Online Registration Begins Saturday, March 15 for TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K
Posted Monday, 10 March, 2008
CAPE ELZABETH, Maine (March 10, 2008) – With online registration for the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon set to begin on Saturday morning, March 15, race officials are urging runners to act quickly to ensure a spot in the popular road race.
Registration gets underway at www.beach2beacon.org at 9 a.m. on March 15. This year for the first time, online registration will be the only means for runners to enter the race. The TD Banknorth Beach to Beach takes place on Saturday, Aug. 2, along the Maine coast in Cape Elizabeth.
Race officials on Monday said participants who want one of the 5,500 spots in the race should make an effort to sign up soon after registration begins.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of getting online right away and getting signed up because the race fills up faster and faster every year,” said David Weatherbie of Cape Elizabeth, the race president. “And with the changes in the registration process this year, we can’t predict how long it will take to fill up.”
Last year, 4,700 runners signed up online during the first 10 days after registration began, with the remaining slots reserved for those using paper applications. This year, race officials discontinued the printed applications so online registration will remain open until all 5,500 slots are filled.
Registration for the Kids Fun Run also will be conducted online only, and will close once 500 children are registered.
This year marks the 11th year for the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon, one of Maine’s premiere sporting events and one of the marquee events on the U.S. road race circuit. The race attracts runners from throughout the region and top elite runners from around the world to this small coastal community. Last year’s field included runners from 23 countries and 40 U.S. states. As many as 10,000 spectators line the course to cheer the runners, and more than 800 volunteers help ensure a smooth operation.
The race begins near the Crescent Beach entrance on Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth, winds past breathtaking ocean vistas, and ends at the historic Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park.
Nearly $60,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women. For more information, visit www.beach2beacon.org.
TD Banknorth is the title sponsor of the race founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Olympic gold medalist from Cape Elizabeth who also serves as a spokesperson for the bank during the year to promote the race and the bank’s giving programs, which benefit Maine youth with sponsorship programs and charitable donations.
This year’s race beneficiary is the Susan L. Curtis Foundation, the sponsor of Camp Susan Curtis, a summer camp dedicated to improving the lives of economically disadvantaged Maine children ages 8-18. The organization provides traditional camping experiences interwoven with a leadership development and life skills curriculum. For more information, visit www.susancurtisfoundation.org.
TD Banknorth, through the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to the Susan L. Curtis Foundation. The non-profit organization also will benefit from fundraising activities and publicity through its association with one of Maine’s premiere sporting events.
For additional info about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org or call the race hotline toll free at (888) 480-6940.
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