Contact: Rita Radostitz, Communications Director
Track Town USA
Email: [email protected]
(541) 343-7247
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 27, 2009

EUGENE, OR – The Local Organizing Committee for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track and Field has been named as a finalist for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Award for Sport and the Environment. One winner for each continent will be announced during the 8th Conference on Sport and the Environment being held in Vancouver, B.C. from March 29-31, 2009. “We don’t know yet whether OTC and Eugene 08 will win the award,” said Brian Brase, Director of Events & Broadcasting for USA Track & Field, “but I can’t imagine any finer sustainability effort by a sporting event in North America.”

The Oregon Track Club and Eugene 08, as local organizers of the 2008 Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, were nominated by USA Track & Field which forwarded the nomination to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF.) The nomination was then forwarded to the IOC. The International Olympic Committee and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have invited a representative of OTC and Eugene 08 to be present for the Conference in Vancouver.

Barbara Kousky, one of the Project Managers for Eugene 08 (and a long time member of the Oregon Track Club Board) will attend along with Vin Lananna, Eugene 08 Co-Chair and University of Oregon Associate Athletic Director and Director of Track & Field. “We are thrilled at this recognition of the sustainability efforts of the entire Eugene 08 and Oregon Track Club communities,” Kousky said. “I’m looking forward to the conference in Vancouver.”

The criteria for the award include:

·Design and/or construction of sport facilities

·Protection and enhancement of biodiversity or cultural heritage through sport

·Environmental education or raising sports community awareness on environmental and sustainability issues

·Management of sport events, facilities or clubs

·Media coverage and production of material to promote sustainability in sport

·Initiatives incorporating sustainable sport practices

During the 2008 Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field at Hayward Field, a number of sustainable efforts were made, including using all electric power from Green Energy sources, a solar powered stage at the Eugene 08 Festival, bike valet service, significant use of a bus shuttle system, and a massive recycling and composting effort which resulted in a Lane County Special Event “Trashbuster” Award. These efforts also were also recognized by Oregon Governor Kulongoski’s through the “Oregon Sustainability Special Project Award” presented by Secretary of State Bill Bradbury at the Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit.

Eugene will also host the 2009 U.S. National Championships for Track & Field June 25-28 at Hayward Field. Tickets are now on sale at www.goducks.com. For more information visit www.tracktown.net.

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