Photo: Fredison Costa of El Paso, TX Wins 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon
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Fredison Costa, 33, from Brazil and now living in El Paso, Texas, celebrates Jan. 9, 2011 as he crosses the finish line to win the Walt Disney World Marathon in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. with an unofficial time of 2:21:14. More than 17,500 runners were registered for the annual 26.2-mile run through all four Disney theme parks.
Photo by Matt Stroshane, courtesy Walt Disney World Resort
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Events, Sports, Walt Disney World Marathon
Photo: ‘Today Show’ Hosts Run Walt Disney World Half Marathon
NBC’s ‘Today Show’ hosts Al Roker, Meredith Vieira and Natalie Morales pose Jan. 8, 2011 with Disney characters at the start line for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The trio ran in the annual 13.1-mile race, one of the “runDisney” endurance events. On Jan. 9, 2011, more than 17,000 runners will line up to compete in the Walt Disney World Marathon.
Photo by Matt Stroshane, courtesy Walt Disney World Resort
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Celebrities, Events, Sports, Today, WDW Half Marathon
Walt Disney World Marathon to Host Companion Race for U.S. Military in Iraq
More than 300 U.S. military personnel in Iraq will take part in a Disney half-marathon in Baghdad during the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA, which will feature more than 53,000 runners at Walt Disney World in suburban Orlando this weekend. Last year, the WDW Marathon and Half Marathon became the largest M/h combo all-time with 34,055 finishers.
The runDisney Heroes Race in Baghdad on Saturday will involve service men and women based at Victory Base Complex trekking 13.1 miles through the Iraqi desert while simultaneously more than 27,000 runners – a new race record – run the same distance during the Disney Half Marathon. Both races will be linked by satellite so runners and spectators at both events can view live video of each race. Runners in both races will receive official runDisney race bibs, shirts and finisher medals.
The companion race is just one of the many new twists to this year’s Disney Marathon Weekend. In addition, runners who finish the 26.2-mile Disney Marathon will receive complimentary entry into Walt Disney World the next day as part of Marathon Monday at Disney. Also, finishers will receive a new Mickey Mouse medal.
“The runDisney Heroes Race is our way of honoring the courageous men and women of our armed forces who put their lives on the line every day,” said Kathleen Duran, runDisney Sports Area Manager. “With the salute to the troops and new features like Marathon Monday and the new race medal, the Disney Marathon Weekend is unquestionably our signature event among the four runDisney events we stage each year.”
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: CIGNA, Events, Marathon, Military, Sports
ESPN 3D to Air Programming in 3D 24/7 Beginning February 14, 2011
A year ago on this date ESPN announced the launch of an event-based only 3D network which would air nearly 100 events in its first year. Today the company announced at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show that ESPN 3D will now air content 24-hours a day. As of Feb. 14, 2011, the network will show replays of previously televised ESPN 3D events when the network is not showing a live event.
“As we continue to expand the number of 3D events on the channel, it made sense operationally to transition ESPN 3D to a 24-7 network,” said Sean Bratches, executive vice president, sales and marketing for Disney and ESPN Media Networks. “We’ve been very pleased with the rate at which our affiliates have adopted ESPN 3D in its first year and we continue to look for new ways to serve fans, advertisers and affiliates with the best 3D sports content available.”
On Fri., Jan 7, ESPN 3D will host a special edition of College Football Live on the Sony Stage at the International Consumer Electronics Show with Rece Davis, former coach Lou Holtz and analyst Mark May. The trio will preview the upcoming BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz. and discuss how ESPN 3D is changing sports viewing. The BCS National Championship game will be available on ESPN 3D.
Since launching the network on June 11 with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the network has aired nearly 60 events. A full schedule for January follows.
