Posted: April 24, 2006

Athletics: They’re Off And Running At The 95th Annual ING Bay To Breakers 12K On Sunday, May 21, 2006

• Better Than Ezra to Headline ING Footstock After-Race Party
• ING Greater Body Expo Hosts Seminar Series on Women’s Running and Fitness
• New ING Battle to the Breakers Pits Best Women Against Best Men
• New ING Hayes Street Summit Awards Extra Bonus to Leaders at Hayes Street Hill

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Each year, the ING Bay to Breakers 12K is a glorious celebration of San Francisco’s spirit – a giant human wave of athleticism, fun, frivolity, and determination flowing from the city out to the ocean. With ING as its new title sponsor, Better Than Ezra headlining the ING Footstock Festival, an exceptional line-up of speakers and vendors at the ING Greater Body Expo, a new contest that pits the best women runners against the best men, and a special bonus for the first person to summit the Hayes Street Hill, the 95th ING Bay to Breakers is ready to burst out of the starting gate on Sunday, May 21, 2006.

The first Bay to Breakers in 1912 was originally conceived as a way of uniting San Franciscans and boosting morale after the 1906 earthquake. And 95 years later, the ING Bay to Breakers remains as one of the city’s best celebrations of spirit, pride and audacity – an “only in San Francisco” event. The race weaves its way from the shadow of the Bay Bridge past 7.46 miles of streets, hills, historic neighborhoods, parks and live music until it reaches the majestic breakers of the Pacific Ocean on the Great Highway at Ocean Beach. From the first running, with 122 serious runners, to last year’s race with 70,000 runners, walkers and frolickers – ING Bay to Breakers is now one of the world’s largest footraces. It is also arguably the zaniest race in the world, a springtime Halloween jaunt through San Francisco with thousands of costumed participants, and a fiercely competitive field of American and international elite athletes all cheered on by tens of thousands of spectators.

New ING Battle to the Breakers and ING Hayes Street Summit Award
It’s the battle of the sexes at the ING Bay to Breakers. The new ING Battle to Breakers will pit the best women runners against the best men runners, giving the women a head start based on the difference in course records for men and women. Theoretically, this new handicapping system could enable a woman to cross the Breakers finish line first! The first person to cross the finish line will win an extra $25,000 bonus.

The new ING Hayes Street Summit Award of $5000 will be given to the first male and female to “crest the peak” of the Hayes Street Hill – a dramatic point in the race where winners are made and lost.

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