Are you as fast as an Olympian?

31 May 2012

TAKE ON NZ’S OLYMPIANS WITH THE POWERADE CHALLENGE 2012

Are you as fast as an Olympian? The POWERADE Challenge 2012 gives Kiwis the chance to find out.

Kicking off on 1 June – eight weeks out from the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games – through to 31 July, the POWERADE Challenge dares sportspeople to go up against some of New Zealand’s top athletes by taking part in an interactive running course in either Auckland (9km) or Wellington (8km).

Participants register online at www.powerade.co.nz as an individual or as part of a team, and receive a special RFID interactive wristband which they scan at the start and finish of the course to log their time.

Not only are participants’ names displayed on a giant digital billboard to encourage them while running the course, their times automatically upload to the online leaderboard at www.powerade.co.nz. Runners can see where they rank – and whether they’ve outrun benchmarks set by NZ Olympians like Alison Shanks and Hamish Carter.

On completion of the run, everyone who participates goes into the draw for weekly prizes and will receive a bottle of POWERADE – formulated with carbohydrates and electrolytes that are designed to be in balance with your body's fluids for fast and effective hydration.

The POWERADE Challenge 2012 ambassador, world cycling champ Alison Shanks says, “I’m proud to support the POWERADE Challenge and hope Kiwi sportspeople will take up the opportunity to get out there and complete their course.

“Whatever your sport, you don’t get to be a top athlete without incorporating running or cardio into your regime, and this is a great call to action to encourage Kiwis to get out there and get moving,” says Shanks. “The challenge has been set, New Zealand!”

Olympic Gold medallist Hamish Carter (triathlon), Bronze medallist Nathan Twaddle (rowing) and swimming champion Moss Burmester will be the first to run the course when the POWERADE Challenge 2012 launches on 1 June.

Paul Fitzgerald, General Manager Coca-Cola Oceania, says, “Coca-Cola is a longstanding partner of the Olympic Games, so we’re excited about bringing a little bit of the London 2012 Olympic Games competitive spirit to New Zealand with the POWERADE Challenge.

“POWERADE has been fuelling Kiwi sportspeople for years and one of the things we’ve learned during that time is that New Zealanders love a bit of healthy competition. More than 2,000 people registered in the first POWERADE Challenge, we’re hoping to see that number plus more in 2012,” says Fitzgerald.

The POWERADE Challenge 2012 takes place in Auckland and Wellington from 1 June – 31 July. See http://www.powerade.co.nz/challenge for more details.

Course information:
• The Auckland POWERADE Challenge starts and finishes at the Auckland Ferry Terminal on Quay St – participants scan their wristbands at the special vending machine located at the Terminal entrance next to The Cloud. The course runs along Quay Street and Tamaki Drive to the halfway point at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
• The Wellington POWERADE Challenge starts and finishes at The New Zealand Olympic Museum on Queens Wharf – participants scan their wristbands at the special vending machine located outside the Museum. The course runs along Oriental Parade to the halfway point at Balaena Bay changing rooms.

Ends

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands globally. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands, including diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, glacéau vitaminwater, and Powerade. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to drink coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environment footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

© Scoop Media