Firefighters turn up the heat for world games

Jan 7 2008 by Jessica Shaughnessy, Liverpool Daily Post

Stewart Martindale

FIREFIGHTERS across Merseyside have kick-started 2008 with tough training regimes in preparation for the World Firefighter Games.

With the games being held in Liverpool during the Capital of Culture celebrations, the pressure is on for Merseyside competitors to win a string of medals.

And Allerton watch manager Stewart Martindale, who is a qualified ski instructor, is one of the firm favourites to secure a medal in the competition’s skiing event.

Winter sports are being held as part of the games for only the second time ever following the recent opening of Chillfactor-e, an indoor ski resort on the outskirts of Manchester.

Mr Martindale said: “It’s great that we have a facility like this just down the M62 so we can host winter sports.

“And it means Merseyside firefighters have somewhere to practise and we stand a chance against the French firefighters.

“After the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, the Firefighter Games is a big competition in terms of the numbers of competitors, and firefighters take it pretty seriously. It is a friendly event, but this year the Merseyside firefighters want to win some medals in front of their home city, so everybody is training hard early.”

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is hosting the 10-day World Firefighter Games, which starts on August 24.

More than 5,000 firefighters will travel to the region from as far afield as South Africa, Germany and France.

The majority of the 74 sporting events will be held at the new Echo Arena Liverpool, on the Kings Dock, but other venues have been lined up across the city.

The sporting programme includes football, table tennis, golf, fishing, dragon boat racing, chess and boxing.

Another event which Merseyside is expected to dominate is the Toughest Firefighter Alive contest, which will take place at St George’s Hall.

Medal hopeful Mike O’Mahoney, a firefighter at Liverpool’s city centre fire station, is the man to watch in the competition, which will include the gruelling task of running up the steps of St John’s Beacon wearing full firefighting kit.

General manager of the games, Dave Robinson, said: “We have got some really strong contenders for medals in our teams, and Mike is definitely one of them.

“It sounds corny to say the games really are about taking part but it is true. There is also a lot of determination to win something as we are hosting it.

“People are already putting the work in to make sure they do well.

“We want it to be the best games ever, because it is our contribution to the Capital of Culture celebrations.”

jessicashaughnessy