The Bridge Run 2010: a People's Party for Denmark and Sweden

COPENHAGEN, June 12, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- 30,000 People run Across the Øresund Bridge Between Denmark and Sweden When the Bridge Run 2010 Kicks off Saturday, June 12. Runners of all Ages From More Than 25 Countries Participate in the Half Marathon Over and Under the sea, an Event That Also Marks the Start of the Celebrations for the Øresund Bridge's Tenth Anniversary.

In 1999, 2,000 commuters crossed the Øresund between Denmark and Sweden daily. Today, ten years after the Øresund Bridge opened, 20,400 individuals commute across the bridge every day. In other words, the Øresund Bridge has become an integral part of daily life for many as Danes and Swedes become ever closer.

This calls for a celebration - a run across the Øresund Bridge! Saturday's 30,000 runners comprise participants from across the world, including Japan, Eritrea, the US and Brazil. With 9,000 Swedes and 20,000 Danes, however, the majority of the runners come from the two countries connected by the Øresund link, Denmark and Sweden. The first full length run was in 2000 when the Bridge Run attracted 80,000 participants - a Guinness world record that stands to this day.

The Bridge Run 2010 is a key event in the Øresund Bridge's and the Øresund Region's tenth anniversary celebrations in Scania and Zealand. Food, music, art, architecture and science festivals are being held in Copenhagen and Malmö and across the rest of the region.

Facts about the Øresund Bridge

The 16 km Øresund Bridge, which connects Sweden with Denmark, consists of three elements: a bridge, the artificial island Peberholm and a tunnel. 72,000 people cross the link every day by car or by train.

New businesses have emerged with 20 per cent of every business in Malmö started by Danes, while Swedes find equal opportunities in the Danish capital of Copenhagen just 35 minutes away. 25,000 Danes currently live in Scania. 68 per cent of Zealanders and 44 per cent of Scanians have family, friends or colleagues across the waterway. In other words, the Øresund Bridge has become part of daily life for many as Danes and Swedes become ever closer.

The Øresund Bridge links Scania and Zealand and forms a region of 3.7 million inhabitants. The fixed link has made it easier to live on one side of the Øresund waterway between Sweden and Denmark and work on the other. Commuting has risen dramatically since the inauguration. The year before the Øresund Bridge opened, 2,000 commuters crossed the Øresund daily. Today 20,400 individuals commute across the bridge every day. http://www.oresundsbron.com

More info on events during Øresund Bridge's and the Øresund Region's tenth anniversary celebrations http://www.oresund10.com.

Photos from Bridge Run 2010 Photos and TV images from the Bridge Run (from the bridge, from the top of a pylon and from a helicopter) will be made available free of charge to the media through MalmöBild and TV2 Lorry.

Stills are available from Scanpix Sweden, tel +46-8-738-38-60, http://www.scanpix.se.

Film images will be available from an FTP server or a pool signal after about 16.30 on June 12:

    ftp://80.160.73.178
    User: broloeb2010
    Password: sparta
    Codec: QUICKTIME DVCPRO or MPEG2
    Pool signal
    Satellite: Sirius
    Start: 2010-06-12 14:30 UTC 16:30 Local
    End: 2010-06-12 16:00 UTC 18:00 Local
    Channel: G 06-8 new
    Downlink.: 12734.300 MHz V
    BW: 9 MHz
    Symbolrate 6.111
    FEC: 3/4

    Contact information:

    Sanna Holmqvist, press officer Øresund Bridge
    Tel: +45-33-41-61-97
    Mobile +46(0)70-676-09-76
    Mail [email protected]

SOURCE Wonderful Copenhagen