FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“ONLY IN VEGAS” FUN AND EXCITING ELITE RACE
HIGHLIGHT 2007 ZAPPOS.COM LAS VEGAS MARATHON
Russia’s Silviya Skortsova becomes the first woman to win the Megabucks Challenge in race history.
After 24 hours of intense rain, the skies cleared for perfect conditions for the 2007 Zappos.Com Las Vegas Marathon. With a prize purse of $164,000 at stake, the elite field featuring four men with personal bests under 2:10 and former world record holder and two-time NYC Marathon winner Tegla Loroupe took the three-year old race to world class status.
The unique Megabucks Challenge, the male-versus female race within a race brought added excitement to the live broadcast of the event on CBS affiliate KLAS. With an 18:03 time differential based on statistical data of the final elite field, Silviya Skortsova of Russia broke the tape in 2:29:01 for the $25,000 Megabucks Challenge bonus on top of a $20,000 cash prize. Christopher Cheboibich of Kenya took home $20,000 for a 2:16:49 first place finish. This is the first time in the 3-year history of the race that a woman won the Megabucks Challenge. The 2nd place cash prize of $10,000 each went to Irena Mogacka of Russia (2:36:15)and Kenya’s Jynocel Sasweti (2:17:41). Third place went to Kenyans Phillip Tanuin(2:20:26) and Tegla Loroupe (2:41:37) who took home $5000 each . Abebe Yimer won the $10,000 Clark County Challenge for local residents for the third straight year with a time of 2:24:20.
Already the world’s fastest growing “destination race,” the Zappos.Com Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon on December 2, 2007 offered a number of “only in Vegas” experiences that underscored the theme for this year’s race, ”put the fun back in your run.” Among those experiences was the mile 5 Run-Thru Wedding Chapel and the successful quest to set the world record for the largest number of people participating as Elvis in an event. Fifty-five couples tied the knot at the Run-Thru Wedding Chapel in a three-minute ceremony by Pastor Jamie Firzlaff who ran the Half Marathon. A world record 208 people ran as Elvis.
The fun began when characters from Cirque du Soleil ‘s Ka and Robin Leach cut the ribbon to open the two-day Quality of Life Expo at host hotel Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. A special live performance by Blue Man Group at a secret location on the course, a Spamalot water station and a finish line performance by the Cirque du Soleil Jam Band at the Unified Western Grocers Finish Line Festival brought Vegas showmanship to race day. For the 2nd straight year, the race was commemorated with a $5.00 gaming chip produced by Mandalay Bay, which sold thousands at its casino cage. And in another Vegas touch, the Mandalay Bay Sports Book offered a line on the race making it the only marathon on the world to bet on.
Now its 3rd year, the event enjoyed an unprecedented 50% increase in participants in its first two years growing from 10, 698 in 2005 to 16,047 in 2006. The event grew in 2007 to 16,803 registered participants. Another sign of the event’s growing success can be found in the signing of its first-ever sponsors led by title sponsor Zappos.com. Other first-time sponsors included Emerald Nuts, FTD, McDonalds, IGT- Megabucks, Unified Western Grocers - Springfield and Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers. For the 2nd straight year, the event received a grant from Las Vegas Events to attract out-of-market participants, who came from all 50 states and more than 40 nations to the 2007 race.
The event also took a leadership role in youth fitness, when 2000 local students ran the last of 26.2 miles in the Kids Marathon sponsored by McDonalds and developed by NYC Marathon winner Rod Dixon.
Race morning began with an explosion of fireworks at 6am as the runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes ran the electrifying neon corridor of the world famous Strip, where they enjoyed a live performance by Blue Man Group. At the finish line, all women were presented with a rose compliments of FTD and participants were presented with medals by the cast of Mystere by Cirque du Soleil and Spamalot. Organizers also implemented an elaborate mile-maker plan that included 8-foot sails at each mile with Santa posted at each mile to announce finishing times based on pace. The race was also the first major marathon to use the latest innovation in timing chip technology, the first-ever disposable chip developed by SAI Timing and Tracking, Intel and Motorola.
The 2008 Zappos.Com Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on December 8. Online registration is now open at www.lvmarathon.com
About the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon
The Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon debuted in 2005 to worldwide media attention with its unique blend of running Elvi, an “only in Vegas” Run Thru Wedding Chapel and an unprecedented opportunity to run the Las Vegas Strip. Building on the success of its debut race which attracted 10,698 participants, organizers added a Half Marathon in 2006 resulting in more than 16,047 total participants – an increase of 50% in just one year. 2007 saw the registered participant number grow to 16,803. The Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon is organized by Devine Sports. Devine is a brand name synonymous with excellence in endurance sports, education and training. The Chicago-based company has fast been building a national reputation for acquiring and managing world-class amateur athletic events. The Devine portfolio currently includes the Los Angeles Marathon, the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon, the Salt Lake City Marathon and the Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon.
