The Aintree Grand Women’s Summit supported by Pinsent Masons will return at the Randox Grand National Festival in 2022. Set to be held for the seventh time on Randox Ladies Day (Friday 8th April), leading Corporate, Commercial and Sports law firm Pinsent Masons generously extends its support for the first time year and the 2022 event will see the first presentation of the Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award.
The Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award was launched by Aintree Racecourse in partnership with BBC Radio Merseyside at the 2021 Randox Grand National Festival, in memory of Aintree late Chairman Rose Paterson who sadly passed away in 2020. The award combines two of Rose’s passions, the community and the Grand Women’s Summit, and its aim is to recognise on an annual basis a girl or woman from Merseyside who is making a difference to grassroots community sport, either through participation or support.
Nominations for the Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award can made by the public and Aintree is encouraging its community partners - Alder Hey, LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, Park Palace Ponies, Military Vets HQ, Sunflowers, Alzheimer’s Society and Racing Welfare – as well as local sports clubs to make nominations. The judging panel is made up Rose’s daughter Evie Paterson, Alice Fox-Pitt, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Mike Hughes from BBC Radio Merseyside.
The winner and a guest will be given free admission to Aintree on Randox Ladies Day and will attend the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit Supported by Pinsent Masons. The winner’s name will be commemorated with a plaque on the Peter O’Sullevan Community Hub wall at the racecourse and they will also receive an annual pass to Aintree.
Evie Paterson said: “The Grand National and the Aintree Grand Women’s summit both meant a huge amount to my mother and it is a great honour that her name will be commemorated with the annual presentation of the Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award.
“My mother was very aware of the incredibly strong bond between the Grand National and the Merseyside region, so it is very fitting that this award recognises a person who is working for the benefit of the local community.
“I would like to thank everyone who has made this new award possible and in particular BBC Radio Merseyside for the great publicity they are providing.”
The host of the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit supported by Pinsent Masons will be Karthi Gnanasegaram.
A well-respected broadcaster across the BBC, Amazon Prime Video and Classic FM, Gnanasegaram has covered a wealth of major sporting events during her career including the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, FIFA World Cups, Champions League, Premier League, Wimbledon, the US Open, Open Golf Championships, the Ryder Cup and Grand Nationals.
Karthi Gnanasegaram said: “I am thrilled to be hosting the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit in 2022 particularly as it has been a such a difficult three years for so many people since the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit was last staged in person in 2019 and therefore this year’s theme of ‘Mental Resilience’ is of enormous relevance both to the sporting and wider world.”
Jockey Rachael Blackmore, who created history in 2021 by becoming the first female jockey to win the Randox Grand National aboard Minella Times, is expected to be in attendance while another panellist will be four-time Ironman World Champion triathlete, Chrissie Wellington OBE. The full list of panellists will be announced in due course.
Along the topics for discussion at the 2022 Aintree Grand Women’s Summit is Mental Resilience, both within sport and its relevance to the general population, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tallulah Lewis, Chair of Women in Racing, commented: “It is tremendous news that the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit will be returning in 2022.
“The topic of Mental Resilience is a highly topical one and I am sure there will lots of fascinating discussion with a particular emphasis on women.
“To have sportswomen of the calibre of Rachael Blackmore and Chrissie Wellington in attendance is sure to make this year’s event extra special.”
Dickon White, Regional Director - North West, The Jockey Club, added: “The Aintree Grand Women’s Summit is a fixture at the Randox Grand National Festival and we are delighted to see it return on Randox Ladies Day this year.
“I am thrilled that Karthi Gnanasegaram with her wealth of experience across the sporting world has agreed to host and my thanks go to Pinsent Masons for its generous sponsorship.
“The Aintree Grand Women’s Summit was much loved by our late Chairman Rose Paterson and we are honoured to be welcoming her daughter Evie back to Aintree for the inaugural presentation of The Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award.”
Schedule and key times for the 2022 Grand Women’s Summit supported by Pinsent Masons at Aintree on Friday 8th April
8.00am – Panel to arrive
8.30am – Guest arrival & breakfast
9.00am – Introduction by host Karthi Gnanasegaram
9.00am – 9.10am – Welcomes by Evie Paterson, Tallulah Lewis of Women in Racing. Winner of The Rose Paterson Community Sportswoman Award to be announced.
9.10am – 10.00am – Aintree Grand Women’s Summit
10.00am – 10.10am – Q&A with Rachael Blackmore
10.15am – 11.30am – Course walk with racing VIPs
Packages for those wanting to attend the Aintree Grand Women’s Summit are priced at £109 and include the above plus a Lord Sefton Terrace ticket for the day. Tickets can be booked online at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/events-tickets/grand-national/tickets/
