Denmark launch bid for 2017 European Short Course Swimming Championships

Denmark's bid comes in the wake of its hosting of the 2013 LEN Short Course Championships in Herning ©Getty Images

Denmark has announced its candidacy to host the 2017 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Copenhagen.

Members of the European Swimming League (LEN) Executive have recently visited the Danish capital and it is claimed by officials there they were very positive about the bid, which proposes to stage the event in a brand new, state-of-the-art venue.

Denmark previously played host to the 2013 edition of the LEN Shot Course Championships at the Jyske Bank Boxen, one of the country’s premier sporting venues, in Herning.

“What we have seen these last days fully assures us that Denmark once again aims at raising the bar in terms of hosting the LEN Short Course Championships," said Paulo Frischknecht, member of the LEN Executive.

Pia Holmen, chief executive of the Danish Swimming Federation, claimed the 2017 bid will be based on the "learnings" from two years ago.

“We gained valuable experiences in hosting the event in 2013 together with the host city, Herning and Sport Event Denmark,” she said.

“In 2017 the host city will be the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

“Copenhagen has a strong sporting event strategy.”

Denmark's 2017 bid will be based on its experience of hosting the 2013 LEN Short Course Championships

Paolo Barelli, President of LEN, claimed the LEN new standards had been set for the Championships in 2013.

“The amazing event set-up, the impressive spectator involvement, the engaged and skilled volunteers created a magnificent home ground for the event,” he said in the aftermath of the competition.

“This great show promoted swimming in Denmark and all over the continent - and I do think Denmark earned an all-time high reputation within the LEN family.”

This year’s edition is due to be held at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel, from December 2 to 6, marking the first time the Championships will be held over five days.

Netanya had originally been due to host the Championships in December 2014, before it was moved back to January of this year to avoid a clash with the 2014 Short Course World Championships in Doha, and then put back again to the dates currently scheduled.

Members of the LEN Bureau agreed the latest move by an "overwhelming majority" after a mail vote, stating that it carried out surveys on the date change and "found that changing the dates would secure a bigger success to the event".

The new Wingate Institute complex features an Olympic-size pool with 10 lanes and three metre depth, backed by the latest built-in filtration systems, an eight-lane 50m pool and a six-lane 25m pool.

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