Spectacular European Championships trophy unveiled on eve of Glasgow/Berlin multi-sport event

THE 2018 European Championships today revealed the spectacular winner’s trophy that national teams will be battling for in Glasgow and Berlin throughout 11 days of fierce competition.

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The trophy has been commissioned exclusively for the European Championships held from 2nd to 12th August and will be awarded to the individual country which has secured the most gold medals by the end of the innovative multisport event.

Glasgow-born rowing great Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, Russia’s 2017 gymnastics floor European champion Angelina Melnikova and Sweden’s 2017 World Championship finalist rower in the lightweight single scull, Emma Fredh were on hand to show off the new European Championships Trophy ahead of the inaugural edition of the multi-sport event.

Grainger was herself a European Championships rowing medallist in 2015, part of a glittering career which brought her multiple World Championships and Olympic medals, including gold at London 2012.

Crafted from aluminium, finished with 22ct gold plate, a key feature of the new tri-sided trophy is its three handles – for teams to be able to lift and carry it together in celebration.

In addition to the trophy, the seven individual sport federations from the winning nation will be presented with an individual gold ingot.  Each takes the form of a replica of the gold crown at the top of the trophy, mounted on a plinth of Scottish oak for the inaugural event.

The European Championships Trophy will be on show in Glasgow and Berlin during the 11 days of competition.  It will also be available to broadcasters to display in their studios during the week.

It will travel to Berlin to be showcased at the official press conference for the European Athletics Championships on Sunday, August 5th, and at the Opening Ceremony on Monday, August 6th.

The trophy will be presented to athletes from the winning nation by Co-Chair of the 2018 European Championships Board and LEN President, Paolo Barelli, in George Square, Glasgow, on Sunday, 12th August, 10 minutes after the end of the Athletics evening session (approx. 20:45 Glasgow time, 21:45 Berlin time).

Fellow Co-Chair of the 2018 European Championships and European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen said:

“This trophy provides a clear and tangible target for all national teams across the seven sports involved as they unite in their efforts to be named the winning nation of this inaugural European Championships.”

Paolo Barelli said: “The design of the European Championships Trophy has been carefully considered to represent a unifying bond between the competing countries of Europe, the seven sports represented in Glasgow and Berlin and the nations who will be competing to take it back home with them. The trophy will be fantastic legacy for future editions of our innovative multi-sport championships.”