World T.E.A.M. Sports » Events

Real Winners in 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge are Participating Athletes

Richard Rhinehart — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:16:22 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart
Fruita, Colorado, May 21, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports’ Adventure TEAM Challenge moved west in 2012 to a new and challenging desert landscape along the Utah borderland, west of the Colorado National Monument gateway city of Fruita. Though the landscape for the inclusive event changed, the final result did not – Team Lumber Liquidators finished first for the fourth consecutive year, despite efforts by the other 13 teams to unseat them as defending champion.

Team Lumber Liquidators celebrate their 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge victory. Photograph by World T.E.A.M. Sports, Richard Rhinehart.

Featuring two military teams and the event’s first all-woman team, the 2012 Challenge included five athletes per team, of which two were disabled. One member in each of the teams was a wheelchair user, requiring teammates to pull, push, carry and assist the athlete through a rugged course featuring mountain biking, hiking, river rafting, orienteering, climbing and rappelling.

For Denver-based Team Lumber Liquidators, the unfamiliar terrain and various challenges – including roping with a lasso and fixing a flat – provided small margin for error. At the end of the three day event, the winning team had only a 61 minute lead on their closest competitor, the first-year Team Fire Strategies, a team of firefighters based in Colorado Springs.

Sponsored by Alteryx, a software development and services company headquartered in Irvine, California, the Challenge provided an opportunity for participating teams to work together and creatively solve challenges and problems through cooperation and support. In each participating team, the skills and determination of the disabled athletes usually provided the key in clearing a challenge. This included blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer, of Team Lumber Liquidators, who successfully solo climbed a difficult sandstone rock with a top rope. With his team mates guiding him on from below, Erik’s ascent was one of the highlights of the Challenge.

Erik Weihenmayer meets and greets teams as they finish at the 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge. Photograph by World TEAM Sports, Richard Rhinehart.

For all of the participating teams, however, simply finishing the Challenge was a success. Exploring the red sandstone high desert of the region, rafting the Colorado River, and participating in group meals at the Bureau of Land Management’s Rabbit Valley campsite, individual athletes experienced the benefits of working together as teams and overcoming adversity. Able-bodied participants were inspired by their disabled colleagues, and those athletes with disabilities showed themselves that they can excel in a competitive wilderness adventure.

In a weekend bracketed by a stinging desert sandstorm and a solar eclipse, the participants of the sixth annual Adventure TEAM Challenge learned that by using ingenuity, cooperation and hard work that the ultimate team adventure can be successfully met by all competitors. For Weihenmayer, who started the Adventure TEAM Challenge with World T.E.A.M. Sports in 2007, his idea of an inclusive team sports event has grown with each passing year. His greatest satisfaction, though, is not in winning the championship, but in experiencing the satisfaction and empowerment the Challenge brings all the participants.

Final Team Standings
Unofficial as of May 21, 2012 – includes total time

1 Team Lumber Liquidators: 6:18:03
2 Team Fire Strategies: 7:35:54
3 Team Atlas Shrugged: 8:42:56
4 Alteryx Avengers: 9:01:22
5 Semper Fi Alpha: 9:04:14
6 Team Pearl Myers: 9:06:26
7 Semper Fi Bravo: 9:43:31
8 Alteryx Fuzzy Match: 10:13:36
9 Team Spofit: 10:40:49
10 Alteryx Armadillos: 10:48:48
11 Alteryx Team Clarissa: 10:55:33
12 Alteryx Force: 11:37:46
13 Team Crump: 11:41:14
14 Team Who Says I Can’t: 11:41:51

Watch the start of Stage Two on Sunday, May 20

Watch Team Lumber Liquidators win the championship on Sunday, May 20

BNY Mellon Joins 2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride as Sponsor

Richard Rhinehart — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:57:48 +0000

Military Heroes Riding 4,000 Miles Coast-to-Coast Starting May 28

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 21, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that BNY Mellon, the global leader in investment management and investment services, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

BNY Mellon is providing critical financial support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“We are proud to have our riders carry the BNY Mellon logo on their personal journey across the country this summer,” said Tyler. “We’re honored that BNY Mellon chose to support our effort to recognize the riders for both their sacrifice and resiliency.”

