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New Sponsor Revealed For Bridges Race – 11h August 2007

Hamilton City Hawks are pleased to announce that New Balance have signed on as the new major sponsor for Hamilton’s Round The Bridges race. The athletic products company will have naming rights to the iconic 12km race, happening on November 11th.

Round the Bridges race director Graham Dudfield is excited about the development, saying that having New Balance on board will benefit the race as a whole. “Their focus on athletic products will form a complementary synergy with the event”. On top of the financial sponsorship, the company will be helping provide merit and spot prizes from the New Balance range.

In a further bonus for spectators and organizers, New Balance will be bringing a team of their sponsored athletes to the race. These athletes include some of New Zealand’s best runners, such as Scott Winton, Rees Buck and Matt Ingram, and also top walker Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tony Sargisson, who’ll take part in the new elite walk section. Members of Team NBx (named after New Balance’s flagship performance running range, released July 2007) will join others in hoping to get their names alongside the likes of past winners Peter Snell, Dick Quax, John Davies, Lorraine Moller and Diane Rodger. This is the 63rd year Round The Bridges has been held and could be one of the most competitive. Last year’s winner Ben Ruthe is expected to line up again, along with others from the strong Tauranga Ramblers club.

Other sponsors supporting the New Balance Round The Bridges include the Waikato Times and The Breeze, who will be assisting with promotion. The New Balance Round The Bridges nominated charity will again be Hamilton’s McKenzie Centre, an early childhood centre providing for children with special needs.

Hamilton City Hawks are keen to substantially increase participation in the event throughout the community. Graham Dudfield notes that the date for this year’s New Balance Round The Bridges is particularly easy to remember, with the 11th of November being the 11/11. “It’s a great event for all levels of runner to take part in – a choice of distances, a scenic course, and plenty of spot prizes.”

More details on the Team NBx Elite Athletes:

Scott Winton – current national road and 10,000m champion, well known to the Hamilton running community as 3 time Huntly Half Marathon winner

Rees Buck – former NZ world cross country representative. He will be using this race as a tune up to the Zatopek 10,000m in Australia in December.

Matt Ingram – up and coming star, has a current half marathon PB of 65:20 so may be hard to beat over this challenging course.

Rowan Hooper – former Hamilton athlete and now Canterbury Cross Country champion.

Mark Williams – part of the Tauranga Ramblers club, 3rd in the 2007 Rotorua marathon.

Sam Walker – international triathlete.

Will Green – international triathlete.

Tony Sargisson – silver medalist 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games 50km walk, taking part in the elite walk section.

ends

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