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The OC Marathon Board of Directors has announced the hiring of Long Beach-based International City Racing to produce and manage the 2009 Avia OC Marathon, presented by Nutrilite.
"We are delighted to welcome ICR on board to help achieve our goal of making The OC Marathon a galvanizing community event for promoting health and fitness, particularly among our kids," said The OC Marathon board chairman Scott Baugh. "We look forward to boosting participation and buzz about The OC Marathon to even greater levels with Olympic hero Bob Seagren and the entire ICR team."
To compliment the race's new professional management, the event date will move from January to later in the year while the course is being retooled to include more of Orange County's spectacular coastline. A new race date will be announced soon.
The OC Marathon was founded in 2003, with the first event run in December 2004. The race helps raise money for official Orange County children's charities, which partner with The OC Marathon. Nearly $2 million has been raised by and for The OC Marathon charities through the event since 2004.
In 2008, The OC Marathon hosted nearly 10,000 runners in the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K and Kids Run. About 1,400 students from Orange County schools participated in their first Marathon event through The OC Marathon Kids Training Program - a boost from 600 who ran in 2007. The popular two-day event, including The OC Marathon Health and Fitness Expo, attracts everyone from elite athletes to everyday runners and spectators from around the world.
International City Racing, Inc. (ICR) specializes exclusively in the development, management and implementation of world-class endurance, health and fitness events. Among their signature events are the Long Beach International City Bank Marathon held in October (18,000 participants), the Pacific Open Water Challenge held in June (2000 participants) and the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K & 5K held on Thanksgiving Day (11,000 participants). Additionally, ICR also works on behalf of the City of Long Beach and the Long Beach Sea Festival Association to help oversee the annual Charter Sea Festival which includes over 100 events held over the summer in the city.
"ICR is very honored and excited to have the privilege to add the Avia OC Marathon, presented by Nutrilite, to its growing stable of world class events," said ICR CEO Bob Seagren, one of the world's greatest pole vaulters, who won Olympic gold in 1968 and a silver medal in 1972.
"Orange County has some of the most beautiful running areas and scenic coastline in the country," Seagren continued. "It's our goal to help develop a marathon course that reflects the very best that Orange County has to offer. We want to help The OC Marathon become one of the elite running events in the nation - one that represents Orange County and benefits the local community."
For more information on The OC Marathon, contact Angie Rowe at (949) 222-0456 x105 or visit: OCMarathon.org.
For more information on ICR, call John Parks at (562) 427-4606, x5.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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