New big names announced for Leeds International Festival

Olympians, Channel 4’s head of sport and an epic runner from Yorkshire will appear at the latest event announced for the Leeds International Festival.
Dame Sarah Storey. Picture: Gary Longbottom.Dame Sarah Storey. Picture: Gary Longbottom.
Dame Sarah Storey. Picture: Gary Longbottom.

The one-day conference in the city on Thursday, May 10.not only explores the game-changing role of tech for athletes and their coaches by providing state-of-the-art digital monitoring to improve abilities, but also how the development of new and improved sports materials and designs can give that much-sought-after edge.

As well as revealing the many ways sport has embraced the digital age to enhance top athletic performance, it will also take a look at how it has been used to create innovations in media coverage with insight from the newly appointed Channel 4 head of sport, Pete Andrews.

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John Cooper Clarke, Alice Roberts and Frank Bruno among the names confirmed for 2019’s Leeds International FestivalPhysical activity expert and world-renowned sports scientist Prof Greg Whyte, an Olympian in modern pentathlon, will host the debate

Epic runner, endurance adventurer, fundraiser and motivational speakerSam Boatwright. Picture: Tony Johnson.Epic runner, endurance adventurer, fundraiser and motivational speakerSam Boatwright. Picture: Tony Johnson.
Epic runner, endurance adventurer, fundraiser and motivational speakerSam Boatwright. Picture: Tony Johnson.

He will be joined by Dame Sarah Storey, "the most successful female British Paralympian of all time" according to organisers, and Amy Williams MBE, who was the first British individual gold medalist at a Winter Olympics for 30 years when she won in skeleton at The Vancouver Games in 2010.

Epic runner, endurance adventurer, fundraiser, and motivational speaker Sam Boatwright, who is from Silsden and teaches maths near Harrogate, will also appear.Channel 4’s head of sport Pete Andrews, technical director of International Football Association Board and former Premier League referee David Elleray, CEO of sports analytical company Catapult Sports, Barry Mcneill, and chief operating officer of UK-based charity Parkrun Global Tom Williams, complete the line-up.

Gary McCall, chief executive of marketing agency Banana Kick: “As an agency that is passionate about sport and that delivers a wide range of sports related events and campaigns, we are excited about the Sport 2.0 Conference.

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In 2019 the city will celebrate an amazing year in sport with a wide range of global events coming to Leeds.

"This conference, focusing on the role that technology plays in improving sporting performance, will feature a range of speakers who truly operate on the world stage."

Sport 2.0: Every Second Counts is one of the main events of the forthcoming Leeds International Festival 2019 – billed as the UK’s leading festival of new ideas and innovation which presents an eclectic array of events, talks, performances and activities throughout the city between May 2 and 12.

It is hosted in the L19 Cube @ The Village, The Tetley, on Friday, May 10 from 10am to 4pm, with tickets priced at £40 standard and £25 for concessions, which includes lunch and refreshments.