Please check back later for updates.

When one thinks of 'the rat race' what comes to mind is city workers busily dodging taxis and escalator-like pedestrian situations to get to their high-rise offices.

However, the organisers of the Edinburgh Rat Race have a totally different idea in mind and they are calling on all young multi-sport enthusiasts between the ages of 14 and 18 to sign up now for this new youth team event as part of Scotland's coolest urban adventure challenge.

On 18 and 19 July 2009 Edinburgh will be transformed into a multi-sports playground with youth teams battling it out alongside elite adventure racers for the very first time. The young guns will take part in a range of physical and mentally challenging activities including navigation, endurance, mental agility, running, climbing, mountain biking, kayaking and abseiling. This will be combined with some of the event's trade mark surreal sporting tests, obstacles and mystery challenges at different checkpoints across the city.

They might find themselves tackling activities such as abseiling from the roof of Murrayfield Stadium, kayaking the Union Canal, mountain biking in the Pentlands, scaling the epic 100ft climbing wall at Edinburgh's International Climbing Centre, Ratho and even space hopper racing!

Jim Mee, MD of Detail Events, said they are really excited about our new youth event in Edinburgh in July. "We urge Scotland's young people to sign up now for this unique new sporting adventure in Auld Reekie. Our youth teams will not only make their mark alongside seasoned adventure racing athletes and armchair adventurers but they will also have a unique, challenging, fun and rewarding sporting experience throughout the Rat Race weekend."

Edinburgh's stunning architecture, labyrinthine streets and rugged terrain, including urban structures, office blocks, tunnels, parklands, hills, water and sand in the city centre and beyond are ideal for this event. However organisers, Detail Events, are quick to point out that it takes more than great infrastructure to make a successful event.

Race Director Jim Mee, MD of Detail Events, said the proactive approach and support of City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland have been instrumental in developing the Rat Race Urban Adventure Series. "These bodies spotted the potential in the event for Edinburgh back in 2004 and have led the way for other cities to follow. Developing a unique event like the Rat Race in these conditions is a joy with such forward thinking and innovative partners. Funding bodies and city councils across the UK and abroad can learn a lot from their example."

Saturday's 'Mean Streets' is billed as 'the team running event with bite'. It is designed predominantly as a running (or walking) event and is open to competitors of all abilities. Participants will have 3 hours to hunt for up to 25 checkpoints hidden all over the city centre.

Sunday is a bike-based adventure that takes teams further out towards the city limits and encompasses more overt adventure pursuit, such as kayaking, abseiling and navigation.

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, said: "The Edinburgh Rat Race has set the benchmark for urban adventure races around the world and continues to set new standards in the sport. This year's youth event will open urban adventure racing up to a whole new generation and is a fantastic addition to what is already a world class event. We look forward to welcoming the rats!"

The Edinburgh Rat Race is the original urban adventure race and the flagship of an 8-date UK race summer series that will also take in Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Gateshead/Newcastle, London and Belfast. The Rat Race concept originated in Edinburgh in 2004 and is now a global brand, with events in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa.

Teams of three - male, female or mixed - can enter either or both events and each of the races usually has around 1000 competitors. Entry is £35 per person for Saturday, £69 per person for Sunday's 'Nine to Five' event or £99 for the Rat Race 'Weekender' package of both events. Corporate and charity packages are also available.

RAT RACE DATES 2009:
Birmingham: 30/31 May
Brighton: 13/14 June
Bristol: 27/28 June
Edinburgh: 18/19 July
Sheffield: 25/ 26 July
Belfast: 8/9 August
Gateshead/ Newcastle: 29/30 August
Galway: 5/6 September
London: 26/27 September

Online entries are now open at: www.ratraceadventure.com or call 0845 009 4365 for more information.

A League of Contributions

Football and Broadcasting legend Jimmy Hill has been presented with the prestigious Contribution to League Football Award at the 2009 Football League Awards incorporating FourFourTwo's Top 50 Football League Players.