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

“We’re very proud to sponsor the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride in support of military veterans who have made tremendous sacrifices for our nation,” said Brian T. Shea, Chief Executive Officer of BNY Mellon’s Pershing unit. “Not only do these brave American heroes serve and protect our country, they bring their valuable leadership experience back into our communities and businesses. Sea to Shining Sea is a truly inspiring event that reflects the triumph and determination of the human spirit.”

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride or to track the riders progress, visit the official ride website. To tweet your message of support for the riders, use #S2SSbike.

About BNY Mellon
BNY Mellon is a leading global provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services. In addition, the company responds to the needs of communities by supporting organizations that advance the quality of life where its employees work, live and do business. BNY Mellon has a comprehensive corporate social responsibility program linked to its business priorities, with a strong emphasis on ethics, transparency and risk management, along with operational reliability, governance and stakeholder engagement. The company’s demonstrated excellence in the fundamental aspects of CSR such as employee engagement, community involvement and environmental sustainability include contributing $100 million around the world over the past three years to strengthen the communities in which its employees live and work. Additional information is available at our website or follow us on Twitter@BNYMellon.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

Lumber Liquidators Lead Field in Day 1 of 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge

Richard Rhinehart — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:00:47 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Fruita, Colorado, May 19, 2012: Participants of the 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge from World T.E.A.M. Sports learned quickly today that the three-time defending champion Lumber Liquidators team will not give up their title easily.

One of the 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge teams work together to successfully climb a hill. Photograph by World T.E.A.M. Sports, Richard Rhinehart.

Following a short Friday evening prologue and one day of competition at the scenic Rabbit Valley of western Colorado near Fruita, the Lumber Liquidators team found themselves alone at the finish with a commanding 41 minute lead on their next closest competitor. Lumber Liquidators, a Colorado-based team consisting of Skyler Williams, Erik Weihenmayer, Sarah Will, Rob Harsh, and Brett Landin, used similar strategy in their victories of previous years, allowing them to cruise to victory on the second, and final day, of the annual Challenge.

In its sixth year of competition, the inclusive Colorado event includes 14 teams in 2012. Each participating team includes two athletes with disabilities, one of which must be a wheelchair user. Such competition encourages cooperation and problem-solving by the participating teams, and brings inspiration to both participants and supporters.

A first year team from Colorado Springs, Fire Strategies, currently is in second place, the remaining top five teams after the first day of competition are, in order, Atlas Shrugged, Semper Fi – Alpha and Pearl Myers.

Although the first day consisted of a hiking/running stage, a rafting stage, a mountain biking stage, and tasks such as mending a flat tire and lassoing a stationary object, the second day should prove more difficult. Planned activities include rock climbing, rappelling and orienteering through the high desert west of Grand Junction.

Teams began stage 1 by fixing a flat on a tire. The all-woman team, Who Says I Can't, wore skirts. Photograph by World T.E.A.M. Sports, Richard Rhinehart.

The Adventure TEAM Challenge is sponsored by Alteryx, which includes five sponsored teams in 2012. The Alteryx Avengers are currently the top-ranked team, in sixth place. For the first time, the 2012 Challenge includes an all-woman team, Team Who Says I Can’t. The team currently is in 12th place.

Full Team Rankings through Saturday, May 19

1. Lumber Liquidators
2. Fire Strategies
3. Atlas Shrugged
4. Semper Fi – Alpha
5. Pearl Myers
6. Alteryx Avengers
7. Semper Fi – Crump
8. Spofit
9. Alteryx Fuzzy Match
10. Alteryx Clarissa’s Team
11. Crump
12. Who Says I Can’t
13. Alteryx Armadillos
14. Alteryx Force

Note: The team leader finished in 3 hours, 36 minutes and 2 seconds. The final team finished in 6 hours, 25 minutes.

