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Top Headlines

For Immediate Release
August 3, 2000

Contact:

Beryl Wolfe
(207) 775-5115

Web Site: http://www.beach2beacon.org

This Saturday's Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race to See Best Field Ever

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - This Saturday's Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race will see 4,000 Maine, New England and world-class runners, including three who will compete in next month's Olympics, take on the winding 6.2 mile course along the Maine coast. The elite field includes world marathon record-holder Khalid Khannouchi and reigning Boston Marathon champ Catherine Ndereba, the pair who won last year's Peoples Beach to Beacon, and a host of other top runners from around the globe.

Strongest Field Ever
"This is our best field ever, and probably one of the strongest in the U.S. this year, " said David Ott, Peoples' chief banking officer who also runs the 10K.

Other world-class runners include Joseph Kimani of Kenya, holder of the world's best 10K; Reuben Cheriuyot of Kenya, the world's top-ranked distance runner; 2000 Olympians Libbie Hickman (U.S.) and Marian Sutton (Great Britain); and former Olympians German Silva (Mexico), Anne Marie Lauck (U.S.), Mark Coogan (U.S.) and Yuko Arimori (Japan). Past Maine winners Bob Winn and Julia Kirkland, both two-time defending Peoples Beach to Beacon champions, also are returning to take on challengers, and more than 13 competitors are entered in the wheelchair division. The wheelchair entrants begin at 8 a.m. at the start line on Route 77 near Crescent Beach State Park and the race starts at 8:05. This year, the ChampionChip will be used again, which measures each runner's exact time electronically.

Third Year for Popular Race
This is the third year for the popular race, which was founded by Maine's largest bank, Peoples Heritage Bank, and Maine's most famous athlete, Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the first Olympic women's marathon. The race director is Dave McGillivray, who also serves as race director for the world-renowned BAA Boston Marathon. Proceeds from this year's race will benefit Turning Point Farm, a long-term home for abused or neglected children that just opened in New Gloucester, Maine. During the race, children from the farm will be taken on a cruise on the Tallship Californian, which will also have day sails for the public with proceeds going to the farm.
In addition to lead sponsor Peoples, other sponsors of the race are MBNA, Poland Spring, Nike, American Airlines and WCSH-6, the local NBC affiliate that will air a half hour special at 7 the night of the race.
The "Young Peoples Run" begins at 10 a.m. and is 1K race for 400 kids ages 12 and under. This year, the children's race is sponsored by Jordan's, and expanded children's activities at Fort Williams will be provided for the kids in the race and their families.

Volunteers Make the Race
More than 60 people serve on the race's organizing committee, which begins meeting in January to make arrangements for the big race held each year on the first Saturday in August. David Weatherbie of GoFish.com. serves as president of the race committee, and also runs in the race. More than 100 Peoples Heritage Bank staff volunteer for the race, and the bank's director of public affairs, Meg Dempsey, spends much of her time in the spring and summer overseeing the race. In addition, more than 600 people volunteer from Cape Elizabeth and surrounding towns, and more than 40 families host the elite athletes in their homes during the race. "It's become a world-class event for the runners and spectators," said Dempsey. "We're proud to be a part of it."

$50,000 Purse
This year's $50,000 in prize money is given to the runners, including $7,500 for the winner, $5,000 for the second place winner and cash prizes for the top 10 finishers. Other cash awards go to the top men and women's masters finishers, men and women wheelchair entrants and men and women from Maine.

Registration Activities include SmartWool Giveaway
This Thursday and Friday's runner registration at Cape Elizabeth Middle School will also see an expanded expo of products and services for the 4,000 runners who come to pick up their chip, including a sock giveaway by SmartWool. Runners who take off and donate the socks they come in with to Goodwill Industries will receive a free pair of SmartWool socks.

Roads to Close at 7:30
All roads connected to the race course, including Shore Road, will close at 7:30 a.m. and remain closed until the race is completed. Runners are required to be at the start line by 7:30 a.m. Parking for the 4,000 runners will be provided at the Sprague Fields located at Fowler and Ram Island Farm roads, however, car pooling is recommended.

Race Beneficiary is Turning Point Farm
Turning Point Farm will receive $30,000 in race proceeds. A long-term home for children ages six to 11 that opened earlier this month, Turning Point Farm is set on an idyllic 12-acre, 16- room farmhouse off Route 100 in New Gloucester. The children selected to live at the farm are boys and girls who have been abused or neglected and are in the care of the Maine Department of Human Services. It was founded by Nancy Rochat, who serves as its director. Each year, a different youth organization is chosen to benefit from the race as part of the Peoples Promise program. Last year, the race beneficiary was Camp Sunshine, and the first year of the race it was Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

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For more info on the race, go to www.wolfenews.com where the press kit, course map, logo, fact sheet, elite bios and other news releases are posted under the Peoples Beach to Beacon logo. Or call Beryl Wolfe at (207) 775-5115. Thank you.



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