Providence and Savannah Expand Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series to Sixteen Events in 2011
San Diego, CA -- August 4, 2010 -- The Competitor Group (CGI), the leading media and event company in the endurance sports industry, today announced two new markets for the 2011 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. The Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, August 7, 2011 and the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon & Half Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, November 5, 2011.
"This is a significant step for the Competitor Group to expand the reach of our brand nationally with two of the most well-known destinations on the east coast," said Peter Englehart, CEO of CGI. "We have long recognized the strategic importance of having a larger presence in both New England and the Southeast regions and we welcome the additions of Providence and Savannah to our 2011 schedule."
The addition of the two races increases CGI's portfolio of national events to 45 with over 400,000 participants expected in 2011. Since acquiring the popular Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series in 2008, CGI has expanded the brand from five events to sixteen markets across the country. Providence and Savannah join existing cities of Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Dallas on the series schedule.
"It's a real coup for Rhode Island to host a Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon," said Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. "It has a profound economic impact on every destination that hosts a race. We expect that the Providence event will utilize close to 5,000 hotel room nights, as well as generate significant state tax revenue from dining, shopping and other activities."
The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon revolutionized the endurance sports industry when it combined entertainment with running in 1998. Race participants are entertained by live bands playing music at every mile along the course, interspersed with themed water stations and cheerleading squads providing motivation to the finish line.
Each race annually attracts between 13,000 and 37,000 participants and is considered a sports tourism destination, with more than half of the participants arriving from outside the host city. With charity partners raising over $233 million at the events to date, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series has become one the most successful charity fundraising platforms in the world.
"Our community is excited about this opportunity to showcase a world-class running event in Savannah," said Joseph Marinelli, President of the Convention & Visitors Bureau. "I applaud the Competitor Group for their support of this race and vision in bringing this event to fruition. We have great expectations for the race and to have a partner with a first-rate brand, known for their top notch entertainment, is not only exciting but synonymous with what visitors to Savannah have come to expect."
Registration is open for each event on competitor.com and the first 500 runners to register online will receive a special entry fee of $55.
About The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
Organized by the Competitor Group, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series is known for lining race routes with live bands, cheerleaders and themed water stations. The original Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 1998 is still recognized as the largest inaugural marathon in history with 19,979 entrants. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to sixteen markets nationwide, creating the world's premier series of running events, which will attract more than 350,000 participants in 2011. Race weekends kick off with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo, where all participants pick up their race number and browse over 100 exhibitors featuring free samples, the latest in running gear with a schedule of interactive clinics. The event concludes with a finish line festival and post race headliner concert. For more information, please visit runrocknroll.competitor.com.
About The Competitor Group
Competitor Group, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, CA, is the leading endurance media and event entertainment company dedicated to promoting the sports of running, cycling and triathlon. CGI owns and operates 45 national events delivering more than 350,000 professional and amateur participants in 2010. CGI publishes four magazine titles with a combined monthly circulation of over 800,000 and has recently launched an online endurance community at competitor.com delivering over 1.5 million monthly unique visitors and over 25 million page views. Further information about Competitor and its media properties can be found at www.cgimediakit.com.
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