2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon to be Broadcast On Outdoor Life Network.Business Editors & Lifestyle/Sports Writers World-Class Professional Field, 2,000+ Amateur Athletes, World's Largest Cash Purse, and "Battle of the Sexes" Set the Stage for Unprecedented Excitement, Drama LIFE TIME FITNESS, Inc. today announced that the 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon The Life Time Fitness Triathlon is a triathlon race held annually in Minneapolis MN. An Olympic Distance length course winds its way through the city, drafting is not permitted. , occurring on Saturday, July 20, in Minneapolis, will be broadcast on Outdoor Life Network (OLN OLN Outdoor Life Network (TV channel) OLN Oracle Learning Network OLN Olin Corporation OLN Operator License Number OLN on Line Network OLN Office for Library and Information Networking ), the 24-hour cable network and leading provider of programming targeted to outdoor enthusiasts. The program will air at 11:30 AM (Eastern), immediately following OLN's coverage of the Tour de France Tour de France World's most prestigious and difficult bicycle race. Staged for three weeks each July—usually in some 20 daylong stages—the Tour typically comprises 20 professional teams of nine riders each and covers some 3,600 km (2,235 miles) of flat and and be broadcast to more than 45 million homes. The same-day airing of the event is unique to the sport of triathlon, which typically involves a delayed broadcast of several days to many weeks or months. Setting a new international standard for triathlons, the 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon stands to be one of the premier athletic events of Summer 2002. The Event also is a part of the Minneapolis Aquatennial The Minneapolis Aquatennial is an annual event held in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 1940 celebrating the city's famous lakes, rivers, and streams. Its current tagline is The Ten Best Days of Summer. , a ten-day premier Twin Cities civic celebration that upholds a 63-year community tradition and hosts more than 800,000 visitors. More than 1,800 participants from 30 States and 10 countries already have registered to participate. Along with the world's largest cash purse of $180,000 (in comparison with other international-distance triathlons), the Event offers a world-class professional field, a range of amateur events and a stunning course, beginning and ending at Lake Nokomis Lake Nokomis is one of several lakes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The lake was originally named Lake Amelia in honor of Captain George Gooding’s daughter, Amelia, in 1819. and covering a 27-mile path around four Minneapolis lakes. As with the LIFE TIME FITNESS 10K, the Triathlon will feature, "The Equalizer," a unique timing structure that allows professional women and men to compete on equal ground. Based on past LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon course results as well as results from a number of world and American international-distance events, The Equalizer allows pro women to start ahead of pro men by a predetermined pre·de·ter·mine v. pre·de·ter·mined, pre·de·ter·min·ing, pre·de·ter·mines v.tr. 1. To determine, decide, or establish in advance: amount of time, resulting in a new and innovative competition format, and an exciting, dramatic race to the finish for the first place prize of $50,000. "The LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon will set a new benchmark for the sport," said Bahram Akradi, founder and president, LIFE TIME FITNESS, Inc. "Beginning this year and continuing annually, our world-class Triathlon will represent one of the premier athletic events in the World. The size of our prize purse, combined with the world's top professional female and male triathletes competing head-to-head, brings to the Minneapolis Aquatennial and the surrounding region one of the most thrilling events of the season." A Who's-Who of the World's Elite Professional Triathletes The 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon will present a field of more than 50 of the world's top professional triathletes. Among dozens of professionals, notable participants include: -- Becky Gibbs (United States) -- Wayzata, Minn. native, ranked fifteenth female triathlete in the world -- Nicole Hackett (Australia) -- Top Australian Triathlete -- Loretta Harrop (Australia) -- Defending Commonwealth Games Champion -- Siri Lindley (United States) -- Defending World Champion -- Barb Lindquist (United States) -- 2001 World-leading female international distance triathlete -- Sheila Taormina (United States) -- Two-time Olympian -- Greg Bennett (Australia) -- Former Olympic-distance Champion -- Hamish Carter (New Zealand) -- Olympian, recipient of numerous World Cup Championships -- Marc Lees (Australia) -- 2001 Pan American Champion -- Simon Lessing (United Kingdom) -- Five-time World Champion -- Chris McCormack (Australia) -- 2001 World-leading male international-distance triathlete -- Craig Walton (Australia) -- Olympian, ranked #6 in the world No Small Feat Staging the 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon