http:// 2013-02-12T03:29:57Z 2013-02-12T03:29:57Z get-ready-runners-australian-running-festival-entries-are-open

Runners of all abilities can stick to their New Year’s fitness resolutions and sign up for the Australian Running Festival, taking place in nine weeks time on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, 2013. Featuring Australia’s oldest marathon, The Canberra Times Canberra Marathon, this ultimate running weekend also features an Ultra Marathon and Half Marathon, as well as 10km and 5km fun runs.The popular, family friendly event, invites participants of all abilities, including serious runners, joggers, wheelchairs, pushers and walkers, to take part. In 2012, 5,000 participants took part, and this year, many more are expected to travel from all over Australia to join in the event. Entrants are encouraged to raise much needed funds for more than 195 charities, including partner charity Heart Foundation ACT - with the fundraising target set this year at $150,000. Heart Foundation CEO Tony Stubbs urges people to help the Heart Foundation ACT raise $50,000 towards Warning Signs, a campaign designed to help Australians better identify, know and respond to the signs of a heart attack and call triple zero quickly.  “We need as many as possible to enter the event and set up a fundraising page or if they can’t make the event, donate to the fundraising page of someone who is,” said Stubbs.The adidas 10km dash and fun run, and adidas 5km fun run - Saturday April 13 The Saturday events are divided into two waves of competitors, the 10km dash and the 10km and 5km fun runs.The dash will see entrants compete to finish the 10km course in less than 50 minutes. The course loops through Canberra, beginning on Telopea Park West. The adidas 10km dash begins at 8:30am, the 10km fun run at 9.45am and the 5km fun run kicks off at midday.The Canberra Times Canberra Marathon, Ultra Marathon (50km) and Half Marathon (21.1km) - Sunday April 14The Marathon and Half Marathon weave through Canberra taking in all the iconic landmarks of Australia’s capital. The 10km loop takes entrants through the Parliamentary Triangle, followed by a doubled stretch along the southern and then northern shores of Lake Burley Griffin – from Bowen Park to near the Glenloch interchange. Participants will then cross Kings Avenue Bridge on the outwards journey and Commonwealth Avenue Bridge on the return journey.The Australian Running Festival offers marathon finishers the chance to go ‘beyond the marathon’. After finishing the 42 km marathon course (within 5 hours), runners are eligible to go on to complete in an exciting bonus event – the challenging 50km Ultra Marathon.  All events on Sunday April 14 begin at 7am sharp.Fairfax Events, Acting Race Director, Sarah Young said: “The Australian Running Festival encourages running enthusiasts from all over Australia to make their way to Canberra for a fulfilling weekend of running! “This year we are expecting 7,000 entrants to take part over the weekend – and with the variety of distances available, there is something for all fitness levels.” Entries are now open for all the events, please visit www.runningfestival.com.au to register.  Early bird entries close on February 22.

2013-02-08T02:20:19Z corporate-team-entries-pour-in-for-v-adventure-race-fremantle

