UIPM 2019 Global Laser Run City Tour: Portimao (POR) shines as European Sports City

Many countries across the continents have bought into the Laser Run movement since its introduction as a standalone sport, but few have embraced the sport with as much energy as Portugal.

Not only has the country at the south-western corner of Europe staged a UIPM Laser Run World Championships (in 2016) and multiple UIPM Global Laser Run City Tours, it has also created a national Laser Run tour of its own, enabling more people in more communities to sample UIPM’s most popular development sport.

The GLRCT returned to Portugal in Portimão on May 5, where about 200 athletes took part in categories from under-9 to 60+ (Masters).

The event was part of the Portimão European Sports City 2019 programme, held at Portimão Arena, and was the first of six GLRCT instalments in Portugal in 2019 with the next scheduled for Abrantes on June 2.

A spokesperson for the local organising committee said: “We are very pleased to have kick-started another season of the UIPM Global Laser Run City Tour in Portugal. There were many good examples in 2017 and 2018 and the bar is set high.

“In Portimão we saw racing across a wide range of age categories and there was great enthusiasm and competitiveness across the individual and Mixed Relay events.

“The event exceeded the expectations of all those present, who showed great excitement with the return of the circuit ahead of the next event in Abrantes.”

The Global Laser Run City Tour was created in 2017 to provide an entry point to UIPM Sports for people of all ages in urban communities around the world.

Another 100 cities have been selected in 2019 as hosts of the GLRCT or the Biathle/Triathle National Tour. The full calendar can be viewed at the UIPM website, where you can also find more information on UIPM’s various multi-discipline sports.

In September, the UIPM Laser Run World Championships will be incorporated into the Pentathlon World Championships for the first time in Budapest (HUN), where Laser Run is also on the programme for the 1st World Urban Games.

In December, Laser Run and Triathle will both feature for the first time in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.

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