For Immediate Release—January 25, 2010
Contact: Carol Hunter, Corporate Cup Director—(509) 747-0101
Don Kardong, Bloomsday Race Director—(509) 838-1579


Spokane, WA—With nearly 3,000 runners, joggers and walkers already signed up online as individual participants since registration began on January 1, Bloomsday organizers have decided to make a break with history and open Corporate Cup registration earlier than usual as well. Instead of the traditional middle of February time frame, Corporate Cup will now open on February 1.

“This year we wanted Corporate Cup participants to be eligible for our drawing for a trip for two to the St. Patrick’s Day Dash in Seattle,” remarked Corporate Cup Director Carol Hunter. “If they enter by February 14th they’ll be eligible for that drawing. Since we previously advertised that Corporate Cup registration would open on February 15, we wanted to get the word out about this change right away.”

The Corporate Cup, which is sponsored by Orthopaedic Specialty Clinic, is a competition within Bloomsday in which businesses consisting of five team members compete amongst other businesses of similar size using a unique scoring system that matches team members against other runners in their age and gender division. Bloomsday promotes Corporate Cup participation as a great way to encourage fitness and healthy lifestyles among employees.

Participation is open to the first 250 teams that enter after registration opens on February 1. Available spaces fill up fast, so Bloomsday organizers encourage teams to sign up as soon as possible. The $300 fee includes the cost of Bloomsday registration for all team members. Members of teams that enter by February 14 will be entered in the drawing for a trip for two to the St. Patrick’s Day Dash in Seattle on March 14. That drawing is now open to all online entrants who sign up by February 14, including both individual and Corporate Cup participants.

The earlier Corporate Cup registration date may put some pressure on creative thinkers at participating businesses, whose teams try to come up with unique and amusing team names. Last year’s “Best Team Name” contest was won by P.O.V. Ranger District (“Run Forest Run”).

This year’s Lilac Bloomsday Run is on Sunday, May 2. Individual registration is currently open at www.bloomsdayrun.org.

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