is a significant undertaking, requiring preparations for more than 2,000 participants, the efforts of more than 600 volunteers, and complete set up and tear down in little more than 24 hours. Additionally, unique to this event is the closure of more than 160 Minneapolis intersections across the 27-mile course. Registration For more information about the LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon or to register online, visit www.lifetimefitness.com. Registration forms also are available at all LIFE TIME FITNESS facilities or by calling 952/229-7227. All registrations must be postmarked by July 12 or completed online no later than July 17. Schedule Race material pickup will occur on Friday, July 19, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at the LIFE TIME FITNESS Expo (Mall of America Mall of America (also MOA, MoA, or the Megamall) is a shopping mall located in the Twin Cities suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. It is just southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, and is across the interstate from the - Sam Goody Sam Goody is a music and entertainment retailer in the United States and formerly in the United Kingdom. It is owned and operated by Musicland, which itself is owned by former rival Trans World Entertainment which also runs Suncoast Motion Picture Company and, until January 2006, Central Rotunda rotunda In Classical and Neoclassical architecture, a building or room that is circular in plan and covered with a dome. The Pantheon is a Classical Roman rotunda. The Villa Rotonda at Vicenza, designed by Andrea Palladio, is an Italian Renaissance example. ). On Saturday, the event kicks off at 5:00 AM with body marking, race announcements and introductions. The first wave of participants will begin at 7:00 AM. Following, an awards ceremony and celebration will take place at the All American Sports Bar, Mall of America, at 5:00 PM. Event Charities The Boy's and Girl's Clubs of the Twin Cities and the Page Education Foundation each will receive considerable donations as a result of the 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS 10K, LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon and the LIFE TIME FITNESS Torchlight 5K run, which kicks off the Minneapolis Aquatennial Torchlight Parade The Torchlight Parade is the finale in a long series of parades around the greater Seattle area under the auspices of Seafair, a Seattle summertime celebration. The parade is one of the original Seafair events dating to the 1951 centennial celebration. on July 24 at 8:00 PM. Volunteerism Volunteers also are needed for the event. Activities vary and begin as early as 5:00 AM but end no later than noon. To volunteer please contact the LIFE TIME FITNESS at events@lifetimefitness.com or by call the Event Hotline at 952/229-7227 (toll-free at 866/321-7575). 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon Event Sponsors A Minneapolis Aquatennial event, the 2002 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon is presented by Target and co-sponsored by POWERade, Galyan's, GMAC GMAC General Motors Acceptance Corporation GMAC Graduate Management Admission Council GMAC Give Me A Call GMAC Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee GMAC Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (Singapore) GMAC Give Me A Chance , EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) A security system for preventing theft in retail stores that uses disposable label tags or reusable hard tags attached to the merchandise. , the Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Their symbol is a bear made to look like the wilderness. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). , Speedo An earlier scalable font technology from Bitstream Inc., Cambridge, MA (www.bitstream.com). Speedo fonts used the .SPD extension. See FaceLift. , and Cargill Health & Food Technologies. 2003 LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon Registration for the LIFE TIME FITNESS Triathlon 2003 will be available on-line August 1, 2002. About LIFE TIME FITNESS, Inc. LIFE TIME FITNESS, Inc. is a privately held Health and Fitness Company that operates 26 multi-purpose, state-of-the-art Sports and Fitness Centers Sports and Fitness Center is an indoor sporting arena located in Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. The capacity of the arena is 3,500 people and is home to the University of the Virgin Islands Buccaneers. in Minnesota and five national markets including Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Washington DC. The Company has set the industry standard in providing consumers with the absolute finest in sports and fitness facilities, athletic events, adventure travel, full service spas, personal training consultation, health and nutrition education, corporate wellness programs, personal care products, as well as the most scientifically advanced nutritional products and supplements. The Company is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. and can be reached at 952/947-0000 or on the Web at www.lifetimefitness.com. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion