We've Done it Before, We'll Do it Again
World-class, backwoods and everything in-between.
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TD Beach to Beacon 10k Road Race
Founded in 1998 by Maine’s own Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist, Joan Benoit Samuelson. Joan dreamed of creating a race that brought runners to the roads where she has trained all her life. Each year the TD Charitable Foundation chooses a charity to benefit from a $30,000 donation.
- Nearly 6500 runners from around the U.S. and world.
- 800+ volunteers and thousands of spectators
- TD Beach to Beacon “promotes and celebrates health, fitness and giving back.”
Odyssey Casco Bay Island SwimRun
This endurance event, modeled after the international swimrun event ÖTILLÖ (“island to island” in Swedish), requires teams of two to be tethered throughout the running and swimming race. The Travis Mills Foundation is the official beneficiary organization and competitors may opt to run as a Travis Mills Foundation team.
- 450 Athletes
- 35 Volunteers
- 500 Spectators
Dempsey Challenge - The Road Ahead Together
The Dempsey Challenge is a run, walk, cycle two-day, non-competitive annual experience with every dollar going to support programs helping Maine residents facing cancer. The Dempsey Center was established by Patrick, Mary and Alicia Dempsey in response to their mother Amanda Dempsey who lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2014.
- Minimum of $1M raised each year for The Dempsey Center
- 1000 participants from Maine and beyond
Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon/Half Marathon/Relay
Founded in 1979, this Maine Track Club hosted event is one of the longest running marathon events in New England. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier, features rolling hills and views of the Portland skyline during peak fall foliage.
- Raised more than $5.2M for select Maine-based organizations since 1997
- 76% of waste diverted from landfills to more appropriate locations
Lobsterman Triathlon
Established in 2006, this race has become known as a premier destination triathlon acknowledged in many national publications for its beautiful MidCoast course, top-caliber competition and traditional lobster bake at the finish line.
- Named one of the Top 20 Triathlons in America by Men’s Health
- Fodor’s Travel Guides as one of the “7 Top Triathlons in Vacation-Worthy U.S. Destinations.”
Maine Pond Hockey Classic
Established in 2013, this event is a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Waterville, Waterville YMCA of Waterville and Alfond Youth Center, serving more than 5000 youth. 2019 included a team representing Scotland and now includes a polar bear dip which raised $20,000, a youth clinic (which Colby College hockey hosts), wellness lounge, slapshot competition and curling demo.
- This event has grown from 14 teams in 2013 to 84 teams in 2019
- The event raised more than $50,000 in 2020, their best year to date
Millinocket Marathon & Half Marathon
Runner’s World Magazine featured a story about this race, free to all registrants and supported strongly by community members who donate time and products – even logging trucks to mark the finish line! The organizers encourage all runners to tip generously while visiting this small northern mill town, struggling after the closure of the world’s largest paper manufacturer.
- The economic impact for Millinocket is an estimated $250,000 during race weekend
- Two nonprofit organizations receive an estimated $20,000 each year
- Participation has grown to over 2500 runners and walkers each year
The PBA Challenge at Bayside Bowl
In 2015, Bayside Bowl played host to the PBA Challenge Elias Cup, a large, first time event for Maine. Since then Tom Clark, PBA Commissioner, claims this is the bowlers’ favorite annual stop on the PBA tour with 450 fans packing the house.
- Sports Events, September 2018 edition, Destinations with Awesome Events award.
- Full Plates Full Potential is the charitable beneficiary of this event, a nonprofit organization working to end childhood hunger in Maine
Portland Kids Duathlon
These run-bike-run format races were created by a couple whose toddler watched as her parents trained for triathlons. Interest in this race is growing at an impressive pace with its mission to get children ages 3 through 12 engaged in cycling and running.
- The beneficiary of this race is the Foundation for Portland Public Schools
Tri for a Cure
Founded in 2008, the Maine Cancer Foundation’s Tri for a Cure has become the largest triathlon in the state with over 1300 participants competing each July in Maine’s only all-women’s triathlon. To date, this storied event has raised over $15M “every dollar of which has been reinvested into cancer prevention, early detection and access to care,” helping to reduce the rate of cancer in Maine, higher than the national average.
- Raised over $2M for the Maine Cancer Foundation in 2019
- Women from 16 to 81 years of age, 27 states and Canada competed in 2019
U.S. National Toboggan Championships
The U.S. National Toboggan Championships is the only organized wooden toboggan race in the country and possibly the world. Mixed teams, costumes, and possible rule bending make for a spirited one of a kind event. The toboggan chute is located in Camden, Maine, at the Camden Snow Bowl, a community-owned year-round recreation area which has developed thousands of dedicated skiers since 1936. All race revenue goes to off-setting the annual budget of Camden Snow Bowl.
- The event began in 1991, the current track is 400 feet long with 70 feet of vertical descent
- Toboggans consistently reach speeds of 40 mph
- 400 people compete with nearly 5000 spectators
Gran Fondo Hincapie - Bangor
The term “gran fondo,” which means “big ride” in Italian, refers to an increasingly popular type of long-distance amateur cycling event that focuses on both the
competitive and recreational experience. Gran Fondo Hincapie hosts 15, 50, and 80-mile rides, starting at the Bangor Waterfront Park. The 15-miler is a family-friendly ride and the longer rides are for cyclists who’ve trained for the event.
400-600 participants from 26 different states
80% of cyclists traveled at least 2 hours to participate