Blue Planet Network Race Across America Media Kit - Katie Spotz, Samim Rizvi, Team Hope

Media Contact: >> Mark Steele

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GEARING THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST BIKE RACE
TOWARD DRINKING WATER

A Penny-A-Mile To Transform A Life

From June 15 through 25, a select few of the world’s most hard-core endurance cyclists will be blazing through our town at all hours of the day in what is known as “the world’s toughest bicycle race.” They will be en route from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD, in the non-stop, cross-country Race Across America (RAAM). Three of the teams have chosen to dedicate their incredible journey to answering the question, “How far would you go for safe drinking water?”

Their message is that women and children in developing countries walk miles a day to haul water. Even then, this water may be unsafe to drink. In fact, one billion people struggle every day for something most Americans take for granted: safe drinking water. As a result, half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water-related illnesses, and 6,000 children die every day.

These three cycling teams are not taking water for granted. They are going an incredible distance to make a difference. Each team has its own amazing story. They hope that people will hear about their efforts, learn about this global crisis, and be inspired to donate just a penny for each mile of the race. Their good news is that there are low-cost solutions today that can provide safe drinking water and the life-transforming opportunities it creates for health, prosperity, and education. A penny-a-mile for the 3,000 miles of the race is a total of $30, which is enough to provide one person with long-term access to safe drinking water through projects around the globe managed by Blue Planet Network.

Katie Spotz and Sam Williams are not professional athletes. This rather ordinary looking pair, however, has achieved the extraordinary. Both have completed record-breaking solo rows across the Atlantic Ocean. That’s 3,000 miles, self-propelled, alone at sea … in a rowboat!

Although neither is a competitive cyclist, the two have been sponsored by Levi’s® and Kinetico Incorporated because of their sheer determination, endurance, and shared commitment to water conservation and purification. The tour de force will be on display with GPS tracking, videos from the road, and live updates for all to see at Levi’s Shape What’s to Come community at www.shapewhatstocome.com. Taking turns riding every 3 hours without stopping the pace for 8 days, Katie and Sam hope to break the two-person mixed team record for the Race Across America (RAAM). Their determination comes from an unstoppable level of stamina and mental endurance, combined with a personal passion to solve one of the world’s most pressing crises. Spotz, alone, raised more than $100,000 for Blue Planet Network safe drinking water projects in 2010 thanks to her Atlantic journey.

Her feat also inspired others, including members of Team H2Ope, a group of passionate cyclists connected by the threads of various races, bike shops and charity rides. Cleveland’s Andre Husain dreamed of competing in RAAM. Sharing his vision for the race and passion for addressing the world's water crisis, Husain sparked excitement and organized a four-person team with the help of crew chief, Kat Espino, from Los Angeles. The other racers include Larry Smith and Sara Harper of Cleveland, and Alex Galindo, of Los Angeles.

Samim Rizvi, from India, is taking on something most people would consider impossible. He is racing as a soloist, riding the 3,000 miles himself, with just a few hours a day for a quick nap. He is the first racer from India to qualify for RAAM, and only the third from all of Asia. Cycling as a sport and profession only came about when Rizvi started suffering knee injuries after he ran 680 miles in 22 days to raise awareness of global warming. Rizvi is an engineer by education, a perfume scientist by profession, and a martial arts/fitness trainer by demand. Thirty years of grueling regimen has made him one of the world’s most unstoppable athletes.

RAAM is about 40% longer than the Tour de France, and racers must complete the distance in roughly half the time. The route is 3,000 miles, with 170,000 feet of climbing. It crosses 12 states, 88 counties and 350 communities. A detailed route map of the race is online at blueplanetnetwork.org/raam-map. It contains estimated times of arrival for the teams, links to updates, photos and video from the road, as well as local water issues.

What drives these cyclists to attempt this ultimate feat of endurance? Certainly the allure of the greatest endurance challenge in cycling has committed them. But the knowledge that their efforts can transform lives with safe drinking water propels their passion. Through their efforts along the route and the attention they get, the three teams want to raise enough funds to provide safe drinking water to thousands of people around the world.

These athletes are showing how commitment, determination and stamina can conquer any challenge. They are using this feat to symbolize the effort needed by the global community to tackle the water crisis… as well as how each of us can make a difference.

You can learn more about Spotz and Williams, Team H2ope, and Rizvi, and support safe drinking water projects in their honor, at blueplanetnetwork.org. While riding 3,000 miles with little sleep is not an option for most people, a penny-a-mile is a small price to pay to save a life.  Donations raised in honor of Spotz and Williams will go to drinking water projects in Kenya. Team H2Ope’s efforts will fund a water project for St. Charles School in Uganda organized by the team itself in partnership with Cleveland non-profit Drink Local. Drink Tap. Donations to Rizvi will go to projects in his home country of India.

Blue Planet Network connects donors, implementers and local communities around the world to create and maintain access to safe drinking water. Reliable clean water provides the opportunity for health, education and prosperity. Through its award-winning online platform, Blue Planet Network makes the funding, implementation and tracking of water projects easier and the programs more effective and long lasting. Founded in 2002, the Network today has 77 member organizations working in 24 countries. It transparently showcases $29 million of member water and sanitation projects and promotes collaboration and shared learning. The organization has raised $2 million for projects through athletic campaigns like RAAM and its inaugural Blue Planet Run 2007, the world’s first around-the-world running relay. More information can be found at blueplanetnetwork.org.

