Red Bull Soapbox Race Set to Speed Through the Streets of Downtown Los Angeles
FORTY-SEVEN TEAMS GEARING UP TO RACE DOWN GRAND AVENUE ONTO 5TH STREET
On September 26 there will be at least two streets in Los Angeles free from the usual gridlocked traffic. Grand Avenue and 5th Street in Downtown will be reconfigured into wide-open raceways as the Red Bull Soapbox Race screeches into town. The wacky event will feature a field of 47 hand-made soapbox racers, driven by men and women daring enough to brave steep drops, a 90 degree turn and scary speeds in pursuit of achieving glory. But this race is far from your stereotypical childhood derby, and these are no ordinary vehicles! Angelenos can keep their eyes peeled for a giant nose, a bunk bed, a time-traveling DeLorean, Pac-Man, an Aztec temple and more zooming down Grand Ave and taking a sharp turn onto 5th Street next to Pershing Square Park.
After reviewing around 200 applications, the 47 most creative teams were selected to race their human-powered vehicles down the course. While these teams definitely feel the need for speed – they can reach close to 40mph in their racers – they will need more than just velocity to win. Judging is based on three criteria: speed, creativity and showmanship, so expect to see a healthy slice of style added to soapboxes’ blur-inducing speed.
BORN TO BE WILD
It should come as no surprise that Los Angeles would produce some of the wildest soapboxes to date, many of which include a familiar cast of characters. Head Downtown on September 26 and you will witness E.T. and Elliot flying over the moon, OJ Simpson being chased by the police and the cast from Alice in Wonderland riding a giant caterpillar. And where are the Wild Things? Tearing down the Red Bull Soapbox Race course in Max’s boat, that’s where. Also expect appearances by Speed Racer, James Bond, Falkor from The Never Ending Story and Lord Dark Helmet from Spaceballs. The teams come from all over Southern California as well as from Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Nevada. College rivalries will be in high gear as teams from USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, Loyola Marymount University, Oregon State University and University of North Texas take to the track to compete for school pride.
These gearheads may love the smell of axle grease in the morning and race just for the thrill of it, but turns out there’s a pay off! First place at Red Bull Soapbox Race is an unforgettable NASCAR experience including flight and hotel for all five team members. Second prize is the ultimate driving day at one of the most challenging and exciting racetracks in the nation. Third place receives a day of high speed go-kart racing. One team will also win the People’s Choice Award to be chosen by the crowd through SMS voting on race day.
Los Angeles may be the latest pit stop, but the Red Bull Soapbox roads have been braved by many daredevils before. The first Red Bull Soapbox Race took place in Belgium in 2000, and has since visited almost 30 countries including Austria, England, Jamaica, Czech Republic and Australia to name a few. The first U.S. event was held in St. Louis in 2006 and the event is making two U.S. stops this year in Atlanta (August 29) and Los Angeles (September 26).
RULES OF THE ROAD
It may be fast, it may be wild, it may even be weird. . .but there are rules to keep it legal. All driving machines must be entirely human-powered – no stored power or external energy sources allowed – though they must have a braking system. To maintain ground clearance (and prevent them from getting stuck on the starting ramp), soapboxes should sit at least 7″ from the ground, and be no taller than 7′ high. And finally, all soapboxes can have one or two drivers, must weigh no more than 176 lbs (without the drivers).
www.redbullsoapboxrace.com
Source: Red Bull
A Marathon is not Enough: Dean Karnazes to Run 100 Miles to L.A. and Then Run the L.A. Marathon
Running one marathon is plenty for most people, but not Dean Karnazes.
The 46-year-old ultra-marathoner who grew up in Southern California will return – on foot – to run in the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon next Monday on Memorial Day, May 25, by running approximately 100 miles from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday!
“I’m an L.A. native, so I feel a certain affinity for the L.A. Marathon and I so look forward to running it every year,” he said on a video posted on YouTube on May 9. “In fact, one of my fondest memories ever is my Dad running the L.A. Marathon; he ran the inaugural L.A. Marathon and I was there to watch him cross that finish line. It left an impression on me forever.
“So the weekend of the L.A. Marathon, I’m actually going to be staying in Santa Barbara. It’s about 100 miles from Santa Barbara where I’m staying to the L.A. Marathon, so I’ll take off about 24 hours in advance to run the 100 miles. I’ll run right down the Pacific Coast Highway, right along the coast. It will be extremely beautiful, so I look forward to that. I’ll run to the Expo, actually, on Sunday and I’m going to give a talk, so if anyone wants to come listen to me talk, I’ll be at the Expo on Sunday afternoon and then I’ll probably kick about and run the Marathon with everyone on Monday. It seems like a great weekend.”
Karnazes will appear at free-to-the-public Run/Ex/09 at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. to share his experience of running down the coast over the prior 24 hours.