2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride Welcomes Semper Fi Fund as a Sponsor

Richard Rhinehart — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:52:39 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 18, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit providing financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

The Semper Fi Fund is providing financial support for Marines participating in this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“The Semper Fi Fund is honored to be sponsoring United States Marines, LCpl James Sheehan and Sgt Michael Manning in their participation in World T.E.A.M. Sports Sea to Shining Sea ride. We wish James, Michael and all the riders a safe trip as they take on the adventure of a lifetime riding across our nation and help to raise awareness for our injured and critically ill service members and families,” said Karen Guenther, Founder/President/CEO, of the Semper Fi Fund.

“We are proud to have our riders carry the Semper Fi Fund logo on their personal journey across the country this summer,” said Tyler. “Their support has enabled a group of proud wounded warriors to see the country they so valiantly defended.”

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website.

About the Semper Fi Fund

Since 2006, Team Semper Fi has operated as the rehabilitative athletic program of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit that provides immediate financial support to qualified injured and critically ill service members and their families.

The over 335 service members who are a part of Team Semper Fi have overcome significant challenges in their service to our country, and have refused to let those challenges prevent them from competing in athletic events. They are an inspiration to us all, but more importantly, they inspire their fellow service members who are also traveling down the road to recovery.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

World T.E.A.M. Sports Welcomes the USO as a Sponsor of the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride

Richard Rhinehart — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:21:31 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 17, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the USO, a private, nonprofit military support organization, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

The USO is providing valuable field support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“We’re honored that the USO chose to support our effort to recognize the riders for both their sacrifice and resiliency,” said Tyler. “Support from an organization like the USO means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended.”

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website.

About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President’s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe’s, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft Corporation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit our website.

Cross-Country Sea to Shining Sea Ride Welcomes Dominion as Sponsor

Richard Rhinehart — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:19:30 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 16, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that The Dominion Foundation and Dominion Virginia Power have joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

Dominion is providing $50,000 for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“We are proud to employ veterans in our work force,” said Virginia M. Board, president of The Dominion Foundation and managing director of community affairs for Dominion Resources. “And we appreciate how this cross-country ride highlights the determined spirit of our nation’s wounded warriors.”

The grant is being made through The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.

“We welcome Dominion as a sponsor of our Sea to Shining Sea ride,” said Tyler. “Their support has enabled a group of proud wounded warriors to see the country they so valiantly defended.”

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website.

About Dominion
The Dominion Foundation is dedicated to improving the physical, social and economic well-being of the communities served by Dominion companies, including Dominion Virginia Power and Dominion North Carolina Power. For more information about Dominion, visit the company’s website. Follow Dominion Virginia Power on Twitter . ‘Like’ Dominion on Facebook.

Dominion Virginia Power media contact:
Daisy Pridgen, (804) 771-6115, Daisy.Pridgen@dom.com

High Desert Adventure Awaits Disabled, Able-Bodied Competitors in World T.E.A.M. Sports’ 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge

Richard Rhinehart — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:03:15 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Denver, Colo., May 15, 2012 – For participants of World T.E.A.M. Sports’ annual Adventure TEAM Challenge, it’s not all about winning the race. Including both disabled and able-bodied competitors on teams of five persons changes the perspective of all the participants.

Created by blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer of Golden, CO, following his participation in outdoor competitions including the Eco-Challenge, the Adventure TEAM Challenge brings together experienced adventure athletes, wounded warriors from our nation’s military, corporate fitness enthusiasts and individuals with disabilities, including paraplegics and quadriplegics.

“I don’t know of any other experience in the world as powerful as ATC that gets a team thinking creatively and collaboratively to break through barriers and achieve more together,” said Weihenmayer, who has climbed the seven highest summits on the planet. “You can talk these themes until you’re blue in the face, but it’s a big step up when your team is placed in a spectacular rugged environment and forced to live these commitments through its every fiber. That’s when it gets real and real transformation happens!”

Held in the high Colorado desert near Grand Junction and Fruita this May 18-20, the Challenge will feature 14 teams, assuring the 2012 edition to be the largest to date. Presented by Alteryx, the leader in strategic analytics, delivering a complete desktop-to-cloud solution, the 2012 Challenge requires participating teams to work together to creatively solve challenges and meet objectives.

Each team is required to include two persons with disabilities, including one who is a wheelchair user. Negotiating obstacles along the route, including mountain biking, river rafting, climbing and hiking, is particularly challenging as all team members must stay together throughout the Challenge. Successful teams rely not only on strength and endurance, but also on problem solving and innovation.