MORE DETAILS

About Katie Spotz and Sam Williams
Katie Spotz and Sam Williams are not professional athletes. This seemingly ordinary pair, however, has achieved the extraordinary. Both completed record-breaking solo rows across the Atlantic Ocean, between them spending nearly five months alone in 20-foot boats, travelling 6,500 miles through treacherous conditions; they have cycled over 10,000 miles across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and they have swum the length of the 325 mile Allegheny River in eastern USA, receiving worldwide acclaim along the way.

A year after rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in 2008 and raising more than £20,000 for FARM-Africa, Williams decided that he wanted to go and visit the projects he had helped. So he did ... by bicycle, riding from London to Kenya. Spotz raised more than $100,000 for Blue Planet Network through her cross-Atlantic journey. She was honored as a 2010 Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine. She has appeared on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, Evening News with Katie Couric, and CNN with Anderson Cooper

The Levi’s® brand, in recognition of Spotz and Williams’ pioneering spirit and in celebration of a shared  commitment to water conservation and purification, is underwriting Katie & Sam’s epic cycling adventure. Co-sponsor Kinetico Incorporated, maker of home water systems, also employs Spotz in its marketing department, allowing her to hold down a full time job while training for and participating in the Race Across America.

www.rideforyourlives.com

About Team H2Ope
Making Waves from Cleveland to Uganda
Team H20pe is a group of passionate cyclists connected by the threads of various races, bike shops and charity rides. Team Manager, Andre Husain, dreamed of competing in the Race Across America (RAAM), known as the "world's toughest bicycle race." Sharing his vision for the race and passion for addressing the world's water crisis, Andre sparked excitement. His dream came together with the guidance of experienced RAAM veteran, Kathleen Espino, as crew chief. Racers Alex Galindo, Larry Smith, and Sara Harper signed on with Andre as a four-person RAAM team.

The team has formed a partnership with Cleveland non-profit Drink Local. Drink Tap. to organize and implement their own project at the 700-student St. Charles School in Uganda, guided by the online platform and peer review tools provided by Blue Planet Network. 

www.theteamhope.com

About Drink Local. Drink Tap.
Drink Local Drink Tap. (DLDT) is a campaign led by a native northeast Ohioan, Erin Huber, who rows, sails, kayaks, and loves local water. The organization’s mission is to reconnect people with WATER through film, photography, art, education, installing roof top gardens, adopting beaches, and volunteering. Its aim is to inspire Great Lakes and fresh water communities to use water in more sustainable ways, while creating a global connection with less fortunate communities around the globe.

www.drinklocaldrinktap.org

About Samim Rizvi
Samim Rizvi pedaled 134 km every day for college and has kept building up his endurance. He ran 1100 km in 22 days to raise awareness on global warming and despite knee injuries cycled back. He is a martial arts experts and teacher, fitness coach, swimming and tennis instructor. Bicycling is his passion and he is using it to attract attention to the millions close to him living without water, food, and basic facilities like toilets, without hope.

With his cycling team, Team Shift, he has become the first Indian to qualify for RAAM and now his dream is to complete it. And he has chosen his cause to be water.

www.samrizvi.com

About GlobeRacers
Team Shift is part of GlobeRacers, an organization bringing premier ultra marathon and endurance events to India. These boutique races will combine the athleticism and self-exploration that makes ultra-running so unique into one unforgettable experience. Join us, as athletes of all ability levels from across the globe, run and trek through some of the most beautiful areas in India.

www.globeracers.com

About the Race Across America (RAAM)
The Race Across America, known as the “world’s toughest bicycle race”, will set over 250 competitors on a 3,000-mile route stretching from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland.  Athletes race continuously day and night, on their own power or sharing the challenge with a team, and a crew of 8 -15 people following in support cars with food and supplies for the race.  These courageous adventurers brave heat, wind, thunderstorms, altitude, the dark of night, fatigue, and sleep deprivation, cross two major mountain ranges, and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.

www.raceacrossamerica.org

About the Levi’s® Brand
The Levi’s® brand is partnering with Katie Spotz & Sam Williams to raise awareness about vital global water issues and to help bring safe, clean drinking water to communities in need around the world. Levi’s® Water<less™ jeans, a collection of denim made by using less water during the finishing process, have already helped save millions of liters of water since they hit shelves this January. Now, the Levi’s® brand is supporting likeminded pioneers Katie & Sam, who will chase down history this June as they compete in the Race Across America and cycle more than 3,000 miles across the U.S. to raise funds for safe, clean drinking water.  The fearless riders will aim to break a world record by completing the race in under 7 days and 21 hours. The tour de force will be on display with GPS tracking, videos from the road, and live updates for all to see at Levi’s® Shape What’s to Come community: www.shapewhatstocome.com. Shape What’s to Come is an online community curated by the Levi’s® brand where women like Katie can connect, inspire & mentor each other to turn their own pioneering ideas into a reality.

www.shapewhatstocome.com

About Kinetico Incorporated
Headquartered in Newbury, Ohio, U.S.A., Kinetico is a leading manufacturer of water treatment systems. An extensive network of Kinetico dealers serving residential and commercial customers has helped more than a million people in nearly 100 countries experience the benefits of better water. Since 1970, Kinetico has prided itself on creating state-of-the-art water treatment systems that serve customers in an expanding variety of applications. The company also has offices and facilities in the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Denmark.

www.kinetico.com