“My earliest recollection of running was running home from kindergarten,” he noted. “I started running at six years old.” He recalled that he ran his first marathon at age 14, but then gave it up as he matured, graduating from San Clemente High School and then majoring in food science technology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“I found myself in a bar on my 30th birthday,” he remembered in the video. “I said to my buddies at 11 o’clock at night, ‘I’m going to go running tonight. I’m going to run 30 miles to celebrate my 30th birthday.’ And they said, ‘You’re drunk,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I am, but I’m still going to do it.’ So I walked out of a bar at 11 at night and literally ran all night long.” That marked his return to running and he’s been on the roads ever since. “You really stretch the boundaries of the human spirit and human endurance,” he said, noting that he’s run as much as 350 miles non-stop.
Asked how many marathons he’s run, he replies that, “I stopped counting at 100; I don’t think I’ve quite run 200.” But he respects the distance and the effort required, “Completing a marathon is an incredible achievement; it’s something that 99.9% of people will never do.”
Karnazes, who lives in Marin County, isn’t planning on resting much after Monday’s L.A. Marathon, though. He’ll be on the road to race again in San Diego the next weekend.
For more information on the Los Angeles Marathon, visit www.lamarathon.com
For more information on the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, visit www.acuraLAbiketour.com
“We inspire athletes and connect communities. Anchored by the iconic Los Angeles Marathon, our three sporting events draw more than 25,000 athletes, 5,000 volunteers, and one million spectators along the route to sunny Southern California for the L.A. Marathon, the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, and our 5K Run/Walk, making race day one of the world’s largest days of participatory sport.”
~ Russ Pillar, President, Los Angeles Marathon
Source: L.A. Marathon
Full Calendar of Activities for 24th Los Angeles Marathon This Memorial Day Weekend
Runners, cyclists, fans and anyone interested in fitness will have plenty to see and do during the Memorial Day weekend leading up to the 24th Los Angeles Marathon to be held for the first time on Memorial Day, May 25. Coming up:
Saturday, May 23: Run/Ex/09
One of the largest racing expositions in the world, Run/Ex/09, will open in the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. More than 140 exhibitors will offer innovative demonstrations and state-of-the-art products and services on running, health, fitness and lifestyle improvement on more than four acres of floor space. Saturday hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and admission is free.
Saturday, May 23: The Carbo Load
The traditional pre-race Carbo Load dinner will be held for the first time at the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live, a short walk from the Run/Ex/09 site at the Convention Center. Tickets are $25 per person and seating is extremely limited.
Sunday, May 24: Run/Ex/09
The final day of Run/Ex/09 is the last chance to register for the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon or the Acura L.A. Bike Tour (no race-day registration) or the Los Angeles Marathon 5k Run/Walk (for which there will be race-day registration). Sunday’s Run/Ex/09 hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is free.
Monday, May 25: Los Angeles Marathon XXIV
The Los Angeles Marathon will be held for the first time on Memorial Day, with more than 35,000 participants expected to run, cycle and walk in the Marathon, Acura L.A. Bike Tour or the 5k Run/Walk.
Start times:
5:00 a.m.: Acura L.A. Bike Tour start
6:55 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon wheelchair participant start
7:00 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon hand-cycle start
7:07 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon elite women’s start
7:24 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon field start
8:30 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon 5k Run/Walk start
8:50 a.m.: Springfield Kids Marathon start
9:45 a.m.: Awards presentation at the Los Angeles Central Library
Street closures in the downtown Los Angeles area will begin about 5:20 a.m. with all streets re-opened by 5:20 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Los Angeles Marathon Finish Line Festival
Beginning with a giant screen showing the live KNBC race broadcast, the annual Finish Line Festival will begin at 7 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. at Flower and 3rd Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Live entertainment will be offered on the K-EARTH Stage beginning at 10:30 a.m., with the Michelob Ultra Beer Garden close by plus two dozen sponsor and exhibit booths, including the Family Reunion Area.
Admission to the Finish Line Festival is free.
For more information on the Los Angeles Marathon, visit www.lamarathon.com
For more information on the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, visit www.acuraLAbiketour.com
“We inspire athletes and connect communities. Anchored by the iconic Los Angeles Marathon, our three sporting events draw more than 42,000 athletes, 12,000 volunteers, and one million spectators along the route to sunny Southern California for the L.A. Marathon, the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, and our 5K Run/Walk for Charity, making race day one of the world’s largest days of participatory sport.”
~ Russ Pillar, President, Los Angeles Marathon, L.L.C.
Source: Los Angeles Marathon, L.L.C.
Young Athletes Age 5-12 Now Have a Summer Camp Tailored to Meet Their Needs by Elite Coaches and Players
With Its Primary Focus on Fun as the Key to Unlocking Kids’ Potential, Varsity Sports Academy is Set to Revolutionize the Sports Camp Experience
Varsity Sports Academy (“VSA”), announced its first non-profit Summer Sports Day Camp. The camp is the brainchild of two well-known coaches from Los Angeles, current Venice High Varsity Football Coach Tharen Todd and plyometrics standout “Coach Serg” Siderman, who saw a void when it came to summer camps focused on young athletes.
“I put my 5- and 7-year-old boys into well known summer ‘sports’ camps over the last few years and was disappointed by the utter lack of coaching and minimal time spent actually playing any sports — they were glorified day care centers,” says Siderman. “I wasn’t alone in my disappointment and we decided our kids simply deserved something better,” he continued.
