Virgin Active Health Club


Sports Industry Awards 2009
	Virgin Active sponsor outstanding contribution to British Sport Award at the Sport Industry Awards 2009 During a night of celebration at Battersea Evolution in London on 30th April, the winners of the Sport Industry Awards 2009 were unveiled to a packed house of high-profile industry figures and sporting celebrities.
Virgin Active Managing Director Peter Brennan was on hand to help recognise and reward the best the business has to offer in marketing, PR, sponsorship, new media, publishing, advertising and design at the event, penned as Europe’s largest and most prestigious commercial sport awards. In a celebration of Britain’s performance in the Beijing Olympics, Team GB and Paralympics GB were presented with the Virgin Active Outstanding Contribution to British Sport for their inspirational achievements last summer by the leading health clubs MD Peter Brennan. Peter commented on the award "It’s fantastic to be a part of an event which rewards those who have contributed so hugely to British sport over the past 12 months. For Virgin Active to be involved in recognising their efforts and encouraging them to pursue their goals even further is a great honour". All the winners were in attendance to pick up their awards including former McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis CBE, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to him by former F1 world champions Alain Prost and Mika Hakkinen. The teams were represented by an array of gold medalists from both squads and received their award fittingly from one of the most legendary Olympians of all time, multi-gold medal winning athlete Michael Johnson. Also a winner on the night was GB Cycling Performance Director David Brailsford who was presented with the Marsh Leadership in Sport Award following his team’s domination in Beijing, while Speedo’s innovative approach in swimsuit design and marketing saw it crowned as the Sport Brand of the Year, one of two awards it collected during the event. The full list of award winners is detailed below: SPORT INDUSTRY AWARDS 2009 - WINNERS LIST Virgin Active Outstanding Contribution to British Sport Winner: Team GB and Paralympics GB Best Sponsorship of a Sport Event or Competition sponsored by ICON Winner: Powerade - Official Sports Drink of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games The Technological Innovation in Sport Award sponsored by Virgin Atlantic Winner: Speedo - Speedo LZR Racer Best Use of PR in a Sport Campaign sponsored by Action Images Winner: AVIVA - Community Chest Challenge The Community Programme Award sponsored by Sport England Winner: Football Foundation, Premier League and Metropolitan Police - Kickz Best Promotion of a Sport by a Governing Body sponsored by Vero Communications Winner: The FA - The FA Tesco Skills Programme Best Digital Sport Marketing Campaign sponsored by Sky Digital Media Winner: Nike - 'Their Game. Your Finishing Touch' NIKEiD Campaign Best TV Sport Commercial sponsored by Eurosport Winner: Nike - Take it to the Next Level Best Sponsorship of a Sport Team or Individual sponsored by Nolan Partners Winner: Vodafone - Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 Team Sponsorship Sport Newspaper of the Year sponsored by UK Sport Winner: The Times Best Integrated Sport Marketing Campaign Winner: Harlequins - The Big Game Sport Brand of the Year sponsored by Clarke Willmott Winner: Speedo Sport Agency of the Year sponsored by Colouration Winner: M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment The Marsh Leadership in Sport Award Winner: David Brailsford The Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Ron Dennis Notes to Editors: The Sport Industry Awards: The Sport Industry Awards recognise and reward the best the business has to offer in marketing, PR, sponsorship, new media, publishing, advertising and design. It is Europe’s largest and most prestigious commercial sport awards. To the 1,300 attendees it is also the most important networking occasion in the sport business calendar. * Image above moving from left to right - Steve Williams (Olympic gold medal rower), Ben Ainslie (Olympic gold medal sailor), Victoria Pendleton (Olympic gold medal cyclist), Jody Cundy (Paralympic gold medal cyclist), Peter Brennan (Virgin Active), Michael Johnson (four-time Olympic gold medallist and Awards presenter).