USATF Pacific

USATF Pick-N-Win Fantasy Game Outdoor Contest Ready to Start

USATF Pick-N-Win Fantasy Game Outdoor Contest Ready to Start

PA’s Tom Bernhard a Winner in the Fantasy Indoor Contest!

For Immediate Release

Monday, April 20, 2009

Contact:
Vicky Oddi
USA Track & Field Communications Coordinator
317-713-4670; [email protected]

INDIANAPOLIS – With the 2009 Outdoor Visa Championship Series starting in  just five days, fans can take part in the action once again, competing for prizes  worth thousands of dollars! The Visa Championship Series kicks off with Relays Weekend in  Philadelphia with USA vs the World at the Penn Relays and in Des Moines, Iowa for the  100th Drake Relays on April 25. This marks the first time that the Pick-N-Win Fantasy  Game has incorporated the relays, giving fans an additional chance to win a weekly  prize.

How It Works

Fans create their ultimate track and field team each week by going to  www.visachampionshipseries.com and selecting the athletes or relay teams they think are going to compete  well at that week’s meet. Each Visa Championship Series meet is “virtually” scored, with 10 points  going to the first-place athlete in each event, 8 points to the second-place  athlete, 6 points to the third-place athlete and so on down to sixth place. The athletes  and relay  teams chosen by the fans score points for their team.

During the indoor season, after the conclusion of the 2009 USA Indoor  Track & Field Championships, Houston’s Richard Ross bested over 2,000 Pick-N-Win  players  by scoring the most points during the Indoor Visa Championship Series  with 567.  He won the grand prize consisting of a $2,000 Visa Gift Card and  USATF/Nike spike bag with apparel. Todd Novotny of Menomonee Falls, Wisc., won the overall  second-place prize, a $250 Visa Gift Card and USATF/Nike spike with apparel. Jossi  Fritz-Mauer of Philadelphia, Pa. won the third-place prize, a $100 Visa Gift Card and  USATF/Nike spike bag with apparel. Weekly winners, who each received a USATF/Nike spike bag with apparel  were Thomas Bernhard of Freemont, Calif., who had 134 points after the Millrose Games  and Gary Fletcher of San Antonio, Texas, who had 116 points from the Tyson  Invitational.  There was a three-way tie after the Reebok Boston Indoor Games when Steve  Breitkreutz of North Edwards, Calif., Brandon Baker of Westerville, Ohio and Ryan  Westman of  Bala Cynwyd, Pa., each scored 146 points. All three earned a USATF/Nike  spike bag with apparel. Every weekly winner and cumulative points leader was showcased in the ESPN2 broadcast of the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 1. The video clip  is  viewable at www.visachampionshipseries.com.

Outdoor prizes The Pick-N-Win Fantasy Game will start over for the Outdoor Visa  Championship Series with more prizes at stake! Grand Prize: One Grand Prize winner will be awarded a $2,000 Visa Gift  Card and  a Nike spike bag with apparel. Second Place Prize: One Second Place Prize winner will be awarded a  $250.00 Visa  Gift Card and a Nike spike bag with apparel. Third Place Prize: One Third Place Prize winner will be awarded a $100.00  Visa Gift Card and a Nike gift spike bag with apparel. Throughout the outdoor season, weekly prizes will be awarded to the top  teams. Each weekly prize will consist of a USATF/Nike spike bag with apparel. For  complete rules and to sign up for the Visa Championship Series “Pick-N-Win” Fantasy  Game, visit  www.visachampionshipseries.com.

Fans and Pick-N-Win players can also check the Visa Championship Series  website  to join the USATF Facebook and Twitter pages featuring Pick-N-Win message  boards  and the latest track and field information. USA vs. The World at the Penn Relays will broadcast live April 25 on  ESPN2 from  4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET. The 100th Drake Relays will air the following day  (April 26) on ESPN2 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET. To see the full broadcast schedule or to buy  tickets to any Visa Championship Series events, go to www.visachampionshipseries.com.

About USA Track & Field USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and  field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF  encompasses the world’s oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of  Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more  than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.

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