Jimmy Hill began his playing career in 1949 with Brentford, before moving on to Fulham in 1953. In total, he played more than 300 games for the Cottagers.

In 1957 he became chairman of the Professional Footballers Association, and successfully campaigned in January 1961 to have the Football League's £20 maximum wage scrapped.

After retiring as a player, Jimmy became manager of Coventry City in November 1961. His time at Coventry was marked by great changes to the club, nicknamed 'The Sky Blue Revolution', which reflected changes to the clubs home kit and the many off-field innovations he implemented. These included the substantial redevelopment of the Highfield Road Stadium to make it the first all-seater stadium.

Among his other achievements at Coventry, were the creation of the first match-day programme in English Football and the introduction of organised pre-match entertainment.

The man behind the introduction of 3-points-for-a-win rule now used the world over, Jimmy's other many achievements included being acting as technical adviser to the BBC's football-based drama series 'United!' before becoming Head of Sport at London Weekend Television from 1967 to 1972 and presenting the BBC's 'Match of the Day'. As a presenter or analyst, he worked on every major international championship from 1966 to 1998.

In 1999, Jimmy moved from the BBC to Sky Sports where he presented 'The Last Word' and subsequently went on to host 'Jimmy Hill's Sunday Supplement', a weekly discussion show between Jimmy and leading football journalists over Sunday breakfast.

The recipient of many accolades over the years, Jimmy, who retired from broadcasting in 2007, said he was filled me with "immense pride" at receiving this latest award.

He added, "I am greatly honoured to accept this award from an organisation that has played such an important part in my life and throughout my career as a player, manager, chairman and broadcaster. It fills me with immense pride."

Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said, Hill made a significant contribution to League football during a career spanning nearly 60 years. "His influence is still being felt today, in many areas of the game; after all it was Jimmy that was responsible for the introduction of three points for a win and the use of panels of pundits to comment on televised matches," says the Chairman.

"He is much admired throughout The Football League and we are delighted to recognise his unparalleled contribution."

Jimmy received his award at a gala dinner at Grosvenor House on Park Lane in front of more than 800 attendees from clubs, sponsors and the football industry.

The FourFourTwo Top 50 Football League Players were also announced at the ceremony. The number one spot went to Wolverhampton Wanderers' striker, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Matty Fryatt of Leicester City was the highest ranked League 1 representative and Grant Holt of Shrewsbury Town the highest in League 2.

The full list of The Top 50 Football League Players can be found either in the May issue of FourFourTwo which is on sale now, or on the FourFourTwo website www.fourfourtwo.com.

Racing for a fun run!

Organisers of this year's SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon are urging people to don their running shoes or best fancy dress outfits to take part in the 3K Fun Run.

Children, students and businesses alike are invited to get their families, flatmates and workmates together in a bid to raise cash for charities across the region.

The race, which starts shortly after the main 13.1 mile-long half marathon, takes participants on the pathways in and around the famous Don Valley Stadium.

Margaret Lilley, chair of the Half Marathon organising committee, said, The Fun Run is a great opportunity for those who want to have a bit of fun whilst raising money for fantastic causes, as well as youngsters just starting out in the world of running.

"Kids and adults alike are welcome to take part, as well as wheelchair users, and we want to see an array of fancy dress costumes on the day – the wackier the better as far as we are concerned!

The great thing about the Fun Run is that it is very light hearted, meaning that a group of young kids could be running alongside a group of professionals dressed as sumo wrestlers!

The 10 chosen charities for this year's event are Sheffield Teenage Cancer Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association South Yorkshire, Macmillan Cancer Support, Myasthenia Gravis Association, RSPCA Sheffield, Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre South Yorkshire, Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind and Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice.

The SIG Insulations Sheffield Half marathon and Fun Run will take place on 26 April 2009 at Sheffield International Venues managed facility Don Valley Stadium from 9:30am.

