30th Anniversary Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon
Random Lottery To Open December 1, 2009
The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon will celebrate its 30th year as one of the premier triathlons in the world on Sunday, May 2, 2010. For 30 years, this legendary race has attracted professional and amateur athletes from around the world with its challenging course including the infamous swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, the hilly bike ride and grueling run through San Francisco. The world’s leading sports, entertainment and media company IMG Worldwide once again promises a stellar race ideal for athletes and spectators alike.
“The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is my favorite race,” said Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Three-Time Winner and Professional Triathlete Andy Potts. “IMG puts on a first class race that attracts top athletes from around the world and takes place on a truly unique course only made possible in a great city like San Francisco. I look forward to participating in the 30th Annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and being a part of its ongoing history.”
Similar to the world-renowned Kona Ironman race, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of the hardest triathlons to get into and one of only a few triathlons to be nationally televised. Interested participants can qualify to participate by placing in one of the Escape TO Alcatraz Triathlon Series races: Triathlon de Gerardmer France, September 5, 2009; The Triathlon at Pacific Grove, September 11-13, 2009; Jarden Westchester Triathlon, September 29, 2009; San Diego Triathlon, March 20-21, 2010; and GateWay to the Bay, April 10-11, 2010, or by entering the random lottery beginning on December 1, 2009. Due to the race’s extreme popularity, the lottery fills up quickly, with thousands of hopeful participants attempting to secure one of the few coveted spots. Additionally, top men and women from the previous Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon automatically qualify for the race.
“From the London Triathlon – the world’s largest, to the brand new Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of nearly a dozen renowned triathlons owned and produced by IMG,” said IMG’s Senior Vice President James Leitz. “IMG is dedicated to the sport of Triathlon and developing world class experiences for athletes around the world.”
Featuring a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike and an 8-mile run through San Francisco, this race is considered one of the most difficult triathlons in the world. More than 2,000 amateur and professional athletes from dozens of countries will attempt to conquer the icy cold swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, the hilly bike ride and grueling run through San Francisco for the 30th Annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.
The 30th Anniversary Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon will take place on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at 8 a.m., in San Francisco. The public is invited to watch the race and attend the free two-day Fitness Festival & Expo Saturday and Sunday. (Please note, the date has changed from May 30, to May 2, 2010, due to a Doyle Drive construction project and Memorial Day Weekend traffic congestion.) The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is owned and produced by IMG Worldwide with race direction provided, in part, by Premier Event Management.
www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com
Source: IMG Worldwide
Panasonic to deliver full lineup of HD equipment to Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Initiative Is Panasonic’s Largest-Ever Equipment Supply for the Winter Olympic Games Making Vancouver the First HD Winter Olympic Games
Panasonic Corporation, the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, announced it is providing a full lineup of High-Definition (HD) equipment to support the broadcast of the Olympic Games; delivering the largest supply of AV equipment for any Winter Games in the company’s history. Through cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver (OBSV), Panasonic will supply its HD video equipment to the competition venues and broadcasting locations, making the Vancouver Games the first Olympic Winter Games to be broadcast completely in HD format.
Following Beijing 2008, all international video signals for the 2010 Winter Games will be produced and distributed in HD format from the International Broadcasting Center (IBC) to rights-holding broadcasters around the world. In addition, the HD video signals will also be used for the first time for display on the LED Large Screen Display Systems in the competition venues and BC Place Stadium where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will take place; making the 2010 Winter Games the first “HD Olympic Winter Games” with all the Olympic videos to be delivered completely in HD. At BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver, Panasonic will install three LED video screens with a total display area of 243 m(2) (approximately 1.4 times the size used in the Torino 2006 Main Stadium). Together with Panasonic’s professional sound systems and Plasma Display Panels, the Panasonic AV systems will deliver spectacular images to enhance the excitement and spectacle of the Opening Ceremonies.
Panasonic’s DVCPRO HD has already been selected as the recording format for the 2010 Winter Games. The company will deliver large numbers of broadcasting equipment such as the P2HD series, a solid-state memory news gathering system. The 2010 Winter Games is the ninth Olympic Games in which Panasonic’s digital technology has been used as the recording format.
In addition, Panasonic will support a safe and secure Olympic operation by providing high-quality picture and high-sensitivity surveillance camera systems for the indoor and outdoor Olympic facilities, the surrounding areas and highways.
