The Lagardère Athlé Tour 2007 stops off at Paris Jean-Bouin

Paris Jean-Bouin and the Lagardère group, the club’s corporate partner and founder partner of the French National Athletics League

, are to hold the Paris stage of the “Lagardère Athlé Tour 2007” at the Stade Jean-Bouin, on Sunday 17 June 2007 from 2 p.m.

The meeting constitutes the second stage of the League’s professional circuit (“Lagardère Athlé Tour”), which takes in five dates in all, in chronological order: Villeneuve d’Ascq, Paris Jean-Bouin, Strasbourg, Reims and Monaco.

Considered the authentic “Mecca” of the international athletics world in the 1930s, the Stade Jean-Bouin will play host during the event to some of the best French athletes: Eunice Barber, Yohann Diniz, Leslie Djhone, Salim Sdiri and Romain Mesnil, as well as stars of world athletics such as the pole vaulter Tim Lobinger and the sprinter Dayron Robles.

The track at the Jean-Bouin stadium, which has witnessed no fewer than six world records (1500 m, mile, 2000 m, one kilometre, 2 miles and pole vault) and two French records (800 m and shot put) will provide the venue at the meeting for a programme rich in emotion and exciting competitions:

• Men’s events: 100m – 100m hurdles – 400m – 5km walk – long jump – pole vault – triathlon (100m-long jump-shot put).
• Women’s events: 200m – 100m hurdles – long jump – shot put – triathlon (100m hurdles-long jump-shot put).

Jacques Lelièvre, President of Paris Jean-Bouin,

is delighted to be hosting this meeting which, he says; “picks up again with the tradition of major international athletics meetings on the track of the Stade Jean-Bouin and also thus promotes the practice of athletics, an Olympic sport and a core one for all sportsmen and women”. The President of Paris Jean-Bouin also hopes that, “this meeting will not be the last and that many others will follow in the future”.

Arnaud Molinié, Acting Director and one of the Lagardère group’s managing partners, adds that, “for the past year, the Lagardère group has been working hand in hand with the French Athletics Federation (FFA), and the “Lagardère Athlé Tour” is tangible proof of the increase in professionalism within the FFA. This sends out a strong signal that the entire sporting world can benefit from”.

After having been partner to the French national team and to the national meetings circuit in 2006, Lagardère is now – and will be up to and including 2008 – founding partner to the new professional league, the “Ligue Nationale d’Athlétisme”, and named partner to the national circuit of meetings, the Lagardère Athlé Tour”.
Corporate partner to Paris Jean-Bouin since 2004, Lagardère aims to be an active promoter of all sports, both in the field of leisure events and of high performance activities.

On the occasion of this 2007 edition, the “Lagardère Athlé Tour” will enjoy the support of the Lagardère group and radio stations Europe 1 and RFM, as well as the newspaper L’Equipe, Canal+, Adidas, Gaz de France and the Seat group.

Free tickets can be picked up from the Paris Jean-Bouin offices or at the stadium on the day of the event.

• Adress : Stade Jean-Bouin – 26 avenue du Général Sarrail – 75016 Paris

• Access : Métro 10-Porte d’Auteuil / Métro 9 -Porte de St Cloud

• Informations : +33 (0)1 46 51 55 40 / www.parisjeanbouin.fr