| Date | Time (ET) | Event |
| Wed, Jan 5 | 10:30 p.m. | NBA: Los Angeles at Phoenix |
| Fri, Jan 7 | 10:30 p.m. | NBA: New York at Phoenix |
| Mon, Jan 10 | 8:30 p.m. | BCS National Championship Game |
| Fri, Jan 14 | 10:30 p.m. | NBA: Portland at Phoenix |
| Fri, Jan 21 | 10:30 p.m. | NBA: Los Angeles at Denver |
| Thurs, Jan 27 | 12 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Ski SlopeStyle Elimination |
| Thurs, Jan 27 | 9 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s SB SuperPipe Elimination/Women’s SuperPipe Skiing Final |
| Fri, Jan 28 | 1 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Snowboard SlopeStyle Elimination |
| Fri, Jan 28 | 7 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Ski SuperPipe Final/SB Method Final |
| Sat, Jan 29 | 4:30 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Ski SlopeStyle Final |
| Sat, Jan 29 | 9 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Ski Big Air Final/Women’s SB SuperPipe Final |
| Sun, Jan 30 | 12:30 p.m. | Winter X Games: Women’s Snowboard SlopeStyle Final |
| Sun, Jan 30 | 3:30 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Snowboard SlopeStyle Final |
| Sun, Jan 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Winter X Games: Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe Final |
Categories: Television Tags: ESPN, ESPN 3D, Sports
Harlem Globetrotters to Debut Basketball’s ’4-Pointer’ Shot on ESPN2, December 5
This Sunday, December 5, at 7:30 pm, ESPN2 will broadcast the Harlem Globetrotters vs. the Washington Generals from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex located in Walt Disney World.
During the game, the team will premiere the ’4-pointer,’ a shot taken at a distance of 35 feet from the hoop which is almost 12 feet away beyond the NBA’s current 3-point arc.
‘The Globetrotters have been at the forefront of basketball’s evolution throughout the sport´s history,’ said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. ‘From the alley-oop to the slam dunk to the behind-the-back pass, the Globetrotters have long brought innovations to basketball that are now staples of the game, and we’re confident the 4-point shot will change the game of basketball going forward.’
Throughout their 2011 North American tour, which will travel to 220 cities in 46 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces between December 26 and April 17, every Globetrotters game will feature two designated 4-point shooting spots on each side of midcourt. The 4-point option is expected to further open up the playing floor for the Globetrotters as well as their opponents, the Generals, and is expected to generate even more high-scoring action and competitive play.
Categories: Television Tags: Basketball, ESPN, Harlem Globetrotters, Sports
ESPN Debuts Nimble SpiderCam Technology During US Open Coverage
Making its debut at a Grand Slam tennis event, ESPN’s SpiderCam at the US Open has taken viewers where they’ve never gone before for dramatic shots of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The aerial camera system – which is exclusive to ESPN2 and its approximately 100 hours of US Open action – is suspended by four thin Kevlar ropes connected to large winches via pulleys high above the court surface on light poles at the four corners of the world’s largest tennis arena. It moves in three dimensions, ranging from as low as one meter off the court to 33 meters high, from beyond one end of the court to the other and from side to side. The camera can pan, tilt, zoom and focus, with the images sent via fiber optics wiring within the Kevlar roping.
“We are always seeking new ways to bring the viewer closer to the action and the athletes and SpiderCam has provided an exciting new perspective of the grandeur, ambience and size of Arthur Ashe Stadium,” said Jamie Reynolds, vice president, ESPN event production.
In addition to walk-ons, changeovers, coin tosses, ceremonies and post-match interviews, SpiderCam has been used to advance the viewers’ understanding of the game. “We have started using SpiderCam as a live camera source, bringing a cinematic approach to the coverage,” Reynolds said. “As an analytical device we are using it for replays directly overhead, and then taking it into new areas, as we tie it to use of the Orad MVP tracking technology. This allows us new perspectives to breakdown strategy and deconstruct points.”
Images courtesy of ESPN
Categories: Television Tags: ESPN, ESPN2, Sports, Technology, Tennis
Paul Ngeny, 31, of Auburn, Calif., Sets Record by Winning Fifth Annual Disneyland Half Marathon
Paul Ngeny, 31, of Auburn, Calif., led a record field of more than 14,000 registered runners Sunday at the fifth annual Disneyland Half Marathon, crossing the finish line first with a time of 1:07:24, beating the fastest Disneyland Half Marathon time by 41 seconds.
“The course was very nice and comfortable,” Ngeny said. “I liked running through the parks and all the music. I could keep on going for a hundred miles.”
Finishing just behind Ngeny was Eric Marenburg, 27, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:12:10. Kevin Broady, 48, of Brea, Calif., finished third with a time of 1:12:43.
Rachel Booth, 29, of Mountain View, Calif., claimed the title of 2010 women’s champion with a time of 1:15:19, beating the fastest women’s finisher time in the history of the Disneyland Half Marathon by 00:04:04. Booth, who performed better than she expected, finished just 18 seconds off of an Olympic trial qualifier time. “It was great. Magical,” Booth said. “It’s in Disneyland and it’s just a happy day. Always enjoyable. Everyone was so loud and cheering.”
