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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - (Sept. 29, 2008) – Looking to test themselves beyond just physical endurance, more than 3,000 runners participated in the inaugural Expedition Everest Challenge presented by Champion. The event, which took place Saturday night at Disney's Animal Kingdom, is the first urban adventure race among Disney's Endurance Series and offered a rare combination of physical and mental challenges that required competitors to be quick on their feet – literally and figuratively.
Thomas Kish, 37 of Woodstock, Ga., took home top honors as he finished the course at 45:22 besting the nearest competitor by over three minutes. Jeff Mara (Port Orange, Fla.) crossed the line in second with a time of 48:49 and David Williams, 44 of Orlando, Fla. finished third with a time of 50:18.
Lisa Ngai, of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the women's division by nearly four minutes. The 25-year-old won in a time of 48:04 and was the only female competitor to finish under 50 minutes. Mylene Dally, 37 of Winter Park, Fla. crossed the line with a time of 52:09 narrowly finishing ahead of the next runner. Julie Antonacci, 38 of Jacksonville, Fla. rounded out the top-3 with a time of 52:42.
In the men's team division, the Tampa Bay Boys, which included Chad Farmer and Matt Achman of Tampa, Fla., led the pack crossing the finish line at 47:01. Christy Wise and Heidi McBride from Boca Raton, Fla., who comprised Baby Boot Camp, won the women's team division in a time of 47:25. The Hot Coffeys, Jack Coffey and Beth Scanlan, also from Tampa, Fla., won the co-ed team division with a time of 42:31.
Beginning with a 5K run through the theme park, the racers transitioned to an obstacle course and finished with a scavenger hunt that required a "passport," creating the ultimate test of physical stamina as well as intellectual endurance along with a traditional dose of Disney magic. At the finish, each participant received a commemorative medal shaped like a compass.
The athletes, along with family and friends, were also able to enjoy an exclusive post-race party at Disney's Animal Kingdom that featured a deejay and provided them with the opportunity to take exclusive rides aboard Expedition Everest, Dinoland and Khali River Rapids attractions.
The Expedition Everest Challenge is one of the many races part of the Endurance Series at Walt Disney World Resort, which includes marathons, road races, adventure races and triathlons for all ages and skill levels that give recreational athletes the chance to walk, jog, run, bike, swim, and roll their way "around the world" of the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort often to raise donations for charitable causes.
Popular Endurance Series events are the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon (January), Disney's Princess Half Marathon (March), Disney's Race for the Taste 10K (October) and the Tower of Terror 13K (October).
For more information on Endurance Series events at Walt Disney World Resort, please visit www.disneysports.com/endurance. For more information on events taking place at Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex, please visit www.disneysports.com.
About Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex
Opened in 1997 at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is a leading sports and entertainment venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States. The sprawling 220-acre state-of-the-art complex features the Milk House, a 165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,500 for basketball; the 9,500-seat Champion Stadium ballpark; the Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; and the Jostens Center, an 80,000 square foot multi-sport field house. In addition, the complex has 11 tennis courts, including a stadium court, and a track and field complex. The complex is home to more than 180 amateur and professional sports and entertainment events each year, including the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves spring training, a Tampa Bay Rays regular-season series, the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, Chelsea Football Club events, the Special Olympics Florida Summer Games and the AAU National Championship events. Please visit www.disneysports.com for more information.
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