Greetings All!
My name is Ed Collier, and I am the Executive Director of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, America's second oldest bike race. This year we celebrate our 49th edition and are simultaneously planning our 50th race in 2009. We have had past champions like Greg Lemond (raced as a jr), Davis Phinney, Eric and Beth Heiden, and perhaps most notably Lance Armstrong (winner in 1992). The race is run in memory of Arthur Longsjo, who was the first American male to compete in both the winter and summer olympics in the same year speed skating and cycling, 1956). Art was a Fitchburg native, an incredibly gifted athlete, an wonderful caring husband, and by all accounts, a fine human being. Tragically, Art was killed in a car accident on his way home from winning a nearly 200 mile long race from Quebec to Montreal in 1958.
One of my goals is to increase our New England media exposure, and it's not an easy task. The race happens over four days including July 4th, and cycling isn't the most popular of sports in the U.S., though New England is one of the bigger markets for the sport. Probably the best way to create interest and to give potential spectators an inside look into what is happening inside the race is from the back of a motorcycle. Video, still photographs, and live commentary all combine to enhance the experience for the spectator and fan.
I would love to get your club's opinion on whether this type of coverage is possible, and what we would need to do to arrange for a meeting and to share some ideas. I'll post some links to the race website, and also to some youtube clips showing camera-motorcycles in bike races.
Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers,
-Ed Collier
ecollier@longsjo.com
978.855.2951
www.longsjo.com
http://www.longsjo.com/History.html
http://www.longsjo.com/Photo_Gallery.html
http://www.longsjo.com/Art_Longsjo_Gallery.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tyk1jQsnCqg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DQDjqAkLUB0&feature=related
My name is Ed Collier, and I am the Executive Director of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, America's second oldest bike race. This year we celebrate our 49th edition and are simultaneously planning our 50th race in 2009. We have had past champions like Greg Lemond (raced as a jr), Davis Phinney, Eric and Beth Heiden, and perhaps most notably Lance Armstrong (winner in 1992). The race is run in memory of Arthur Longsjo, who was the first American male to compete in both the winter and summer olympics in the same year speed skating and cycling, 1956). Art was a Fitchburg native, an incredibly gifted athlete, an wonderful caring husband, and by all accounts, a fine human being. Tragically, Art was killed in a car accident on his way home from winning a nearly 200 mile long race from Quebec to Montreal in 1958.
One of my goals is to increase our New England media exposure, and it's not an easy task. The race happens over four days including July 4th, and cycling isn't the most popular of sports in the U.S., though New England is one of the bigger markets for the sport. Probably the best way to create interest and to give potential spectators an inside look into what is happening inside the race is from the back of a motorcycle. Video, still photographs, and live commentary all combine to enhance the experience for the spectator and fan.
I would love to get your club's opinion on whether this type of coverage is possible, and what we would need to do to arrange for a meeting and to share some ideas. I'll post some links to the race website, and also to some youtube clips showing camera-motorcycles in bike races.
Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers,
-Ed Collier
ecollier@longsjo.com
978.855.2951
www.longsjo.com
http://www.longsjo.com/History.html
http://www.longsjo.com/Photo_Gallery.html
http://www.longsjo.com/Art_Longsjo_Gallery.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tyk1jQsnCqg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DQDjqAkLUB0&feature=related
