New Tool Ranks Runners from Across the Nation and Builds Running Community
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – September 7, 2005 – Active Sports Technologies, part of The Active Network, Inc. and a technology provider for sports events, teams, leagues and camps, has joined forces with Running USA, the professional trade association for the running industry, to launch a national online runner ranking system. The ‘Runner Rankings,’ available at www.RunningUSA.org or www.active.com/rankings, provide a comprehensive, searchable database of personal road race performances for runners of all ages and abilities. With the goal of building a sense of community among runners nationwide, Runner Rankings will enable runners to measure themselves against America’s best and fellow runners of similar abilities in their hometowns.
“We developed this new tool to make it easier for runners to track their performances and view results of peers and competitors with just a few clicks of a button,” explained Jon Belmonte, chief operating officer of The Active Network, Inc. “We anticipate that Runner Rankings will foster some healthy competition within the running community and promote the sport of running as a whole.”
Offering a database of over 3 million race performances from more than 3,000 events nationwide, the Runner Rankings system provides a quick and easy way to track individual results, identify leaders and view the fastest times for various distances. Using runners’ race performance data, the system assigns points to individual runners based on distance, time, age and course difficulty. Rankings are then calculated and searchable through a variety of different categories including name, gender, age, city, state, country, year or distance.
“The primary reason for conceptualizing and designing the Runner Rankings is to reinforce the rewards that millions of runners can gain from participating in the nation’s races,” said Basil Honikman, executive director, Running USA. “It is the hope of Running USA that as runners track improvement in their performances, their enthusiasm to enter more races of various distances will increase. We expect the Runner Rankings to create an interactive ‘buzz’ in the sport as runners of all abilities and ages visit the rankings Web site to see their results and how they stack up against their peers in the different categories.”
To check out the new Runner Rankings or for more information, visit www.active.com/rankings or www.RunningUSA.org
About Active Sports Technologies
Active Sports Technologies, part of San Diego, Calif-based The Active Network, Inc., provides technology applications that enhance the efficiency of participatory sports teams, leagues, events and camps. With a history of technical reliability and proven track record, Active Sports Technologies offers organizations a complete line of products and services tailored to specific sports and activities. Products and services include customized Web sites, online registration, fundraising and database management services. Leading sports organizations, including Running USA, World Triathlon Corporation, Little League® Baseball, NFL Youth Football and MLS Soccer Camps, use services from Active Sports Technologies. For more information, please visit www.active.com/rankings or www.TheActiveNetwork.com.
About Running USA
Running USA is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit professional organization devoted to improving the status and experience of road racing and distance running in the United States through collective marketing and promotions, information and communications within the industry and to the national media, services to events and industry members and the development of American world-class stars. Running USA was formed in 1999 as a joint venture between a coalition of leading road races, race services companies, running-related media companies, the athletic industry and USA Track & Field. The national organization is based on the idea that its goals can best be achieved through everyone in the sport working together. For more information, visit www.RunningUSA.org.
Media Contacts
Courtney Gay, The Active Network, Inc.,
courtney.gay@active.com or 858-964-3814
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA
ryan@runningusa.org or 805-696-6232