Japan awarded 2014 Women's Baseball World Cup
The 6th Women's Baseball World Cup will be celebrated in two world-class venues in the city of Miyazaki
LAUSANNE (SUI) - The hosting rights of the 2014 Women's Baseball World Cup have been awarded to the city of Miyazaki, Japan, which was put forward in a bid by the Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ).
BFJ's proposed dates for the celebration of the 6th Women's Baseball World Cup are 1-7 September and includes eight national teams that will face-off in the double round-robin format. Miyazaki's modern "Sun Marine" and "Ivy" stadiums will serve as the two competition venues.
WBSC Co-President Riccardo Fraccari congratulated the city of Miyazaki on being awarded the 6th Women's Baseball World Cup and cited the city's world-class facilities as ensuring successful delivery of the event.
"Congratulations to Miyazaki. This city's baseball infrastructure will provide the athletes and fans with a world-class experience and atmosphere. We are fully confident Miyazaki will serve our colleagues at the Baseball Federation of Japan, in cooperation with the local authorities, to showcase an excellent and exciting women's championship in Japan, as well as promote women's sport in general and the city itself, ensuring a great legacy."
WBSC officials state that baseball and softball's relevance and attraction on the sporting landscape in Japan, the epicenter of baseball and softball in the Asian region, remains very strongly positioned to promote international growth and development of the bat-and-ball sport.
"Awarding the hosting rights to the excellent city of Miyazaki confirms that baseball and softball will continue to play a prominent role on Japan's sport culture and industry, and will continue to act as a driving force throughout the territory for mobilizing youth and women into sport," Fraccari expressed.
The successful bid by BFJ returns the Women's Baseball World Cup to Japan for the second time. The city of Matsuyama hosted the said world championship in 2008 and set off the current streak of three consecutive world titles by the Japanese national team, who captured the world cup, which is contested every two years, in Maracay, Venezuela in 2010 and again in Edmonton, Canada last year.
Japan's women's national teams are also reigning champions of the Women's Softball World Championship and the World Cup of Softball, winning those events in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
The hosting rights of the 2016 Women's Softball World Championship, 2016 Junior Men's Softball World Championship, and 2017 Men's Softball World Championship will be announced later today (Oct. 25).
(From IBAF Website)
