20th Anniversary Vineman Wine & Cheese Reception

If you will be competing in the Full Vineman this year we'd like to invite you and your guests to join us to celebrate

our 20th Anniversary on Thursday, July 30th at 6:00 PM at the Mary Agatha Furth Center in Windsor! Vineman will be hosting a wine and cheese reception featuring La Crema Wine and twenty years of Vineman memories. This reception is complimentary for 2009 Full Vineman entrants who RSVP through active.com and $10 for their guests. To sign up go to http://www.vineman.com/ and click on the link at the bottom of the Vineman home page.

Vineman Ironman 70.3 Run Course Marked

The mile markings for the Vineman Ironman 70.3 Triathlon have been freshly painted on the run course. As the race course has changed a number of times over the past 19 years, along with the Full Vineman having different mile markers, there are multiple markings on the roads. To identify the correct Vineman Ironman 70.3 run course mile markings, the stenciled numerals have been circled.

Getting Ready For Race Time!

With Vineman Ironman 70.3 rapidly approaching, our race committee is mobilizing! Recently we had a race meeting at Santa Rosa Sports Medicine to discuss the upcoming events. We have more than 30 coordinators and 1000 volunteers who make the Vineman events happen. It is our goal to make your experience at the Vineman events the best it can possibly be.

Remembering Steve Larsen

Vineman lost perhaps the most talented and classiest participant in the history of the event, with the passing of Steve Larsen. Larsen won the Vineman Ironman 70.3 event in 2001, placed second in 2003 & 2005, and third in 2008. Larsen collapsed this past Tuesday after a track workout and was not able to be resuscitated. He was 39 years old and is survived by his wife and five children. Steve will be missed by many.

20th Annual Vineman Reception

Activities for the Full Vineman will kick off on July 30th at Windsor's Mary Agatha Furth Center with the 20th Annual Vineman Reception. The event will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM and will include wine tasting, hors d'oeurves, and a program which reminisces the twenty year history of the event. Entrance is complimentary for athletes who are entered in the Full Vineman, but they must sign up for the reception at http://www.active.com/ before July 20th. Guests of Full Vineman entrants may also sign up through http://www.active.com/ before July 20th for a $10 fee. Twenty years is a long time in the world of triathlon. Come celebrate with us!

Owen's Showdown Egg Hunt

If you are racing at the Vineman Showdown on April 11th you will have the chance to be part of Owen's Egg Hunt! While you are swimming Owen will hide a dozen eggs in the transition area. If you find one while you are racing, pick it up and keep it with you. You must have the egg with you as you cross the finish line to claim your prize. After finishing take your egg (and the coupon inside it) to the Vineman retail booth to redeem it for your prize! Happy racing and happy egg hunting!

Brad Illing, Vineman Staff

Brad Illing is the newest addition to our staff at Vineman, Inc. Brad and his wife, Liz traveled from their home in Florida to compete in the Vineman and Half Vineman in 1997. Shortly after they moved to Sonoma County. A few years later Brad began putting on Adventure races in the North Bay. After a couple of years back in Florida, the Illings returned to Sonoma County. Now Brad is working with Vineman as our sonsorship procurement and fulfillment director.