Participants of the Challenge include a wide variety of athletes. Robb Kimbrough of Boulder, CO is a member of Team Alteryx Fuzzy Match. A climber since age 16, Kimbrough lost both his legs to random invasive strep infection (flesh eating bacteria) six and one-half years ago. Though he admits he “usually does not play well with others,” Kimbrough is looking forward to the Challenge and “forcing through the challenges.”

Texan Mary Coffee, a member of Team Alteryx Armadillos, gained an appreciation for what it means to be disabled after a 2007 skydiving accident left her in a wheelchair for three months with a broken leg and fractured pelvis. Owing to a parachute that was not packed properly and did not open all the way on her first solo skydive, she experienced a “death spiral.” Remaining calm as she realized what was happening, Coffee hit ground at 20 mph. Fortunately she landed in a wet area, which allowed her to survive, and woke up in the EMS van.

Jake Schmalzried of Team Crump was injured in a 1997 construction accident, resulting in the loss of use of his legs. Yet, he maintains a positive attitude. “This is how my life is and what I have to do. It’s not really about overcoming things. If I want to participate or overcome things, how do I do it is the question,” Jake explained. A wheelchair basketball player who plays for the Albuquerque Kings, Schmalzried has played basketball for 14 years. Regarding his participation in the Challenge, “I don’t want to let my team down,” Schmalzried said.

Gina Utegg of Team Who Says I Can’t, an all-woman’s team, has multiple disabilities due to a car crash, including spinal cord and traumatic brain injury. She is also a cancer survivor. Active in sprint triathlons, recumbent bike rides and races, Utegg is a three-time participant in World T.E.A.M. Sports‘ Face of America ride from Washington to Gettysburg. The Tewksbury, MA resident loves all sorts of sports and wants to try everything.

A climbing accident in 1997 on the East Face of Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park left Boulder, CO climber Steve Mestdagh a below-the-knee amputee. Yet, he has remained very active in technical climbing, canyoneering and trail running. A member of Team Atlas Shrugged, Mestdagh has not competed in any race before. “If you think you can’t, you’re wrong!” said Mestdagh, who is approaching his participation with a positive attitude.

Katherine Ragazzino is originally from Philadelphia, PA and is a past veteran of the Adventure TEAM Challenge. After sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with post-traumatic stress and nerve damage while serving with the Marine Corps in Iraq, Katherine spent 18 months in a Navy hospital. Following her discharge from the Marines, she continues her medical care in VA facilities. A member of the Alteryx Force team, Ragazzino loves competition. She participates in a number of athletic events and activities that challenge her to reach the highest levels of her abilities through adaptive sports.

Colorado Springs, CO resident Scott Doyle is participating as a member of the Fire Strategies team. A hereditary bone disease kept Doyle confined to inside activities during most of his childhood. However, 18 months of medical treatment helped his bone grow back almost completely. A ten year veteran of the Army, Doyle had tours of duty in Bosnia and in Iraq. Following his return home, Doyle was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. “I have had a lot of good friends return from Afghanistan and Iraq with lots of disabilities,” Doyle said of his participation in the Challenge. “This was outdoors and something I could do.”

Learn more about the backgrounds of selected participants of the 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge online. Explore the 2012 Adventure TEAM Challenge web page. Visit the Adventure TEAM Challenge page from Alteryx, presenting sponsor for the 2012 Challenge.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

MeadWestvaco Joins as 2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride Sponsor

Richard Rhinehart — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:03:32 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 15, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that MeadWestvaco (MWV), one of the world’s leading packaging solutions corporations, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from our nation’s military.

MWV is providing financial support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“Support from an organization like MWV means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended,” said Tyler.

“One of MWV’s core responsibilities is to support communities where we live and operate – it’s easy to carry out this commitment with great organizations and events like these,” shared Ned Massee, vice president, Corporate Affairs. “We are proud to support the Sea to Shining Sea ride and look forward to welcoming the riders back to Richmond.”

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website.

