! During the year we compete very more important than individualism. And I was very seduced by having our few for our country and it is always an honour. Competing for the team trademark present. A very concrete presence, a large system right in the field of allows the athletes to see the competition from a different angle, what is the competition itself which allowed us to promote and display the new Seat important is the classification.” Leon car just a few days before its official launch.
GLORIE ALOZIE (ESP), 2nd of the 100 m hurdles event (12’’97) in 2005 : You will be even more present at the second edition, in next 26th of August. The “This type of competition is good. We are competing for the group as in name of your trademark will in addition be associated to the title of the event, European Cup. As for the audience, it is really great. But it’s always like from now named Seat DécaNation. that here, in France ! Stadium are always crowded and we really feel that JF: Yes it’s true, we became this year the headline partner of the event. Once people enjoy athletics.” again it shows our confidence in the event! Doing this way, we would like to perpetuate our involvement in French athletics. Our partnership with FFA has been signed since 2007. I can therefore already tell RICHARD TORRELLAS (CHIEF OF THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION) you that we will be involved in 2007 DécaNation edition. Very concretely, the “Every athletes present here were motivated to compete in DécaNation. It 2006 edition will be the opportunity for Seat to increase once more its presence, is a new concept, a revival for athletics, which could be back at the thanks to a very large system, inside the stadium, but also in our distribution foreground thanks to this kind of competition. It’s very important.” network. This year it will be the relay of information.
RUTH BEITA (ESP), 2nd of the high jump event (1,97 m) in 2005 “This competition is very good French idea. Spanish team athletes were very happy to come here. Moreover the audience was constantly clapping their hands during each jump… Thank you Paris!”
CITY OF PARIS SPONSORS “The Athletics French Federation and its President, Bernard Amsalem, dared to invest on the DécaNation and succeeded. ADIDAS On behalf of the Mayor of Paris, I would like to express my sincere Adidas is naturally in touch with any new concept and since ever, has been congratulations for the achievement of this competition. supported the FFA in each new system… Therefore since the 1st edition in 2005, The City of Paris is proud that this new and original competition takes place in we have decided to support this new concept of event. Moreover, Adidas is very the Stade Charléty allowing therefore 15 000 athletics lovers to be thrilled by st attached to the idea that individual involvement is linked to a collective French team athletes exploits. Since the 1 of March 2006, the City has been in achievement; that is why the Seat DécaNation seems to us very in concordance charge of the management of this facility; where so many exploits took place as with our state of mind and we were immediately seduced by the slogan phrase for example the World record by Michel Jazy. We would like more than ever that “athletics being a team sport. Once again this year, Adidas has been supporting this stadium be a show and sharing place carried on by athletics values. the Seat DécaNation and we hope it will successfully launch the 2006 season… Paris loves sport, sportsmen and sportswomen. After being the world capital of This partnership will also be concrete in our Adidas stores in France through a athletics in 2003 welcoming the World Championships, the City is happy to competition with many Seat DécaNation tickets to win. Impossible is nothing” organise once more an international top level event, the Seat DécaNation.
OLIVIER GUI, ADIDAS SPORTS MARKETING I wish good luck to the athletes taking part of the competition and wish you all to have a nice time.” PASCAL CHERKI, IN CHARGE OF SPORTS FOR THE CITY OF PARIS L’EQUIPE “Since 1960 L’Equipe has been a close partner of the great adventure of sport ILE de FRANCE REGIONAL COUNCIL and has always been at the heart of every intense events. L’Equipe is also an In 2005, Jean-Paul HUCHON, President of the Ile de France Regional Council and innovating and imaginative actor at the origin of many great events like the myself, wanted to support the Athletics French Federation for the first edition of European Cup in football, basketball…but also in athletics ! the DécaNation, a new international event with a very original concept. Innovation and Creation have also been FFA’s goals when it has developed the Seat DécaNation and said “athletics being a sport team”. So it was obvious and We gave the opportunity to more than one thousand young people from the Ile natural that L’Equipe decided to be in partnership and to support the Seat de France Region leisure centers to live a fantastic time in the Stade Charléty DécaNation and great adventure of sport must go on. and all of us were pleased to see it crowded for an international athletics L’Equipe, a caption for sport” competition. Considering its success, the Ile de France Regional Council wished to increased its support in 2006 and allows the Seat DécaNation to perpetuate in MARIE GERARD, COMMUNICATION MANAGER time. The Ile de France Region is really a region dedicated to sport. Five millions of inhabitants are practising a physical activity or any sport regularly. Between 2,2 and 2,5 millions of them are members of one of the 21 000 ile de france region sport associations. Of course athletics is practised in Ile de France: more FRANCE 2 than 32 000 members in almost 350 athletics associations that is to say one to “I have always thought that athletics was not only an individual sport. As a proof five of the total number of the athletics associations members and many of them of it we can remember the great duels in the sixties between France and URSS or became international top level athletics champions. France and the United States. The policy of the Ile de France Regional Council mainly develops social and Then things changed. educational functions of sport. The Ile de France Regional Council concentrates With the Seat DécaNation event, athletics renews with tradition and France its means specially on its relationships with the sport representatives developing Televisions has decided to be the witness of it. the invalid sport practice, the women practice and the access to sport to the As for myself and on behalf of all our spectators I hope that in 2006, coming large public without any social discrimination. next to the European Championships, French athletes would win as many medals Values of athletics are really in accordance with these challenges. as they did last year.”
I therefore hope that the Seat DécaNation will become a main event in the DANIEL BILALIAN, SPORTS MANAGER centre of the Ile de France Region, a great and friendly sport competition between athletes from all over the world and the sport lovers.
MARIE RICHARD, VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF SPORTS, LEISURE AND TOURISM.