In cooperation with VANOC and Bell, a Premier National Partner and the Exclusive Telecommunications Partner for the 2010 Winter Games, Panasonic will also provide an HD Video Conference System as a means to link the two Athletes’ Villages in Vancouver and Whistler for the first time. The Panasonic system combines HD video conference units with Full HD Plasma Display Panels and HD camcorders which will link the Villages with H.264 high-resolution images and high sound quality resistant to audio cutoff. The Panasonic HD Video Conference System allows coaches and athletes to communicate without traveling between the Villages by providing vivid images and clear sound that make them feel as if they were in the same room. This system will also be used for the welcome ceremony of the Villages to unite athletes. This will not only save time and money required for the athletes to move between the Villages, but also help reduce CO2 emissions, ensuring an effectively-run Olympic Games with environmental considerations.
Source: Panasonic Corporation
Official DVD & Blu-ray chronicling New York Yankees 2009 World Series Championship
Official ’2009 World Series Film: Philadelphia Phillies(TM) vs. New York Yankees(R)’ DVD & Blu-ray(TM) Available Nationwide on DVD November 24 and on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def December 15
The 2009 Fall Classic was the searing face-off many had hoped for — the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies against the New York Yankees. Eighty-six years after opening the original Yankee Stadium in 1923 with their first World Series title, the Yankees celebrated their inaugural season in the new Yankee Stadium with a record 27th championship.
Celebrating the excitement and captivating moments of this year’s Fall Classic, Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory are offering baseball fans the ultimate insider’s look at the Yankees’ quest to win this year’s World Series title in a taut, six-game series victory over the Phillies. The official 2009 World Series Film: Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees, available nationwide on DVD on November 24, 2009, and on Blu-ray in High Definition on December 15, 2009, grants fans the opportunity to relive the long-awaited record-breaking 27th World Series title in Yankees history, the team’s first such victory in nearly a decade.
The collectible 2009 World Series Film provides extensive coverage of this year’s Fall Classic and will be sold at the New York Yankees Clubhouse Shops, the official team stores of the New York Yankees; online at MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, as well as Yankees.com; and at retailers nationwide. The official DVD and Blu-ray editions are available now to preorder at MLB.com, Yankees.com, Amazon.com and various online retailers. The official DVD has a suggested retail price of $19.99, and the Blu-ray is being offered at the suggested retail price of $29.99.
The 2009 World Series Film on Blu-ray and DVD features more than 80 minutes of main program presentation and nearly 30 minutes of bonus footage, including highlights from the American League Championship Series, American League Division Series, World Series, clubhouse celebrations and championship parade. Using elements captured through the unparalleled access of Major League Baseball Productions, the official Blu-ray and DVD provide unique, adrenaline-filled game-by-game coverage of the 2009 World Series, exclusive sound via wireless microphones, as well as interviews with players, coaches and team personnel, allowing fans an exclusive passport to the clubhouse during the Yankees’ postseason run. For the seventh consecutive year, MLB Productions captured both on- and off-the-field elements of the World Series with high definition (HD) cameras, ensuring that every facet of the Fall Classic is presented on Blu-ray and DVD in pristine, digital-quality video and audio.
Both the Yankees and Phillies teams featured game-changing players, elite pitchers and a knack for late-inning comebacks. No team had won more road games than the Phillies. No team had won more home games than the Yankees. Each team cut their way through the Division Series and League Championship Series with the same goal in mind. But when the final out of the Fall Classic was recorded, it was the New York Yankees who prevailed.
The official 2009 World Series Film provides a comprehensive look at the amazing journey the Yankees made toward winning their record 40th American League pennant and their return to glory by capturing their 27th World Series title in club history — from Matsui’s heroic hitting to A-Rod’s postseason resurgence to captain Jeter’s clutchness to Mo’s incredible domination — all culminating with a ticker tape parade before a huge crowd of fans in Manhattan.