On 2nd June 2013, the V Adventure Race Fremantle will be contested in Fremantle, WA. The race will fall under the auspices of Triathlon Western Australia, but it is actually a race with 5 different legs. The first will be an ocean swim of 1 km, followed by a Cyclo-Cross Ride of 18 km, and a Trail Run of 4.5 km. Moving it past triathlon status, the V Adventure Race Fremantle will end with an Ocean Paddle of 8 km, followed by the Coast/Port run of 9 km.If there were such a word, the V Adventure Race would qualify as a “Quintathlon,” or at least a “Quadathlon.” Though the race will attract athletes from all over the world, many Australians will be more interested in the team races. In the team races, teams have five members who each participate in one leg of the race. Large corporations, small to mid-size businesses, amateur track teams, and even groups of friends get together and enter teams in the V Adventure Race.Most companies find the race to be a great morale builder for the employees involved, and it often gives employees and management from different departments a chance to work together as a team outside of the office. Any business, from small to large, finds entry into races like the one in Fremantle to have a lot of intangible benefits for their workplaces.Team entries are a source of pride for those who enter and complete the race, and this pride is carried over into the workplace. Companies also see an opportunity to take the benefits a step further by providing the participants with singlets or uniforms with the company’s name and/or logo.Anyone who finishes any kind of race always feels a sense of accomplishment. When an employee has a uniform with a company logo, that employee tends to link the positive experience of the race with his or her company’s name.When a company provides a uniform for a team race such as this one, everybody wins. The racers get a uniform that makes the race even more special to them. The company gets a boost in morale, and brand recognition as the participants wear the uniforms not only in the race, but in practice leading up to the race, and in recreational participation afterwards.Races like the V Adventure Race Fremantle can also help participants develop a stronger interest in physical fitness. This always provides benefits in the workplace, as many studies have shown fit employees to perform better under pressure and take less “sick days” than employees who are not physically fit.According to Jarrod Wojtowicz, Director of JP Promotions, a lot of companies outfit their employees in corporate uniforms: “The Fremantle race is a great time to build teamwork and camaraderie, and there is something about a sharp uniform with a team logo that encourages the competitors, and makes them feel even more part of the team.”Wojtowicz concluded, “We have a range of athletic uniforms, from singlets to full uniforms; they can be screen printed or embroidered with the company’s name, logo, or both. We recommend getting your order in soon, and watch the pride on your team’s faces when they see their uniforms for the first time.”JP Promotions supplies singlets, uniforms, workwear, corporate gifts, and other promotional products to businesses throughout the Perth area.For more information, call them at 08 9248 6300 or visit: http://www.jppromotions.com.au/

2013-02-07T14:39:47Z get-approved-finance-team-gets-colorful-for-charity

On 17th of February, 11 team members from Get Approved Finance will be taking on a 5 kilometre run with coloured powder being thrown at them the entire way – for charity. Get Approved Finance has sponsored a team of 11 gutsy employees to take part in The Color Run 5K Perth as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility program and on-going efforts to be involved with the community as a team. This sold out event, which has franchises all over the world, will have the “Get Approved Finance” Colour Team raising awareness for Celebrate Life Foundation whilst going through a spectacular 5 kilometres of coloured powder and sweat.  The funds raised will be used by Celebrate Life Foundation for research and community programs that seek to prevent specific health conditions. Their major beneficiary for this event is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, who is looking to help the prevention of Type 1 Diabetes in Australia – a condition that sees nearly two thousand new cases reported each year. “The Color Run is definitely something different.” Said Patricia Neo, a participant and employee of Get Approved Finance. “It represents a lot of what we believe in…bringing everyone together to celebrate a healthy lifestyle, helping educate the public and raising funds for a worthy cause. I’m really excited about participating in an event this incredible.” Get Approved specializes in providing affordable and hassle-free finance. To find out more, just visit www.getapproved.com.au.  A firm believer in giving back to the community, Get Approved Finance has also made contributions to other charities such as the Parkinson’s Unity Walk and the 3rd Annual ‘A Very Bright Night’ by Anglicare WA. For further information, please contact Jasmin Chiellini from Get Approved Finance on 08 9223 9011 or at jasmin@getapproved.com.au

2012-08-28T02:43:21Z hurdling-internet-sensation-michelle-jenneke-press-conference-tomorrow

Michelle Jenneke, who recently became an internet sensation after footage of her pre-race warm-up dancing went viral, has signed with sports management company Six Sides Management Group. Nineteen-year-old Jenneke’s unique warm-up routine was captured at a 100 metres hurdles heat at the 2012 Junior World Championships in Barcelona, with one version of the video amassing more than 17 million views on YouTube. The footage has since been broadcast on media outlets worldwide. Damian Triffitt, the Managing Director of Six Sides Management Group, states, “Not only has Michelle achieved a level of media exposure most athletes can only dream about, she has the athletic skills to back up this global attention. Michelle also has this amazing personality that is bubbly, endearing and generous. She really is a sponsor’s dream.” Jenneke and Six Sides Management Group will hold a press conference at 11am on Wednesday 29 August, where Jenneke’s personal and athletic career plans for the next 12 months will be revealed. The press conference will be held at: Blu Bar, Level 36, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000 ABOUT MICHELLE JENNEKE Michelle Jenneke was born 23 June 1993 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Jenneke trains at the Cherrybrook Athletics Club in the 100 metres hurdles and sprint events. Career highlights so far include winning a Silver medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and coming third in the 100 metres hurdles at the 2011 Australian Open Track & Field Championships. In the 100 metres hurdles, Jenneke is the reigning NSW Open Champion and current Australian Junior Champion. ABOUT SIX SIDES MANAGEMENT GROUP Six Sides Management Group is a sports management company that specialises in brand engagement, sponsorships, events, marketing and public relations. Its client list includes Gold-medal winning Olympians and international cricketing superstars. Six Sides Management Group’s deal negotiation skills, corporate associations, marketing expertise and international sporting connections make it a unique entity in the world of sports management. For further media information, please contact:Damian Triffitt Six Sides Management Group Suite 808, 147 Pirie StreetAdelaide SA 5000AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 8 8223 6664 Mob: +61 410 512 575 Email: damian@ssmg.com.auWeb: http://www.ssmg.com.au

2012-07-18T23:56:40Z olympic-athletes-not-immune-to-disengagement

19 July 2012, Sydney: Just over a week out from the 2012 London Olympics, engagement specialists RedBalloon For Corporate share some insights around some of Australia’s most well-known disengaged and misbehaving Olympians, and where they and their employers went wrong.Pippa SavageDetails: Australian rower Pippa Savage was dumped from the women's quad sculls boat in June – two months out from the London Olympics – after continued personality clashes with her crewmates. In her campaign to be chosen in the single scull rather than a crew for the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Savage provided a psychiatric assessment, which claimed her personality was far more suited to rowing alone than with teammates, yet she was still selected in a team event.Employer: Rowing AustraliaStatus: Has been left out of Australia's 46-strong Olympic rowing team but will remain a non-travelling reserve in case of injuryEmployer’s failure: Ignoring expert advice that deemed Savage unsuitable for team events, and better suited to individual pursuits Lesson: Play to people’s strengths – there’s no point forcing a round peg into a square holeNick D’arcyDetails: Nick Darcy is a promising 24-year-old butterfly swimmer, whose career has been plagued by controversy. D’arcy has been in the headlines a number of times for all the wrong reasons – most notably after an alcohol-fuelled incident where he king hit team mate and fellow swimmer Simon Cowley in a bar in 2008. Most recently he gained more negative media attention after a photo of him and swimming teammate Kenrick Monk brandishing guns while on a trip to the US was posted to Facebook. Employer: The Australian Olympic Swim TeamStatus: Swimming for gold in the 200m butterfly in LondonEmployer’s failure: Employers must provide guidance – particularly for young employees – around reputation management and how to properly represent your organisation, particularly in circumstances that involve alcohol consumption and the proper use of social media. D’arcy has announced a self-imposed social-media ban in the lead-up to the Games, on top of an Australian Olympic Committee-imposed ban for the entire Games period.Lesson: Social media is a powerful tool in making and breaking reputations – both for individuals and brands. Employers need to ensure they have policies in place around alcohol consumption at organised events, and how employees present themselves and represent the organisation through social media channelsSally Robbins (aka Lay-Down Sally)Details: Sally Robbins represented Australia in the women's four event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the women's eight event at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She was involved in an incident in Athens when she stopped rowing during the final part of the race, appearing to have succumbed to exhaustion. She was heavily criticised and publicly ridiculed for this incident, being dubbed “Lay-Down Sally. Robbins was accused of mental weakness and The Daily Telegraph reported: "In a team sport such as rowing what she did was unforgivable. It appears Robbins committed the greatest crime there is in honest sport: she quit.”Former Employer: Rowing AustraliaStatus: Seeking a career as a cyclistEmployer’s failure: Not being aware of the mental and physical strain that was placed upon the employee, and the effect this was having on her performance.Lesson: Employers need to be aware of the mental and physical state of their employees, and take steps to remedy any problems before they become a performance issue. If someone is showing signs of exhaustion or fatigue, it needs to be dealt with, particularly in an industry where their physical health and fitness is so fundamental to their performance.John SteffensenDetails: John was left out of the individual 400m Olympic team in place of 19-year-old runner Steve Solomon, despite beating the young up and comer at a the Olympic trials in Melbourne earlier this year. He was notified of the decision via an email. South African-born Steffensen still secured a place in the 4x400m relay, but spoke out about his disappointment in being overlooked for the individual race, labelling the decision as racially motivated. Employer: Australian Track and Field Olympic TeamStatus: Steffensen is still undecided about whether he will attend the games as a 4x400m relay, or boycott as a protest to the decision. Employer’s failure: Not communicating the grounds of their decision effectively or in a personal manner. A phone call and a conversation around how the decision was reached could have avoided this outcome. Lesson: "The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred." George Bernard Shaw. Employers have a responsibility to keep channels of communication open and effective. This is an example of poor communication and an “employee” feeling disengaged and frustrated with an outcome due to proper process being overlooked.Russell and Lauryn MarkDetails: Husband and wife Australian Olympic Shooters Russell and Lauryn Mark have attracted criticism for complaining about not sharing a room at the athlete’s village in London – male and female athlete sleeping quarters are separated at the village. Russell labelled the decision unfair and claimed that “hundreds of gay couples” would be able to share a room, and that they were being discriminated against for being heterosexual. The couple have been criticised for trying to get publicity ahead of the games, and to promote Lauryn’s recent Zoo Weekly magazine cover shoot.Employer: Australian Olympic Shooting TeamStatus: Rooming separately, but not happy about itEmployer’s failure: No failure here. It’s a mountain out of a mole-hillLesson: You can’t please everyone all of the time, but employers must always keep the majority interest as a priority, and offer alternative options to maintain harmony in the workplace. The couple has been given the option of paying for accommodation outside the village which they have declined.- ENDS -For more information please contact:Lauren Ashton, RedBalloon Communication Specialist – 02 8755 0034 / 0404 136 765 / lauren@redballoon.com.au Note to the editor: All comments can be attributed to RedBalloon For Corporate General Manager Matt GeraghtyAbout RedBalloonRedBalloon For Corporate provides exciting reward and recognition solutions, corporate gifts and sales incentives to ensure businesses keep their employees and customers motivated, rewarded and engaged. With a unique resource of over 2,500 amazing experiences in Australia and New Zealand RedBalloon specialises in creating attachments between employees and their employer. RedBalloon has also been awarded for its innovative employee engagement practices, named in the Best Places to Work by BRW Magazine three times, including a top ten ranking in 2009. Hewitt Associates have also awarded RedBalloon with an engagement score of over 90 per cent four years in a row. The average engagement score in Australian businesses is 55 per cent.

2012-04-30T07:03:00Z six-sides-management-group-are-going-for-gold-in-london

Six Sides Management Group (SSMG) is aiming for a podium finish this year as a top performer in the Sports Management industry. The ‘shrewd pairing’ of local management and advertising identities, Damian Triffitt and Luke Tregloan, has turned into an extremely successful partnership. One that is, in fact, taking them to the London Olympics in July, after signing three Olympic athletes in the past month.“It feels like a rollercoaster, but it’s really been more of a steep climb,” laughs Damian. “All of our Olympians are genuine contenders for gold. It’s incredible - when we say we’ve signed talent, we really mean it!”Swimming sweethearts, Chris Wright and Melanie Schlanger, who partnered with SSMG in late March, are joined by Melissa Wu, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist diving champion from Sydney, who signed this week. The three form an ‘Olympic quartet’ with acclaimed local cycling champion, Rohan Dennis, who has been on board with SSMG since January this year.The rapid rise in clients (both sporting and corporate) influenced the pair’s decision to move their base from the cosmopolitan end of Rundle Street to the brand new Aurora building at 147 Pirie Street (Suite 808), Adelaide. Complete with a skydeck, pool, spa, sauna and gym, the new offices certainly make a statement about what SSMG is about and the business they do.“We are working hard at setting standards and building the foundations for long and successful relationships with our clients,” says Luke. “We’re incredibly excited about the prospects of our athletes, they have so much talent and are wonderful to work with. We really are loving what we’re doing, where we’re at, and especially where we’re going.”

2012-01-17T07:34:30Z challengers-flocking-to-australia-s-most-unique-triathlon

Registrations for one of Australia's most grueling triathlons -- the Cannington Dirt n Dust Triathlon in Julia Creek, Queensland -- are up by 15 per cent on the same time last year, it was announced today (January 18, 2012). The Triathlon is always a major draw card for the annual Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival and comprises an 800m swim across Eastern Creek, a 25km ride over an open outback road and a 5km run through the town. This year the victors will be well rewarded for their efforts with a share of $10,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. Dirt n Dust organiser Margie Ryder said the inundation of registrations so early in the year is a good sign of things to come. "The triathlon, now in its 18th year, is well known in running circles as one of the country's most unique triathlon events," said Mrs Ryder. "Many competitors find themselves hooked after their first Dirt n Dust triathlon returning time and time again, however, this is the first time we’ve had so much interest so far out from the event. "It seems word is spreading about the great show Outback Queensland puts on and we have people from across Queensland, interstate and overseas all vying to step up to the plate and have a go," Mrs Ryder said. Townsville triathlon Max Fegan, who's competed in all but one Dirt n Dust triathlon, said it's been great to watch the event grow steadily since 1994. "In the first year we had about 15 competitors turn up from Julia Creek and neighbouring towns," said Fegan. "Then competitor numbers doubled and tripled until we had about 300 people from all over the world race last year. "Now the Dirt n Dust Triathlon is one of those must-do events for a lot of triathletes -- you've got to tick it off at least once, because there's just nothing else like it," Fegan said. Three-time competitor and 2011 Dirt n Dust Triathlon winner, Sam Betten said the event is an exciting challenge. "The Dirt n Dust Tri is a true test of physical and mental stamina," said Betten. "There are no tree-lined avenues to run or calm coastal waters to swim in the outback – it really is just dirt and dust. "You start by diving into a muddy creek with a mix of serious competitors and people in wild costumes, spend 25km just riding into the horizon and finish running across searing bitumen. "It took me three years to walk away from Julia Creek with a win, so I’ll be hotly defending the title in 2012," Betten said. The Cannington Dirt n Dust Triathlon will take place on Saturday, April 21, 2012 and is open to serious competitors, corporate and social teams and individuals looking for a challenge. The Suncorp Agribusiness Junior Triathlon will also take place on Friday, April 20. People wishing to register can do so at www.dirtndust.com/triathlon. In addition to the Dirt n Dust Triathlon and Junior Triathlon, Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival offers three days of non-stop entertainment including a free concert featuring Country music artists Luke Dickens and Victoria Baillie; the Clean It NQ Dirt n Dust Bullride sanctioned by PBR; the BHP Artesian Express Horse Race; an exclusive Red Claw luncheon; the Australia’s Best Butt Competition; novelty events; and ongoing family entertainment. Click to Tweet.Click to Facebook.