Queens Baton Relay

USPA NEWS - QUEEN'S BATON RELAY
70 NATIONS AND TERRITORIES.
The Queen's Baton Relay began its 190,000 km journey over 288 days around the Commonwealth on the 9 October 2013 before opening the games on the 23 July 2014.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games, officially the XX Commonwealth Games, will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from 23 July to 3 August 2014. The Queen's Baton Relay, similar to the Olympic Torch Relay, is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London as a part of the city's Commonwealth Day festivities. The Queen entrusts the baton to the first relay runner. At the Opening Ceremony of the Games, the final relay runner hands the baton back to the Queen or her representative, who reads the message aloud to officially open the Games.

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games are set to be one of the most memorable games ever taken place. 6,500 athletes and officials from 71 countries will compete in 17 sports over eleven days. From the precision of lawn bowls to the high adrenaline of track events and the grace and beauty of gymnastics, Glasgow will be the stage for a fantastic summer of sport, as well as a massive range of cultural events for everyone. This will be the third time that Scotland has hosted the Commonwealth Games and, as seen before, 2014 sees masses of public interest and support for the games. (Source: Royal Central)