Somersault News January 25, 2008

Entry Discount Deadlines
This is a reminder that the next entry fee discount deadlines is fast approaching.  Entrants can enjoy a 15% discount until January 31 at midnight, after which it reverts to a 10% discount until March 15^th.  After that, it is the regular price for all events.

New Entry Forms
We hope you like the newly designed entry forms, courtesy of our friends at Eventsonline. Families, or groups of 4 are now able to enter in one transaction, and the forms are much easier to use than the 2007 version. 

Students and Kids Event Entry Fee Reductions
We are pleased to announce a revised and lower entry fee for students born in 1984 or later.  The new fee is 40% off the regular adult entry fee up to the Sunday before each event, and this year the entry fee also includes the souvenir t-shirt.

Wylie Ryan Kids Event entry fees have moved to $10 per event, but this year, they too include the souvenir shirt – a package that cost $15 last year. 

Eastern Run Series
In order to streamline our marketing and promotion, and to better reflect the make up of our Run Series, we have changed the name of the series to “Eastern Run Series”, from the "Ottawa Run Series". We anticipate adding new events in Eastern Canada as the opportunity arises, to make it a truly Eastern Series.

Eastern Kayak Triathlon Series
We have been encouraged by the continued modest growth of our Kayak Tri events. In response to this growth, we have created the “Eastern Kayak Triathlon Series”, and have included a Kayak Triathlon division within the Champions Challenge program.

Champions Challenge Changes
Big changes here!  We have decided that all triathlon, duathlon, and kayak tri events will be part of the Champions Challenge program in 2008.  This way, we feel that more of you will be able to qualify for the year end awards, making the Champions Challenge more competitive.  Check out the program at http://www.somersault.ca/championships.htm

Walker Award Categories
Due to the increase in the number of Race Walkers and Walkers in Eastern running events, we have added a “Walkers Award Category" in 2008 events.  This category will rely on a self officiated honour system.

Greater Napanee Triathlon, Duathlon, & Run
The Greater Napanee Tri/Du is back on our calendar this year, with a complete offering of tri, du, kayak, and run events.  Check it out on our Eastern Calendar. This event will be easy to reach for those in the Kingston to Trenton area, East to Toronto, and North to Peterborough.

Race Directors
We feel lucky that all our 2007 Race Directors are back with us, with one change. Tamara Baldwin-McNamee has returned to the Thousand Island Triathlon as Race Director after being relieved for one year by Stacey Airhart, who did a magnificent job of filling in.  Here is the line up for 2008.

• Cumberland Du – Terry McKinty
• Place d’Orleans Run – Christine McKinty
• Early Bird & Colonel By – Eric Collard
• Ottawa Riverkeeper & Westboro – Geordie McConnell
• Emilie’s Run – Christine McKinty
• Smiths Fall & Figure Eight – Wendy Hillier
• Greater Napanee – Terry McKinty
• Graham Beasley & Heritage – Cheryl Shore
• National Capital – Kat Calder-Becker & Kevin Becker
• Thousand Islands – Tamara Baldwin-McNamee
• The Canadian – Terry McKinty
• Fall Colours Du – Terry McKinty
• Ottawa Fall Colours Marathon – Christine McKinty

New Events
We are working hard on a couple of other event concepts and possibilities, that we hope to be able to announce in next month’s Somersault newsletter.