The VSA’s philosophy and staff are what set it apart from any other sports day camp — the philosophy is simple: “It all starts with FUN. FUN invites participation. Participation focuses attention. Attention expands awareness. Awareness promotes insight. Insight generates knowledge. Knowledge facilitates action. Action yields results. And it all starts by choosing to have FUN.” — VSA website.
“Athletes need to buy into the philosophy of their coaches. Kids are no different. If they don’t love what they’re doing, they won’t get much from the experience and won’t improve. Everything we do starts with shaping the right attitude. Once we have that, it’s all downhill,” said Coach Todd.
The staff roster reads like a Who’s Who of youth sports coaches. From former Pro and NCAA Wide Receiver/Punt returner Tharen Todd to Former European Basketball League Champion David Sternlight to Plyometrics Guru Gil “Rise” Thomas, VSA has the major sports covered by coaches that have not only been to the top of their respective sports and are in a position to bestow unparalleled knowledge upon their campers, but have a proven track record of working with kids. With heartfelt testimonials from the likes of Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart to parents of 5-12 year olds coached by VSA staff, VSA campers are clearly in for a special summer.
Because of the VSA’s focus on attitude and building great sportsmen and sportswomen, not just great athletes, the VSA camp features some unique activities like a daily “reading circle” where coaches read passages from inspirational sports figures like John Wooden and Michael Jordan, then talk to the kids about what made those legends so great on and off the field. They also have specialists come in weekly to teach the kids age appropriate conflict resolution and emotional control for sports as well as nutritionists to discuss healthy eating habits. Along with some team building arts and crafts projects as part of the daily schedule, VSA is looking to transform tomorrow’s athletes by giving them all of the most important tools today.
Think this kind of camp is only for the super-rich? Think again. The VSA is a non-profit charitable foundation. With the help of Cedars Sinai’s C.O.A.C.H. for Kids program, VSA will interview and award camp “scholarships” to inner city kids who would otherwise never have the opportunity to participate in such an elite summer program.
The VSA is currently accepting applications for its West Los Angeles sports camp. Applications can be found at www.varsitySportsAcademy.org. All applicants will be considered.
Varsity Sports Academy
Varsity Sports Academy (VSA) is a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to the provision of elite sports training and counseling to underprivileged and underserved youth, as well as local residents. The goal is to give every child the opportunity to improve and compete at the height of their capabilities.
LA Clippers Marcus Camby to Celebrate Thanksgiving with Volunteers of America on Skid Row
WHO: LA Clippers center Marcus Camby, Volunteers of America of Greater Los Angeles, and recently homeless individuals currently rebuilding their lives
WHAT: Marcus Camby teams with Volunteers of America of Greater Los Angeles to serve Thanksgiving meal to 200 impoverished Angelenos
WHEN: Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 27, 2008 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Volunteers of America – Ballington Plaza 622 S. Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Thanksgiving giving has become a family tradition for the Cambys. Along with his wife Eva, and daughter Milan, the 6’11″ Camby, decked out in apron, will serve a traditional holiday meal with all the trimmings at a sit-down dinner at VOALA’s Ballington Plaza on Skid Row. “Nobody should go hungry — especially on Thanksgiving,” Camby says, “and there are a lot of needy people here.”
AN OASIS OF HOPE AND TRANSFORMATION ON SKID ROW
With its courtyard setting lined with roses, Ballington Plaza is a serene oasis in the heart of Skid Row. Dinner guests will be recently homeless individuals who are currently enrolled in VOALA programs and committed to transforming their lives. Some are going through recovery; others are enrolled in jobs programs. Many are fresh off the streets and a large percentage is senior citizens and veterans. These individuals are at various stages of rebuilding their lives and all are making their way out of homelessness to become self-sufficient and productive members of society.
Camby, and his Cambyland Foundation, has been a partner of Volunteers of America since 2006. He continues to underwrite Thanksgiving dinner for Volunteers of America in the Denver community, with the help of volunteers from “Marcus’ Mentors”, his youth tutoring and scholarship program.
For more information please contact: Nicole Pratt 213-798-1976 npratt@voala.org
MARCUS CAMBY
Marcus Camby is committed to community outreach. In 1996, he established the Cambyland Foundation to partner with schools and community organizations to provide opportunities to underserved communities. With a primary focus on education, the Foundation encourages kids to succeed in school and provides funding for mentoring and tutoring programs, extra-curricular activities and scholarships for post-secondary education. The Cambyland Foundation has and continues to be instrumental in reaching out to children and families during the holiday season. www.cambyland.com www.nba.com
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF GREATER LOS ANGELES (VOALA)
Since 1896, VOALA has provided a diverse range of programs and services. Serving more than 30,000 people annually, from pre-natal to the elderly, VOALA targets ‘at-risk’ children and youth who are unwittingly poised to become the next generation of teen mothers, absentee fathers and welfare recipients; and impoverished men, women and families who are vulnerable to homelessness, substance abuse, violence and crime. www.voala.org