From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Sports
Run for Pompey partners with Regatta
Jul 6, 2017 - 11:30:22 AM

Sm-run_for_pompay_2016.jpg
As the old saying goes, the third time is a charm...


That certainly seems to be the case for Run for Pompey, as this authentically Bahamian event celebrates more than a dozen sponsors and a new partnership with the National Family Island Regatta.

The annual race, held on Great Exuma from October 6 to October 9, is expecting a record turnout from both The Bahamas and abroad. But beyond that, Run for Pompey is rapidly becoming a can’t-miss celebration for all ages over National Heroes Day Weekend, offering a festival atmosphere amid the spectacular backdrop of Exuma.

“We are thrilled to have Regatta come on board as a partner for this year’s festivities,” said Jeff Todd, Director of Communications for GIV Bahamas Inc, who founded the race with Kevin Taylor, the founder of DreamKatcher Media.

“This event is much more than a race. Pompey was a larger than life figure. His memory is rapidly becoming the centrepiece of a weekend-long celebration of Bahamian heroes, history and culture."

In 1830, Pompey, a 32-year-old slave, defied a transfer order on Exuma that would have separated 77 men, women and children from their families. While his rebellion was eventually squashed, it is widely seen as a key moment in the Bahamian fight for freedom.

To commemorate his memory, Run for Pompey features races for all ages, skill levels and abilities, including the 2K “George Town Dash”, 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon and the country’s only 50K ultra marathon. All races are professionally timed. Past events have attracted hundreds of runners from various countries, including Canada, the United States, the UK and The Bahamas.

For the third year in a row, legendary “Golden Girl” Pauline Davis Thompson will serve as Run for Pompey’s patron, draping medals around each and every neck at the finish line.

She also provides a special keynote address at Grand Isle’s pasta night for runners the night before the race.

The event is led by three-time title sponsor BAF Financial & Insurance (Bahamas) Limited.

“This event presents a unique blend of history, sports and tourism,” said the Hon. I Chester Cooper, President of BAF and MP for Exuma & Ragged Island. “It’s also great for the economy of Exuma. I commend the organizers and sponsors for creating this exciting event for Exuma’s calendar. Hopefully the participants and their guests will return again and again to enjoy all that Exuma and its Cays has to offer.“

Run for Pompey is also thrilled to announce a new sponsor of the event. Aliv, the emerging telecommunications company, will become a valued supporter of the weekend.

MRI Nassau, GIV Bahamas Inc., the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Grand Isle Resort, Sands Beer, Caribbean and Bottling Company, Ty’s Sunset Bar & Grill, Catch a Fire, Chat N Chill, BahamasLocal.com, SuerClubs Breezes, and Diane Phillips & Associates will all return as key sponsors of Run for Pompey.

“From the very beginning BAF, MRI Nassau, GIV Bahamas and all of our sponsors have been incredible in bringing this event to fruition,” said Kevin Taylor, co-founder and Race Director.

“We also want to thank our volunteers and Pauline Davis Thompson for her continued support. Run for Pompey is deeply rooted in both the community and the country’s youth. We couldn’t pull it off each year without everyone’s generous support.”

In keeping with the event’s strong sense of community, Run for Pompey recently awarded its second Pompey Scholarship to Demi Rolle of L. N. Coakley High School in Exuma. The annual scholarship, paid for through proceeds from the race, supports a local student each year in his or her ambition to attend college or university.

The Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Bahamasair, noted that Run for Pompey “ticks all of the boxes” of a successful event.

While exposing the whole world to the beauty of Exuma, he also urged all Bahamians, in this third year, to converge on Exuma for the Run for Pompey.

“With the support of the Out Island Promotion Board and our many partners in the Family Islands, events like this fit perfectly into the pattern of incentivizing inter-island exploration by covering airfare for Bahamians who choose to vacation in the Family Islands,” he explained.

To learn more about the Run for Pompey and register for the race, visit www.runforpompey.com











© Copyright 2017 by thebahamasweekly.com -