About MeadWestvaco Corporation
MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, home and garden, and tobacco industries. The company’s businesses also include Specialty Chemicals, and the Community Development and Land Management Group, which sustainably manages the company’s land holdings to support its operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 15,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. For more information, please visit our website.

Disabled Veterans Undertaking Epic Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Journey This Month

Richard Rhinehart — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:47:33 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 14, 2012: Wounded warrior participants of World T.E.A.M. Sports’ 2012 Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride begin this month an inspiring two-month journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, passing through 13 states and the District of Columbia.

Sponsored by State Farm, the ride begins May 28 near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA. From the Pacific Ocean, the riders will pass through cities large and small and stunning rural landscapes ranging from red-hued sandy deserts to snow-capped high mountains to thick woodlands to lush fields of wheat. With eleven days of rest over 65 days of the ride, the disabled veterans will see seven days of 100 or more miles, including one day of 125 miles in western Kansas. The most difficult day of all, however, may be the ride from Vail, CO to Denver on June 20, where the riders will cross two mountain passes, including the 11,990-foot Loveland Pass, nearly 700 feet higher than the high point of the inaugural Sea to Shining Sea ride in 2010.

Colorado's Loveland Pass west of Denver across the Continental Divide will provide a challenge for the wounded warriors. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

The 2012 ride will follow much the same route as the first ride. Riding from San Francisco around the Bay, the riders will pass through northern California, across the Sierra Mountains to the desert ranges of Nevada, along the “Loneliest Highway.” Entering Utah, the team will head northeast to Salt Lake City and Park City. From the mountain resort in the Wasatch Mountains, the riders head east into northwestern Colorado, joining the Colorado River valley at Rifle.

From Rifle, the team rides east along the Colorado and Eagle Rivers to Vail, where the team faces its first pass of the Rocky Mountains, Vail Pass. Up and over the pass, the team will descend, only to climb more sharply to the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. From the Divide, the team descends to Denver, where a day of rest allows recovery from the ascent of two passes.

Leaving Denver, the team rides south along the foothills to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and then follows the Arkansas River valley the east, into Kansas. Crossing southern Kansas, the riders enter Missouri in its southwestern corner. The team will head northeast across the state to Saint Louis, where they will spend the Independence Day holiday.

After a two-day rest in Saint Louis, the riders head east through the green farmlands of southern Illinois and southern Indiana. Arriving in Cincinnati for a day of rest, the team then will head northeast to Pittsburgh. Following a day of rest in the Steel City, the riders then head east through southern Pennsylvania and western Maryland, arriving at the national capitol on July 21.

Following a day of rest, the riders head south to historic Richmond, VA and another day of rest and festivities. The team then heads east through Williamsburg to the ride’s conclusion at Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean July 28.

Team members in western Maryland will enjoy gentle, rolling hills and low traffic. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

Along the route, numerous communities, organizations and official Sea to Shining Sea sponsors will provide special events, meals, and receptions, welcoming and honoring the participating wounded warriors. The public is invited to take part in the celebrations of this inspiring ride by meeting the riders as they pass through their communities. This year’s ride features live tracking of the team as they make their journey using GPS coverage provided by My Athlete.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY Mellon, General Electric, GM FCO, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.
For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website at http://s2ssbikeride.org/.

Learn more about the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride online at the official event website.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

Full Schedule for the 2012 Ride

May 28, 2012: San Francisco, CA to Petaluma, CA
May 29: Petaluma, CA to Fairfield, CA
May 30: Fairfield, CA to Ione/Jackson, CA
May 31: Ione/Jackson, CA to Kirkwood, CA
June 1: Kirkwood, CA to South Lake Tahoe, CA
June 2: Rest Day

Through the deserts of Nevada and Utah, team members will see abandoned structures, including abandoned stage stops. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

June 3: South Lake Tahoe, CA to Carson City, NV
June 4: Carson City, NV to Fallon, NV
June 5: Fallon, NV to Austin, NV
June 6: Austin, NV to Eureka, NV
June 7: Eureka, NV to Ely, NV
June 8: Rest Day
June 9: Ely, NV to Baker, NV
June 10: Baker, NV to Delta, UT
June 11: Delta, UT to Payson, UT
June 12: Payson, UT to Salt Lake City, UT
June 13: Rest Day
June 14: Salt Lake City, UT to Park City, UT
June 15: Park City, UT to Roosevelt, UT
June 16: Roosevelt, UT to Rangely, CO
June 17: Rangely, CO to Meeker, CO
June 18: Meeker, CO to Glenwood Springs, CO
June 19: Glenwood Springs, CO to Vail, CO
June 20: Vail, CO to Denver, CO
June 21: Rest Day
June 22: Denver, CO to Colorado Springs, CO
June 23: Colorado Springs, CO to Pueblo, CO
June 24: Pueblo, CO to Las Animas, CO
June 25: Las Animas, CO to Syracuse, KS
June 26: Syracuse, KS to Dodge City, KS
June 27: Rest Day

Veterans such as Andrew Jansen will be making the cross-country journey. Photograph courtesy Andrew Jansen.

June 28: Dodge City, KS to Hutchinson, KS
June 29: Hutchinson, KS to Emporia, KS
June 30: Emporia, KS to Ottawa, KS
July 1: Ottawa, KS to Holden, MO
July 2: Holden, MO to California, MO
July 3: California, MO to Washington, MO
July 4: Washington, MO to St. Louis, MO
July 5-6: Rest Days
July 7: St. Louis, MO to Salem, IL
July 8: Salem, IL to Olney, IL
July 9: Olney, IL to Loogootee, IN
July 10: Loogootee, IN to Seymour, IN
July 11: Seymour, IN to Cincinnati, OH
July 12: Rest Day
July 13: Cincinnati, OH to Circleville, OH
July 14: Circleville, OH to New Concord, OH
July 15: New Concord, OH to Steubenville, OH/Weirton, WV
July 16: Steubenville, OH/Weirton, WV to Pittsburgh, PA
July 17: Rest Day
July 18: Pittsburgh, PA to Somerset, PA
July 19: Somerset, PA to Breezewood, PA
July 20: Breezewood, PA to Emmitsburg, MD
July 21: Emmitsburg, MD to Washington, D.C.
July 22: Rest Day
July 23: Washington, D.C. to Fredricksburg, VA
July 24: Fredricksburg, VA to Richmond, VA
July 25: Rest Day
July 26: Richmond, VA to Williamsburg VA
July 27: Williamsburg, VA to Chesapeake, VA
July 28: Chesapeake, VA to Virginia Beach, VA

Note: Route is subject to change. Download a PDF format ride schedule, including approximate mileage per day.

2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride Welcomes American Portfolios as a Sponsor

Richard Rhinehart — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:57:19 +0000

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 14, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports (WTS) CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that leading financial services company and independent broker/dealer American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

“We’re honored that American Portfolios chose to support our effort to recognize the rider for both their sacrifice and resiliency,” said Tyler. “Their support means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended.”

American Portfolios is providing financial support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

Said APFS CEO and WTS board member Lon T. Dolber, “One of the core values at APFS—in addition to nurturing the futures of our employees, propelling the businesses of our affiliated financial professionals located nationwide and providing value to our shareholders—is giving back to the communities in which we live and serve and creating relationships with those who do the same. We have supported World T.E.A.M. Sports for over five years and have been humbled and inspired during our participation in more than a dozen WTS sponsored sporting events in team partnership with this extraordinary community of people from all backgrounds with disabilities.”

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY Mellon, General Electric, GM FCO, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official 2012 ride website.

About American Portfolios

Headquartered in Holbrook, NY, APFS is a full-service independent broker/dealer and member firm of FINRA and SIPC, offering a complete range of financial services, including personal financial and retirement planning, securities trading, mutual funds, access to investment research, long-term care planning, insurance products and tax-free investing. Fee-based asset management is offered through its sister subsidiary, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., (APA), an SEC registered investment advisor. Both entities, along with technology division American Outsources, LLC (AO) collectively reside under the legal entity, American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. Full-service securities brokerage is available through a clearing firm relationship with Pershing, LLC, a BNY Mellon firm, the securities of which are held on a fully disclosed basis. The company currently serves more than 786 independent investment professionals located in 362 branch locations throughout the nation.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports