Accelerade Sports Drink, the primary sponsor of the national 40-kilometer Race Walking Championships, and two-time Olympic race walker Curt Clausen, a Trenton native, are issuing a unique challenge to all fitness enthusiasts that will benefit a local charity. On Aug. 31, they extend an open invitation to all challengers to race 1 mile against Clausen at 10 a.m. at Joe Palaia Park in Ocean Township (the former Deal Test Site of Whalepond Road, between Deal Road and Dow Avenue). Clausen will race walk, while all challengers will be allowed to run. For each individual who beats Clausen, Woodbridge-based PacificHealth Labora-tories Inc., will donate $25 to a local charity. Entry is free and all participants will receive a water bottle and sample packet. All those who beat Clausen will receive a T-shirt.
Clausen, along with several other Olympic race walkers including Philip Dunn and Tim Seaman, will be in Monmouth County to compete in the 64th annual National 40-kilometer Race Walking Championships, which take place at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 1 at Joe Palaia Park. The championship is open to all participants, and will include a fitness walking clinic at 10 a.m. For more information on both events, go to www.shoreac.org, or call (732) 222-9080.
The Jersey Chapter of the American Red Cross is pleased to host the Fifth Annual JCP&L Co.-Commerce Bank Rock ’n Ride Bike Tour on Sept. 8. Riders can cruise a 10-mile course (beginning at 9:30 a.m.) or peddle the 40-mile track (beginning at 9 a.m.) stretching the length of Long Beach Island. Prizes will be awarded to the bikers who collect the most pledges. The registration fee is $10 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and under. The first 75 riders to register, pay their registration fee and attend that day will receive a helmet. All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross in Monmouth and Ocean counties. To register, call Jaqueline at 1-888-853-6550, ext. 225., or check out the Web site www.jerseycoast-redcross.org.
A U14 boys’ travel soccer team has positions open for eighth-graders looking to become competitive players before high school. For more information, call Coach Jim at (732) 870-9547.
The Jersey Shore Heat, a 13U baseball team, were the champions for the 2002 Coca Cola Mid-Summer Classic Tournament in Reading, Pa., which was held July 19-21. The team went 5-0 in the tournament, and qualified for the nationals in St. Augustine, Fla., Oct. 25-27.
The Twin Lights Ride will take place rain or shine on Sept. 29. The cycling event will start at Huddy Park in Highlands, with parking available at the Seastreak Ferry commuter parking lot. Early registration, available through Aug. 30, is $30, or $20 for children 17 and under. All day-of-ride sign-ups are $45 and $35 respectively. The tour will feature 10-, 18-, 25-, 44- and 62-mile rides, suitable for cyclists of all ages and ability levels. The rides include oceanfront, residential and countryside tours. The 14-mile ride, perfect for young cyclists, will travel the Sandy Hook peninsula on flat, paved roads along the waterfront to the Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
The tour is expected to attract as many as 1,000 cyclists. Tour participants from New York will be arriving in Highlands by ferry to take part in the tour. To volunteer or for more information, call (732) 946-2711. Additional information is also available from the Highlands Business Partnership on its Web site, www.highlandsnj.com, or from Bike New York at www.bikenewyork.org.
An established U11 AAU travel baseball team is looking for players to compete in the spring/fall 2003 season. The squad is an established team based out of Robbinsville called the Robbinsville Cobras. The Cobras are currently ranked third in the state and have been ranked during the course of the 2002 season in the top 75 teams in the United States, according to usasportsrank.com.
The Cobras play baseball approximately 10 months over the course of the year, and are going to be trained for the 2003 season by Dave Gallagher and his staff. They travel throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, and gained a national berth to play in the AAU Nationals this year but opted not to participate so that the players on the team could play in their respective recreational league tournaments.
The Cobras play under High School Federation Rules and Regulations, which means they can use big barrel bats, do head-first slides, lead and pick off runners. All interested players should call Seth at (609) 259-9566, Tony at (609) 259-2643 or Mike at (609)324-8102.
You can also e-mail them at cobrabaseball@mindspring.com or check out at their Web site, www.leaguelineup.com/robbinsville.
The Cobras will be holding tryouts for the 2003 team on Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Tantum Park. Tantum Park is located off of Meadowbrook Road in Robbinsville (field 3). In order to be eligible, players must not turn 12 before Aug. 1, 2003.
The American Heart Association’s 11th annual American Heart Walk will be held at Thompson Park in the Lincroft section of Middletown Sept. 29. There will be a total of 13 walksites throughout the state. Currently the American Heart Association is seeking volunteers to help organize and facilitate the walk. Volunteers are needed to help with walksite set-up and take-down, check-in/registration support, performers and entertainers, community health fair participants, photography volunteers, and volunteers to help distribute food beverages and other items.
To volunteer or for more information about the walk, call (732) 821-2610.
The Central Jersey Tornado Softball Organization 16U team is seeking an experienced pitcher for its 2003 summer team. The team will have indoor workouts during the winter. For more information or to arrange a tryout, contact Steve Eisenstein at (732) 577-6876.
The N.J. Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is looking for walkers for CCFA’s 10th annual 5K Pace Setter Walk Sept. 15 on the Belmar Boardwalk. Walk registration starts at 9 a.m., and walk starts at 10 a.m. Walk proceeds will go to CCFA’s research, education and support programs.
Free CCFA T-shirt for walkers bringing $50 or more in sponsor donations to the walk. Call CCFA at (732) 786-9960 for more information.