DVD and Blu-ray bonus content includes:
– ALDS GAME 2: MARK TEIXEIRA WALK-OFF HR
– ALDS GAME 2: ALEX RODRIGUEZ HR
– ALCS GAME 2: ALEX RODRIGUEZ HR
– ALCS GAME 2: YANKEES WALK-OFF WIN
– ALCS GAME 6: LAST OUT
– WS GAME 3: ALEX RODRIGUEZ HR
– WS GAME 4: JOHNNY DAMON 9TH INNING AT-BAT
– WS GAME 4: JOHNNY DAMON STEALING SECOND AND THIRD BASE
– WS GAME 4: ALEX RODRIGUEZ 9TH INNING DOUBLE
– WS GAME 6: HIDEKI MATSUI HOMERUN
– WS GAME 6: HIDEKI MATSUI 2-RUN SINGLE
– WS GAME 6: HIDEKI MATSUI 2-RUN DOUBLE
– FINAL 3 OUTS OF WORLD SERIES AND CELEBRATION
– PLAYER REACTIONS
2009 WORLD SERIES FILM : PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS. NEW YORK YANKEES – DVD
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99
Widescreen 16:9
Audio: 2.0 Stereo
Release Date: November 24, 2009
2009 WORLD SERIES FILM: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS. NEW YORK YANKEES – Blu-ray
Suggested Retail Price: $29.99
1080i High Definition
Audio: PCM 5.1 Surround
Release Date: December 15, 2009
Source: Shout! Factory; Major League Baseball Productions
Fox Sports en Espanol hits ratings Home Run with 2009 World Series coverage
Network Strikes Out Competition across All Key Demographics during MLB Post-Season
Fox Sports en Espanol, the country’s leading Spanish-language sports media platform, struck out the competition with its coverage of the recently concluded 2009 Major League Baseball World Series. The network’s number one program during the ratings bonanza was Game Six of the World Series (Yankees vs. Phillies, 11/4/09), which delivered 261,000 Hispanics in the key P18-49 demographic. Overall, Fox Sports en Espanol finished with a 3.43 (1.74 P18-49) household coverage rating, up 81% in total households vs. its World Series coverage from 2008, and 240% over 2007.
“The only thing more exciting for us than this memorable Fall Classic is the fact that our loyal fans consistently tuned in to Fox Sports en Espanol for the best live coverage of the Series,” said David Sternberg, General Manager of Fox Sports en Espanol. “This clearly validates our mission of providing the most important sporting events, with the best analysis, of any Hispanic sports network.”
The results were strong for FSE’s advertisers, as well, with the network over-delivering across all demographics and surpassing its three-year World Series average. Ratings for coverage of the entire Major League post season was up dramatically over last year, with the American League Championship Series drawing a total Hispanic household rating of .92 for P18-49 and 1.24 for men, vs. last year’s .39 and .44 respectively. Overall, Fox Sports en Espanol maintained its position as the leading Hispanic sports network in the ratings for the second week in a row, averaging 73% more Hispanic P18-49 in primetime than its next closest competitor.
This marked the ninth consecutive year that Fox Sports en Espanol has offered live, exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the MLB postseason. In addition, as part of a seven-year partnership with Fox Broadcasting Company that runs through the 2013 season, the network will continue to offer live and exclusive Spanish-language coverage of approximately 26 MLB regular-season games each year plus the annual All-Star Game.
Source: Fox Sports en Espanol
Top 10 Finalists for ARA National Sportsmanship Award announced
2009 List Includes Collegiate Football Standouts On and Off Field
With awards season officially underway, the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) announces the top 10 finalists for its fifth annual Sportsmanship Award, which is given to one outstanding NCAA Division 1 collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship.
The 2009 Sportsmanship Award recipient will be chosen from one of these 10 finalists and announced this December.
Previous winners are Northwestern University receiver Eric Peterman (2008); Washington State quarterback Alex Brink (2007); Cincinnati Bengels fullback Brian Leonard (2006); and Carolina Panthers running back, DeAngelo Williams (2005).
“As the only national award that recognizes an athlete’s character and leadership as it translates to sportsmanship, the ARA Sportsmanship Award was created five years ago to shed light on these positive traits,” said Glenn Beckworth, president of the ARA.
ARA Sportsmanship Award
To qualify for the award, an athlete must be a starting player or significant contributor on his team; be an athlete in good academic standing; demonstrate great respect for competitors, school, teammates and coaches; show an ability to accept victory and defeat graciously; convey a high degree of humility and integrity; and demonstrate commitment in the classroom and to the community.
Former Brigham Young University Head Football Coach LaVell Edwards chairs the selection committee. “We’re uncovering some of the finest players the sport has to offer. These young men have a common thread of a positive attitude, strong work ethic and sense of fair play that is translated to their conduct on and off the playing field,” notes Edwards.
The finalists were selected in a blind process.
The 2009 award recipient will be announced in December. The finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
1. Mike Anello–University of Notre Dame.
2. Andrew Brewer–Northwestern University.
3. Russel Fisher–Saint Francis University.
4. Tim Hiller–Western Michigan University.
5. Jammie Kirlew–Indiana University.
6. Jeron Mastrud–Kansas State University.
7. Matt Reagan–University of Memphis.
8. Adam Rundh–Valparaiso University.
9. Phillip Tanner–Middle Tennessee State University.
10. Reed Williams–West Virginia University.
Source: www.arasportsmanshipaward.com