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Saint Paul Hosts 2nd Annual Saint Paul Inline Skating Marathon Along Mississippi Riverfront on Sunday, August 21st
(Saint Paul, MN) The Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) will welcome visitors to the second Saint Paul Inline Marathon on Sunday, August 21 along some of the most beautiful stretch of the Mississippi River in the country. The race begins downtown and follows the Saint Paul riverfront along Shepard and Warner roads, circling back through the downtown streets to the finish line in Mears Park. ESPN's SportsCenter will be broadcasting live from the finish line as part of *SportsCenter Across America. Steve Berthiaume* will host several segments from the event, which will air on the August 21st edition of SportsCenter. Celebrities on skates include Saint Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, World Skating Champion Chad Hedrick and 20 members from Minnesota RollerGirls Roller derby. Members of the Minnesota Wild are also expected to be on hand, including Chairman Bob Naegele, Jr. The 26.2 mile marathon will begin at 7:00 a.m. and is expected to take the fastest skaters about an hour. The Saint Paul Inline Marathon is suitable for skaters from all walks of life. Skaters range in age from 13 to over 80 and the event draws participants from over 30 states and seven countries. In 2005 a full third of the participants will be skating in their first inline marathon. Last year, 1800 skaters raced and this year, organizers anticipate a field of 2000 skaters. "We look forward to hosting the second annual Saint Paul Inline Marathon August 21, as this is precisely the type of event we hoped to attract through our new Saint Paul Sports Council," said Julie Larson, VP of Convention Sales and Marketing for the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We were very pleased with last year's inaugural turnout are confident that this event will continue to grow to become yet another landmark sporting event for Saint Paul," she said Inline skating has a long history in Saint Paul, as the sport was invented in Minnesota by hockey enthusiasts who wanted to find a way to keep in shape during the summer months. Participants can register on-line at www.stpaulinlinemarathon.com. The registration fee is $95and registrations will be accepted through August 20. For more information or to view a course map please visit the website. The city of Saint Paul is no novice at hosting major sporting events, and welcomes the opportunity to showcase the city to inline skating enthusiasts from around the world. In addition to co-hosting the Twin Cities Marathon each year, the city has also hosted the state high school hockey tournaments, WCHA and NCAA hockey and the 2004 NHL All-Star Game. In 2005 the city has also hosted the National Junior Weightlifting Championships, the World Baton Twirling Championships and the International Ballroom Dance Competition. For more information on the Saint Paul Inline Marathon or for information on other Saint Paul area attractions and events, or to make lodging reservations, please contact the Saint Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau at 651-265-4800 or 800-627-6101 or visit www.visitstpaul.com.