2011 World Sports Expo

Reducing childhood obesity will be a key priority of the World Sports Expo to be held in Perth next year. Organisers of the 2011 World Sports Expo, which will take place from 19 – 23 January 2011, aim to reduce the instances of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes by encouraging children and adults to live an active lifestyle and show them how to have fun with fitness.

Childhood obesity is a major concern in Australia. Obesity can lead to further health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, with the instance increasing in children.

Sports Fever general manager Gus Burges says the team is looking forward to being part of such an important event. More details about Sports Fever’s stand will be available closer to the event date.

Summer Safety Tips

So you read our post on why summer safety is important? Here are some suggestions from Sports Medicine Australia to keep you safe in the heat.

• Stay hydrated by drinking water before, during and after exercise. 
• Schedule activity to avoid the hottest part of the day. 
• Take rest breaks, in the shade if possible. 
• Wear light coloured, lightweight and loose fitting clothing that allows easy evaporation of sweat from the skin. Wear sunglasses, 30+ sunscreen and a hat. 
• Reduce the duration and intensity of a warm up to minimise an increase in body heat and temperature. 
• Do not take part in strenuous activity if you have recently experienced a high temperature, infection, diarrhoea or vomiting. 
• If you have a medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, a heart problem, epilepsy or obesity, are taking medication, or are pregnant; you may experience difficulties exercising in the heat. If unsure you should seek advice from a sports medicine professional. 
• Persons suffering from heat illness can recover rapidly with assistance – laying down in a cool place, removing excess clothing, wetting skin or using ice packs, and drinking cool water. However if symptoms do not improve, seek medical assistance.

Exercise Safely During Summer

During summer those who are active need to prepare for hot weather conditions or risk heat injury, warns Sports Medicine Australia.

Being active in hot or humid conditions can lead to dehydration, heat illness and sometimes the more serious consequence of heat stroke.

Sports Medicine Australia spokesperson Dr Anita Green says while physical activity is important for overall health, in the hotter months certain precautions need to be taken to avoid heat injuries.

"Heat illness is a serious matter that can result in the life-threatening condition of heat stroke, if left untreated," Dr Green says. "While people need to exercise regularly to stay healthy, they should take certain precautions if exercising in a hot or humid environment.

"Those exercising need to know what can contribute to heat illness, such as high air temperature, heavy clothing, high humidity, lack of fitness and high exercise intensity. They should also know the symptoms of heat illness – light-headedness, nausea, headache, confusion, not sweating, and aggressive or irrational behaviour.

"Knowing how to prepare for heat illness, what causes it and what to look out for will help to avoid it."

Children are at a greater risk as their bodies respond less efficiently to heat, feel hotter and have greater difficulty getting rid of heat from their body.

Video: City of Rockingham Triathlon

Check out this great video from the City of Rockingham Race 1 of the Bikesure Triathlon Series held over the weekend. See yourself in the video? Hit comment below and let us know, whether you are a first timer or a regular we'd love to hear about how you went.

For the first event of the season it was a great success with over 800 participants involved in the Tadpoles, Enticer Triathlon or Pure Blonde Pursuit.

As we mentioned here the other day, Formula 1 2009 World Champion Jenson Button also made the trip to Rockingham with girlfriend Jessica Michibata to compete in the Pure Blonde Pursuit. When interviewed Button revealed that the sole reason for visiting WA was to participate in the event, which he had researched and found online. His participation also garnered quite a lot of media attention.

Make sure you don't miss out on being a part of race 2! Find out all the details here. 

Button Revs Up

The 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button will be in Perth this weekend to swap horsepower for pedal power as he prepares to compete in another sport he loves – triathlon.

The City of Rockingham Triathlon is being held on Sunday 19 December, and the Briton will be competing in the event alongside his girlfriend Jessica Michibata.

In his ‘day job’, Jenson drives for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, and has scored nine grand prix victories in an illustrious Formula 1 career spanning 10 years.

In 2010, his highlights included wins in the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix and fifth overall in the drivers’ championship.

Away from the racetrack, Jenson is a committed triathlete, having competed in the London Triathlon for the past two years. He will be supporting his girlfriend Jessica in her first triathlon as they compete together in the Rockingham Triathlon, which comprises a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run.

"Some people use Formula 1’s winter season as a time to wind down, but I love to compete,” Jenson says. “So it’s fantastic to be able to stay competitive while also working on my fitness by taking part in the Rockingham Triathlon.

“Triathlon is a fantastic all-round sport that really tests you: I love the fact that I’m pushed hard by some real professionals whenever I take part in an event, and I also love that I’m pushing my body to the limit through a number of different disciplines in order to be competitive.

“So while most people in Europe will be enjoying the snowy conditions, I’m really looking forward to heading down to Perth and the Australian summer to begin my preparations for the Rockingham Triathlon.”

Event details: The City of Rockingham Triathlon
Date: Sunday 19 December 2010

Location: Bell Park, Rockingham Beach Rd, Rockingham
Time: Race starts at 08:00am approx Finish - 09:30am

Welcome to the Sports Fever Blog!

We’d like to welcome you to the first ever Sports Fever blog! We’re really excited to be able to bring you this page as a way to share the wealth of special expertise and knowledge within our team and talk directly to you – our customers!

In case you don’t know who we are, Sports Fever was established over ten years ago and is a Western Australian institution for people who want to keep active and injury free. When you come into a Sports Fever store you can expect to find the latest in technology in footwear, apparel, as well as everything else that makes achieving your goals in the fitness industry.

It is the advice and the service that impresses; you don’t pay any more to have someone genuinely care about what you need and help sort any problems you may be having! Now you also have this blog as a great way to ask any questions that may crop up and talk directly to our staff.

You can also check us out on Facebook!