Main Street Events News - What's Happening this Month?

July 12, 2007 -

WYFF 4 ANNOUNCED AS OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER FOR
GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM USA CYCLING PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

GREENVILLE, S.C. – WYFF 4, the NBC television affiliate in Greenville, S.C., has signed as a media partner for the 2007 Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, to be held in Greenville, S.C. Sept 1-2. The partnership includes the rights to air a special live preview show for viewers and the station plans to run promotional spots for two weeks leading up to the event.

"An event of this magnitude impacts the lives of our viewers and our community," said Michael J. Hayes, President and General Manager of WYFF 4. "We're thrilled to be the official television station of the event which promises to be a favorite for spectators as well as participants."

The dual championships for the best time trial and road race athletes across the country among professional cyclists will take place for a second consecutive year in Greenville. While over 62,000 spectators came to the Upstate for the event last year, WYFF 4 hopes to generate additional enthusiasm for the races and ancillary events with a new pre-event broadcast special. The 30-minute show is scheduled to air Friday, August 31, in front of a live audience of event spectators. The format is planned to include interviews with some of the top professional athletes, such as defending champions Dave Zabriskie (Time Trial) and George Hincapie (Road Race). A special segment is also planned to allow cycling fans to interact with a panel of athletes. WYFF News 4 Sports Director Geoff Hart will serve as host. More details about the live event will be announced shortly.

“It’s a pleasure to partner with a community leader such as WYFF 4”, stated Chris Aronhalt, Executive Director and managing partner of Medalist Sports. “The live preview show, a joint production with Kent Gordis Productions and the local expertise of WYFF 4, will allow the unique opportunity for our viewers and spectators to kick off a very exciting championship weekend.”

WYFF 4 also plans to enter a fundraising team in the “Stars and Stripes Challenge”. This non-competitive bicycle ride, created by the Palmetto Peloton Project, challenges recreational cyclists to ride several laps on the professional road race course on Sunday, September 2, just hours before the pros compete. The top three teams of 10 riders or more who raise the most money for cancer research will receive special recognition and win prizes. Last year, 500 individual cyclists raised over $82,000 for the Oncology Research Institute of the Greenville Hospital System and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships will feature two national championship races and a full day of recreational activities and concerts over Labor Day weekend in Greenville, S.C. Over 150 of the nation’s best professional cyclists competed in the dual championship last year. The USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championship presented by The Cliffs, won last year by Salt Lake City’s Zabriskie, will take place on Saturday, September 1. The USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship, won last year by Hincapie, a Greenville resident, will take place at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, September 2. Other activities for spectators and sports enthusiasts include concerts, wellness expo and the Stars and Stripes Challenge fundraising ride. For more information, visit the official website, www.usacyclingchampionships.com.

ABOUT WYFF 4

WYFF is the NBC television affiliate based in Greenville, South Carolina. It serves a market which includes Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson in S.C. and Asheville, N.C. WYFF 4 took honors at the 2007 Southeast Regional Emmy Awards. WYFF 4 won 11 Emmys, including the Emmy for Best Newscast. The station has won 68 Emmys over the past 14 years, and has been honored for the 10th straight year as the Station of the Year by the South Carolina Associated Press. WYFF News 4 Sports Director Geoff Hart won the 2007 Southeast Regional Emmy for Sports Anchor. Hart also won the Best Sportscast award from the South Carolina Associated Press. The station’s website is www.wyff4.com.

ABOUT USA CYCLING

Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 54,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization professional men's road). USA Cycling is the license holder for the USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championships and USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championships. For more information visit www.usacycling.org, or contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.

ABOUT MEDALIST SPORTS

Medalist Sports is a full-service international sports marketing company. Medalist Sports specializes in the planning, promotion and management of multi-day, multi-jurisdiction sports and special events. The Medalist Sports team has experience in all facets of the successful management and promotion of world-class sporting and cycling events in the United States, England, Australia and China. Clients and event experience include the Tour DuPont, Tour de Georgia, Amgen Tour of California, Tour of Missouri, USA Cycling, Inc. and the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG Challenge Series. Medalist Sports’ headquarters are located south of metro Atlanta at P.O. Box 415, Tyrone, GA 30290. The company website is www.medalistsports.com.

ABOUT GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM

Greenville Hospital System is one of the Southeast’s leading healthcare providers, nationally recognized for advanced technology, innovative research and teaching excellence. The system's five campuses include a Level I trauma center, three acute-care hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities. Greenville Hospital System Cancer Center offers the region’s broadest array of cancer specialists, many working through the Oncology Multidisciplinary Center. This multidisciplinary approach to the effective management of cancer allows patients to meet with a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and surgical oncologist to receive a comprehensive treatment plan all in one day. More information is available at www.ghs.org.

ABOUT PALMETTO PELOTON PROJECT

The Palmetto Peloton Project (P3), based in Greenville, S.C., exists to promote the advancement of cancer research and advocacy efforts locally, regionally and nationally through fundraising cycling events. Through support from local businesses and enthusiastic cyclists, the Palmetto Peloton Project has raised over $100,000 for cancer research and advocacy since its inception in 2005. In 2007 as part of the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, P3 will host the “Stars and Stripes Challenge”, a recreational bicycle ride to support local cancer research. For more information, visit www.palmettopelotonproject.org.