For more information and to secure a place in the fun run or half marathon on behalf of the chosen charities, call: 0114 230 8429, or visit www.sheffieldmarathon.com and enter online.

England Reign In Spain At The Double

England's young golfers completed a clean sweep in Spain, winning the European Nations Cup while Sam Hutsby took the individual title.

The four-man team of Hutsby, Charlie Ford, Luke Goddard and Dale Whitnell led from start to finish at Sotogrande and their four round aggregate of 840, 24 under par, was four better than France and nine ahead of Spain.

With the best three scores to count each day, England made their intentions apparent from the start, their opening 206, Goddard shooting 68 and Hutsby and Ford 69, saw them leading by one from the French with Spain on 209.

But it was on day two that the foundations for victory were laid. Goddard and Whitnell went round in 68 while Hutsby supported with 69 to leave England on 411, 21 under par, seven strokes clear of France.

It was a similar story on the third day, England increasing their lead to eight strokes over Spain on 617 thanks to a 65 from Hutsby, 69 from Ford and 72 by Goddard.

The final day was played in difficult conditions, a strong wind coming from the opposite direction from the previous days. That was reflected in the scoring with only a handful of the field breaking par.

One of those was Hutsby whose 71 was backed by 76s from Ford and Whitnell, while France overtook the Spanish to take the silver medals.

In the individual prize, Hutsby finished tied with Spain's Carlos Pigem, who led by four going into the final day.

But the Spanish international suffered in the wind, shooting 75 to Hutsby's 71 and it was the Hampshire man who prevailed with a par at the first extra hole in a sudden death playoff to bring the title to England for the fifth time in ten years, following Gary Wolstenholme's wins in 2000, '01, '03 and '05.

Leading final scores: European Nations Cup - 840 England; 844 France; 849 Spain; 855 Ireland; 866 Denmark, Wales; 870 Italy.

The English Golf Union Limited (EGU) has served as the governing body of male amateur golf in England since it was founded in 1924.

Responsible for the training of England's top amateur golfers the EGU organises all the major English amateur championships.

Based at the National Golf Centre in Woodhall Spa, the EGU is one of the largest sports governing bodies in England looking after the interests of over 1,900 golf clubs and 740,000 club members. The EGU also works to increase the continued interest and participation in golf through their golf development initiative 'Get into Golf'.

Football Bodies Back Equality Standard

Kick It Out, football's equality and inclusion campaign recently launched the new Equality Standard, a guide for professional clubs developing equality policies and practices across all areas of their operation.

Launched this month at Bafta in London with a presentation, the evening featured speakers Richard Scudamore, ex-Manchester City chairman, David Bernstein and novelist and comedian, David Baddiel.

The framework document will help football clubs recognise and cultivate opportunities existing within their local community. This includes the attraction of new fans, the recruitment of players and the employment of the clubs administration. A third of all professional clubs have begun working on the three attainment levels and the framework has been supported fully by the game's governing bodies.

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, said: "Clubs can have an extremely positive influence on their fans as well as in the communities around them so it's important that they show how they embrace diversity and are open and accessible to everyone.

"The new Equality Standard will allow Clubs to demonstrate the high standards that they have achieved in eradicating discrimination of any kind."

Kick It Out Chair, Lord Herman Ouseley, said, "A welter of opportunities lie on a club's doorstep, from new supporters to potential employees. This framework will help clubs across every division understand how best to embrace this. Crucially it's designed so 'buy-in' comes from boardroom level, which means good practice is filtered down to those who make the club function on a day to day basis."

The Equality Standard works on three levels of achievement; Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. It encompasses all six areas of diversity - race, religion age, gender, sexual orientation and disability - and will ensure groups and individuals are given the same progression opportunities in either the playing or the administration of the game.

Kick It Out has a designated Development Officer in post to support clubs in this work and help them collate a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that they have met the requirements laid out in the Standard.