The women’s second-place finisher was Theresa Lowry, 36, of San Diego, Calif., with a time of 1:19:05. Susan Loken, 47, of Phoenix, AZ, took third place with a time of 1:19:13.
Other notable finishers of the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon are Jon Megeff, 47, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who won the men’s Master’s Division (age 40+) with a time of 1:16:57, Merryt Jackman, 41, of San Diego, Calif., who topped the women’s Master’s Division (1:28:16) and Scott Parson, 51 of San Jose, Calif.,(00:56:45), and Sandi Rush, 49, of Oceanside, Calif., (1:17:06), winners of the men’s and women’s wheelchair divisions.
The fifth anniversary of “The Happiest Race on Earth” welcomed its largest registration field as more than 14,000 runners from every U.S. state and 16 countries made the magical 13.1 mile journey. The course traveled through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney California Adventure – and along Anaheim streets, passing landmarks such as the Honda Center and running on the field of Angel Stadium of Anaheim, while Disney characters and festive entertainment inspired runners along the way.
Participants who completed the half marathon received a special edition medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle circled by a vibrant number “5” and running Mickey Mouse. Nearly 570 Legacy runners – those who completed all five Disneyland Half Marathons – received a special medal lanyard.
The third annual Coast to Coast Race Challenge medal was presented to approximately 2,350 runners who completed the Walt Disney World Marathon or Half Marathon or Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort and then also completed Sunday’s Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic “Partners Statue” of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.
The 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 2-4, 2011. Registration for next year’s Disneyland Half Marathon is scheduled to open Jan. 2, 2011
Categories: Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Events, Half Marathon, runDisney, Running, Sports
Marathon Training Guru Jeff Galloway Named Official Training Consultant For Newly Branded runDisney Race Series
Jeff Galloway, one of America’s foremost marathon trainers, has been named the official training consultant to Disney’s series of endurance events, which has been rebranded runDisney.
Galloway, a 1972 Olympian and founder of the popular Galloway Marathon Training Program, will offer his running and training expertise to beginners as well as experienced runners, helping runners of all ages lead more active lifestyles. Galloway’s unique training methods and tips will be available to runners through online runDisney videos and programs, as well as through special Galloway appearances at all runDisney events.
The runDisney brand brings together all four current Disney marathon and half marathon weekends to create a unique series of destination races that offer one-of-a-kind running experiences for the more than 75,000 people who compete in runDisney events annually. All runDisney events feature various races through Disney theme parks, signature Disney characters and entertainment, first-class event management and exclusive race medals. The upcoming lineup of runDisney events include the Disneyland Half Marathon (September), Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon (October), the Walt Disney World Marathon presented by CIGNA (January) and Disney’s Princess Half Marathon presented by Lady Foot Locker (February).
The new runDisney brand also includes a new website, rundisney.com, which will provide runners with a wealth of running-related information and content, from Galloway training videos to endurance tips to complete runDisney event information. Additionally, newly launched facebook.com/rundisney will provide opportunities for the endurance community to connect and interact with runDisney.
“The runDisney brand greater aligns our incredible collection of race weekends, which are designed as destination events offering family fun for runners of all ages and levels,” said Faron Kelley, director of Marketing, Disney Sports. “And now with access to Jeff Galloway, those runners will be able to enhance their running experience at Disney, which we hope will lead them to live healthier and more active lives.”
Galloway, who has completed all 17 Walt Disney World Marathons, is well known around the world for his highly successful Run-Walk-Run method to improve performance and avoid injuries. He is a member of the Road Runners Club of America Hall of Fame as well as the Westminster School Hall of Fame, and has a bronze bust in the Nike Walk of Fame in Oregon.
A renowned authority on endurance training, Galloway is a best-selling author and a regular columnist for Runner’s World magazine. In his four decades of endurance training, he has coached more than 200,000 runners and walkers, and helped stage hundreds of races, events and clinics throughout the United States and internationally.
“The runDisney events are widely respected and are all favorites among runners everywhere,” Galloway said. “I’m really excited about working with Disney to help the beginners get started, to push the experienced runners to improve their performance and to help everyone at runDisney events have even more fun.”
Categories: Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Running, Sports
Champion and Sport Chalet Announce Sponsorship of 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon
Today, two leaders within the sporting industry announced their official sponsorship of the 5th annual Disneyland® Half Marathon to take place over Labor Day weekend in Anaheim, Calif. For the first time, Sport Chalet joins Champion® Athleticwear, the official performance apparel of the Disney Endurance Series, as the official retailer of the exciting Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.
As presenting sponsors, Champion and Sport Chalet will receive on-site marquee inclusion within event marketing collateral, program advertising and signage, and goody bags. The apparel brand and retailer will also bring their partnership to life at the Disneyland Health and Fitness Expo with a 20-foot-by-30-foot pop up retail store, which will exclusively sell select pieces from Champion’s popular Double Dry performance collection to participants and spectators alike. More than 14,000 athletes have registered for the Disneyland® Half Marathon and all will be outfitted in a commemorative Champion Double Dry T-Shirt.
“We have a tremendous ongoing partnership with the Disney Endurance Series and are honored to bring our performance apparel to its athletes throughout the year,” said Claire Powell, director, Champion brand marketing. “We’re especially excited for this year’s Disneyland Half Marathon as we welcome our retail partner and West Coast sports staple, Sport Chalet, to celebrate these everyday athletes with us.” Champion men’s and women’s apparel are now available at Sports Chalet locations.
For David Hacker, director of marketing at Sport Chalet, the event sponsorship and apparel partnership with Champion is a testament to the retailer’s identity. “Like Champion, we are a destination for players of all levels, across all sports. We’re thrilled to be the official retailer at the Disneyland Half Marathon and help fuel the passions of the runners.”
Disney Sports Event Director Paul Lambert returns the sentiment and supports the focus on everyday athletes. “We look forward to kicking-off the 5th milestone of our Disneyland Half Marathon with the support of Champion and Sport Chalet. These two sporting icons are sponsors our runners can relate to which is extremely important as we continue to explore ways to enhance the Disney running experience.”
Watch official Disneyland Half Marathon runners navigate through Disney California Adventure® Park and Disneyland Resort on Sunday, Sept. 5, for a chance to earn the coveted 5th Anniversary finisher medal. Runners of all ages will also participate in the Disneyland Fabulous 5K and Kids’ Races and the Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo, which features the latest trends in running, fitness equipment, footwear and apparel.
Categories: Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Champion, Half Marathon, Running, Sport Chalet, Sports
Disneyland Half Marathon Celebrates Fifth Consecutive Sellout; 2011 Registration Opens January 3
A record field of more than 14,000 registered participants will take to the streets of Disneyland Resort and the city of Anaheim for the fifth anniversary of “The Happiest Race on Earth” – the Disneyland Half Marathon. In addition to the 13.1-mile half marathon, the weekend features activities for the entire family, including a Health & Fitness Expo, Disneyland Fabulous 5K presented by the Los Angeles Times, and Kids’ Races.
In true Disney fashion, the fifth anniversary of the race weekend will be celebrated in several ways. Athletes who complete the half marathon will be rewarded with a commemorative edition finisher medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle circled by a vibrant number “5” and running Mickey Mouse. Nearly 570 “Legacy Runners” – those who will be running in their fifth Disneyland half marathon – also will receive special recognition throughout the race weekend.
Participants from 16 countries and all 50 U.S. states are set to compete in weekend races. More than 14,000 are registered for the half marathon Sept. 5, and 5,000 are registered in the Family 5K and Kids’ Races, Sept. 4. Participants and the general public can also visit the Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel. The expo features the latest in official Disneyland Half Marathon merchandise and more than 90 vendors of fitness apparel, footwear, sunglasses, high-tech gadgets and nutritional products.
The Disneyland Half Marathon features a course unlike any other in the world. Passing through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney California Adventure – and the streets of Anaheim, participants will experience a race full of inspiration that only Disney can provide, including live entertainers and Disney characters at the start line and along the route. The road race has become popular for its flat loop course and mild climate – ideal for personal best times. Hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, it reached registration capacity – for the fifth consecutive year – in late spring.
“We are so proud to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Disneyland Half Marathon,” said Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis. “This unique event has become a tradition of fun and memories for thousands of athletes and their families. We share the success of this event with the city of Anaheim. Since 2006, we have jointly brought more than 80,000 participants from around the world to the Anaheim resort area.”
Throughout the race, runners will pass Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn, Anaheim landmarks such as the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center, and will see themselves on the jumbo screen running on the field inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim before finally crossing the finish line next to the Disneyland Hotel.
An estimated 2,350 runners are eligible to earn a special medal for the third annual Disney’s Coast to Coast Race Challenge. To be eligible, runners must have completed the Walt Disney World Marathon or Half Marathon or Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., in addition to completing the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse (known as the Partners Statue).
The next Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend will take place Sept. 2-4, 2011. Registration is scheduled to open Jan. 3, 2011, for the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon.
Categories: California Adventure, Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Events, Half Marathon, Running, Sports
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