Come and watch Sonic the Hedgehog and the visitors in action - children and adults alike - at the launch of the Spinnaker Tower's Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tournament, using Wii Nintendo gaming stations against the spectacular panoramic backdrop that the Spinnaker Tower provides. There will be a variety of photography, filming and interview opportunities available. On arrival at the mediacall please ask for Keira Relton.

Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's popular computer games character, will be making a special appearance at the Spinnaker Tower on Wednesday 30 July as he launches the Tower's fantastic summer activities - the Spinnaker Tower's Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tournament. It coincides with the imminent Beijing Olympics and will be fun families and visitors of all ages as it's open to everyone from 5 to 95 years of age.
 
Visitors to the iconic Tower will be able to take part in the month-long Olympic-style challenge between 1pm and 5pm daily at no extra cost. With two Nintendo Wii gaming 'pods' on View Deck 1, set against a breath-taking backdrop, it will be the perfect opportunity for visitors to get into the spirit of things by playing simulated sports that will be played at this year's Olympics.
 
The challenge will be for visitors to win one of seven sports from Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games which will be 400m run, hammer, 110m hurdles, triple-jump, 100m freestyle swimming, rowing and even trampoline! There will be an on-site leader board, as well as one on the Spinnaker Tower's website (www.spinnakertower.co.uk) which will reveal the current best four competitors in each sport who then will take part in a spectacular semi-final, to be held on the tournament's final day - Wed 27 August.
 
The eventual winner of each sport will be put forward for entry into a GRAND Final on the same day, to determine the ultimate winner**. Whoever can master the Grand Final 'Dream Race' contest will win an amazing prize - tickets for 4 people to a sporting event of their choice* sponsored by Original. There will be a spectacular mock-Olympic ceremony for the finalists, including blocks, medals, and the national anthem to boot!
 
Not only that, the six runners up will win £50 worth of high street vouchers and there will be 21, £10 high street vouchers for the best runners up in each sport. And even if you don't make it to the finals, you could still be a winner as all participants will be entered into a fantastic free prize draw to win a brand new Nintendo Wii.
 
The Spinnaker Tower is open daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm Sunday to Friday (last admission 5.30pm) and 10am to 10pm on Saturday throughout the year, except August when it's open 10.00am to 10.00pm daily. Entry into the tournament is free with admission to the Spinnaker Tower. For more information contact 02392 857520 or visit www.spinnakertower.co.uk . Visitors to the Spinnaker Tower can save money and beat the queues by booking online with a 10% discount, enabling visitors to select their exact date and time to visit, bypassing the queues on the day to enjoy the stunning views without the wait.