Contact: Stephanie Trotter-Zacharia
866/844-9463
Steph@casanuestra.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NAPA VALLEY MARATHON ANNOUNCES SILVERADO TRAIL WINERIES ASSOCIATION
AS PRESENTING SPONSOR OF EVENT'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
NAPA VALLEY, California -- The silver anniversary running of the Napa
Valley Marathon on March 2, 2003 will be presented by the Silverado Trail
Wineries Association (STWA), a confederation of nearly three-dozen wineries
strung along the historic Silverado Trail which runs the length of the
world famous, wine-producing valley.
The Napa Valley Marathon, first held in 1979, runs along the Silverado
Trail.
This year the race will again serve as the Road Runners Club of America's
national championships.
"The fact is that the race and the STWA members share the same roadway, and
the demographics of marathoners perfectly match the profile of premium wine
drinkers. It's a natural synergism," said Stephanie Trotter-Zacharia of
Casa Nuestra Winery, the STWA's ambassador-at-large.
"We're thrilled to be working with such a dynamic organization," said
Richard Benyo, board president of the marathon. "The Napa Valley Marathon
has long been known as 'the biggest little marathon in the West' while the
STWA promotes 'the road less traveled.' It seems a natural to be holding
the 'biggest little marathon in the West' along 'the road less traveled.'
In a very real way, we have been doing just that for 25 years. We're now
formalizing it."
Runner's World Magazine, the largest running magazine in the world, earlier
this year picked the Napa Valley Marathon as one of the Top-20 Marathons in
the United States. The race, with 2,200 runner limit, constitutes the
largest
single sporting event in the Napa Valley.
"Our association with the marathon also acknowledges the growing scientific
evidence linking moderate wine consumption to a healthy lifestyle,"
Zacharia
added.
The arrangement between the Silverado Trail Wineries Assn. and the Napa
Valley Marathon continues a long-running tradition of the marathon's
presenting sponsor being a valley entity.
The race was sponsored by Calistoga Mineral Water Co. from 1980 through 1992
and by Sutter Home from 1993 to 2001. Both companies continue to be involved
in several aspects of the race.
The Silverado Trail Wineries Assn. will also sponsor the Marathon College,
a day-long series of seminars, roundtable discussions, and keynote speeches
that will be presented on March 1 at the Napa Valley Marriott.
This year's faculty includes Napa Valley Marathon course record-holder and
fourth-fastest American marathoner Dick Beardsley, Runner's World Magazine
West Coast editor and book author Joe Henderson, world age-group record
holders John Keston and Helen Klein, 1978 Boston Marathon winner Gayle
Barron, Grandma's Marathon race director Scott Keenan, top-ranked American
marathoner Joe LeMay, ultramarathon star Ellen McCurtin, and Roger Robinson,
the winningest masters runner in the world between 1980 and 1995.
Through the generosity of the Silverado Trail Wineries Assn., the STWA
Marathon College is open to the public.
For more information on the Napa Valley Marathon visit the marathon's web
site at http://www.Napa-Marathon.com or call 707/255-2607; the marathon's
email address is SHNVM@napanet.net.
For more information about the sponsoring Silverado Trail Wineries
Association and its member wineries visit http://www.SilveradoTrail.com or
contact Stephanie Trotter-Zacharia at 866/844-9463 or email her at
Steph@casanuestra.com.
###
|
