Saucony Signs on as "Official Footwear Sponsor", Emmy-Award Winning Commentator Toni Reavis Named Festival Host
June 27, 2008 -- Eugene, OR – The Running Film Festival (RFF) is sprinting to the finish line as it heads into its world premiere on July 3 – 5, 2008 in Eugene, Oregon. It is the first film festival ever devoted to the subjects of track & field, road racing, cross country, marathon and ultra endurance running. Saucony, a leading global supplier of athletic footwear and performance apparel, and a major sponsor of runners and Olympic athletes, adds their signature and support by signing on as the official footwear sponsor. Toni Reavis, a six-time Emmy winning commentator and running expert, has agreed to serve as festival host and emcee.
"We couldn't be more pleased with the reaction we've received from running enthusiasts, the media, and corporate sponsors. People are excited about this event and want to be integral contributors. We are thrilled with this response and with what it means for our goals of both showcasing high-quality running films and raising money for the Ryan Shay Memorial Fund," says Adam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief of TheFinalSprint.com and one of the organizers of the three-day festival.
Ryan Shay was a Saucony-sponsored runner and Olympic marathon hopeful who collapsed and died during the Olympic Marathon Trials in New York last year. A pre-existing and undiagnosed heart condition was deemed the cause of his sudden death. Saucony was instrumental in working with Shay's family to establish the Ryan Shay Memorial Fund, which supports disadvantaged runners and running programs. A portion of the proceeds from the film festival will go to the fund.
"Saucony is proud to be a sponsor of the inaugural "Running Film Festival," a true convergence of sport and art," said Sharon Barbano, vice president of public relations and athlete endorsements for Saucony. "This is a great opportunity for us to support our athletes, like Olympian Gabe Jennings, on both the track and on the screen, as well as pay tribute to the spirit of Ryan Shay," Barbano added.
Olympian and Saucony athlete Jennings is one of many guest "stars" who will participate in the RFF. Jennings is the director of a documentary entitled The Olympic Militia, which will open the film festival July 3rd with a ten minute "sneak preview" of the soon-to-be-released documentary. Jennings will participate in a Q&A session after the preview.
Long-time athletics commentator and journalist Toni Reavis will serve as emcee and host of the event, lending his expertise and humor to the proceedings. Reavis, who was named "The best television running analyst" by Runner's World Magazine, is considered to be "the most insightful – and funny - talking head in running," according to that magazine.
As host of Elite Racing TV on FSN, Reavis serves as lead commentator at the annual Boston, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Marathons. He has appeared on CBS, NBC, and ESPN, and has written for the Boston Herald, Runner's World, Boston Globe, and Blackbook Magazine among others. In 2008 Reavis joined Matt Taylor in founding Runnerville.com where he hosts the Toni & Matt Show.
The RFF is the brainchild of running enthusiasts and industry entrepreneurs, who formulated the idea after assessing the vast, yet underexposed, collection of celluloid devoted to the sport. Nissan is the title sponsor and presenting sponsors include TheFinalSprint.com and Running Times. The RFF will not interfere with the Olympic trials, so fans, athletes, their coaches, families, and friends can all attend and enjoy both the films and the races.
The complete schedule and film line-up continues to grow, with more than a two dozen films and/or special presentations included in the three-day event. Tickets for individual events are on sale now online at www.runningfilmfestival.com. Pending availability, tickets also will be available July 3, 4 and 5 at the festival venue: Columbia 150 on the University of Oregon campus. Ticket prices start at $12. For more information, visit the website at RunningFilmFestival.com.
About Saucony, Inc.: Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, is a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony, Saucony Originals and Spot-bilt. For more information, go to Saucony.com.
About: Running Film Festival (RFF): The first annual Running Film Festival (RFF) is scheduled for July 3-5, 2008 at Columbia 150 on the University of Oregon campus. The RFF is presented by Nissan and current sponsors include TheFinalSprint.com and Running Times. Executives in charge of the festival include running enthusiasts Phil Knowlton, a NYC-based filmmaker, Adam Jacobs, the Editor-in-Chief of TheFinalSprint.com, and Jake Klim, a TV producer based in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit RunningFilmFestival.com.
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