Highlights
- Goal of the Relay: raise over $300,000 for World Vision’s clean water projects in South Sudan.
- Lomong will be accompanied by four other honorary team captains: Ashton Eaton, Jim Ryun, Andy Baldwin, and Jenny Hadfield.
- Fifty-five amateur runners round out the teams that have already raised over $200,000.
Hood to Coast Contact: Dan Floyd 971.506.4809
Portland, OR (August 16, 2013) – Two-time American Olympian and former South Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong will lead a group of five Hood to CoastExternal Link teams, with a goal of raising over $300,000 for World Vision’s clean water projects in South Sudan. Lomong will be accompanied by four other honorary team captains: Ashton Eaton, Jim Ryun, Andy Baldwin, and Jenny Hadfield. Fifty-five amateur runners round out the teams that have already raised over $200,000.
2012 American Gold medalist Ashton Eaton is the world record holder in the decathlon and heptathlon. Jim Ryun is a three-time Olympian with world records in the half-mile, mile, and 1,500 meters. Ryun is also a five-term U.S. Congressman from Kansas. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Baldwin, M.D., board-certified in family medicine, is a U.S. Navy physician, humanitarian, media personality, eight-time Ironman finisher, marathoner, and triathlete. Jenny Hadfield is coach and columnist for Runners WorldExternal Link.
“Team World Vision is proud to partner with Hood to Coast, raising awareness and funds for important causes, and at the same time creating an amazing and unique experience for participants,” said Michael Chitwood, national director for Team World VisionExternal Link. “We have five professional and celebrity runners who will be the honorary team captains for our five teams. Our team of 55 amateur runners has already raised over $200,000 for World Vision’s clean water projects in South Sudan. Lopez Lomong, U.S. Olympian and former South Sudanese refugee, has helped us put together five teams of dedicated, passionate Team World Vision runners.”
The Providence Hood to Coast Relay is the most popular relay race in the world with nearly 20,000 runners and walkers participating in three events; Hood to Coast Relay, Portland to Coast Walk Relay, and Portland to Coast High School Challenge. The Providence Hood to Coast Relay waiting list reaches over 40,000 potential participants annually. The 2013 event will include runners and walkers from all 50 U.S. states and 39 countries.
“Take World Vision, one of the world’s top charities. Add some of the top athletes on the planet, past and present, Olympians and record holders like Jim Ryun, Ashton Eaton and Lopez Lomong. Locate the effort on the race course of Oregon’s Hood to Coast, indisputably the greatest relay running event. Focus the effort for one of the globe’s greatest causes; desperately needed water resources for the earth’s newest nation, South Sudan. Fifty-five amateur runners have sacrificed time, talent and treasure to be part of this effort with a goal of raising over $300,000. Do the math … this is going to be a life-giving relay to remember,” said Steve Haas, chief catalyst for World Vision.
In addition to the title sponsors, the Gold Level Sponsors are Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nike, OfficeMax, Safeway, and Widmer Brothers Brewing. 2013 marks the 30 year that Nike has participated in, or sponsored the Hood to Coast Relay. Silver Sponsors include Chevrolet, Portland Running Company, PowerBar, and Rite Aid. Chevrolet will feature the Chevy Volt as the official Hood to Coast start line pace car, while Portland Running Company is the exclusive merchandise partner of the Hood to Coast and Portland to Coast Relays. KOIN Local 6 and The Skanner are the 2013 media partners.<
The 2013 Hood to Coast and Portland to Coast Relays will be held from August 23 to 24. The race stretches from Timberline Lodge to Seaside, OR, where over 70,000 people will attend the finish line party. Etzel, formerly known as SportsOne, will produce the finish line party. Taylor Hospitality, which operates out of local Portland restaurants Portland Prime and Quartet, is the official caterer of the 2013 and 2014 Hood to Coast and Portland to Coast Relays.
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About Hood to Coast – The Hood to Coast Relay includes the Hood to Coast Relay, Portland to Coast Relay, and the Portland to Coast High School Challenge Relay. The sold out relay events draw nearly 20,000 participants from all 50 states and 35 countries. In 2012, participants raised $634,000 for cancer research, treatment, and support services.
About Team World Vision – Team World Vision empowers groups and individuals to dedicate their sports and fitness goals to helping World Vision’s work in Africa. Participants select the activity of their choice, and then register online at www.teamworldvision.org, where they access instructions for designing a fundraising web page, get tips and templates for fundraising, and get information about how the funds will be used. Next, they email their fundraising page link to friends, family, and colleagues, inviting them to make a donation. Donations are securely transacted online, and participants can view a list of their supporters and their messages, as well as their fundraising totals.
About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.