Media
Media Narratives
EUGENE 08: FESTIVAL & FEATURES
Contact: Rita Radostitz, Media Relations Liaison, Eugene 08, (541) 687-1989, mediarelations@eugene08.com.
Eugene 08 Festival Provides Access for All
Adjacent to Hayward Field, the Eugene 08 Festival will provide unprecedented public access for ticket and non-ticket holders alike. The Eugene 08 Festival will include a variety of interactive exhibits, live entertainment, food court, sports bar and a large video screen simulcasting Olympic Trials competition.
1980 Olympic Team Returns to Hayward Field
As the last athletes to compete for a place on the Olympic Team at Hayward Field, they were denied in their quest for the gold due to political strife. These Olympic Team members have been invited back as special guests of Eugene 08.
Sustainable, Green Trials: Raising the Bar
Committed to reaching a high standard of sustainability, Eugene 08 will use only renewable energy to power the Olympic Trials and Eugene 08 Festival. Proactive measures are being taken to provide shuttles and promote bicycling, and to reduce waste and encourage recycling and composting. Local food producers are being utilized for food service for athletes, guests and support staff.
Bach & Bowerman
Eugene’s Grammy-award winning Oregon Bach Festival, which runs concurrent with the Trials competition, will launch a special commissioned orchestral piece as a tribute to the area’s beloved track coach Bill Bowerman. An avid supporter of the arts, Bowerman was a founding member of this two-week internationally-acclaimed festival.
TRACK TOWN USA FOREVER: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
Contact: Rita Radostitz, Media Relations Liaison, Eugene 08, (541) 687-1989, mediarelations@eugene08.com.
Hayward Field: Yesterday and Today
Known as a mecca for track and field, historic Hayward Field has long been considered hallowed ground for track and field athletes and fans. Originally constructed in 1919, the venue most recently underwent $8 million in renovations making it the best track and field-only facility in the world.
Where Track’s Elite Live and Compete
In addition to National Champion athletes at the University of Oregon, the Oregon Track Club Elite and Team XO live and train here. Both teams are loaded with talented, elite athletes training to become the best track and field competitors in the nation. Many team members have qualified and will be among those competing for a spot on Team USA.
Legendary Bill Bowerman
As the University of Oregon track and field coach for more than two-decades, and U.S. track coach at the 1972 Olympic Games, Bill Bowerman coached dozens of champions, including famed distance runner Steve Prefontaine. A co-founder of Nike, with former student and athlete Phil Knight, Bowerman helped revolutionize the athletic shoe industry with his waffle iron-inspired shoe souls.
Steve Prefontaine Legacy
Local track legend Steve Prefontaine awed crowds for holding every American record between 2,000 and 10,000 meters in the mid-1970s. Prefontaine, who ran under the leadership of Bill Bowerman, was tragically killed in a car accident during the height of his fame. Today, Pre’s Trial, Pre’s Rock and the annual Prefontaine Classic, drawing elite competitors from around the world, serve as tributes to his local legacy.
Trail Tales: From the Restoration of Pre’s Trail to Riverbank Enhancements
Throughout the metro area, miles of trails offer diverse terrain for runners of all skill-levels—from the well-traveled, level pathways of Amazon Trail to the forested, hilltop paths of Ridgeline Trail. New mileage-markers and signage along the riverbank trails, and the completion of the seven-year Pre’s Trail Restoration Project are among recent examples of the community’s commitment to its running landscape and track and field heritage.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON: WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH, MUSEUMS AND SPORTS CULTURE
Julie Brown, Director of Media Relations, University of Oregon, (541) 346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu.
Excellence in Human Physiology Research
Home of the first department of physical education in the U.S., the University of Oregon has a deep history of fusing academic research and sport. The tradition continues today with cutting-edge research and environmental chamber laboratories used by professional athletes around the world. Major sports and athletic-related research includes MRI imaging with amputees, exploring the factors leading to loss of balance function in the older adult, and why some high performance athletes and women faint after physical exertion.
Two Campus Museums Celebrate the Olympic Trials
The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art are exploring the artistic aspects of the human body and history of footwear during two exhibits on display during the Trials. Excellence through sport will come to life in a photography display, while a hands-on, feet-in, multi-media exhibit on shoes will feature footwear by Neil Armstrong, the rock band KISS and 10,000-year-old moccasins.
Training Leaders in Sports Business
The University of Oregon is establishing a new education and research initiative focused on training current or aspiring university athletic directors in business and communication skills needed to lead a college athletics program. UO faculty members from the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center in the Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, the School of Journalism and Communication will conduct sports-related research projects, building a training ground for future leaders in sports.
TEAM EUGENE: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS & PROGRAMS
Contact: Jan Bohman, Community Relations Director, City of Eugene, (541) 682-5587, jan.l.bohman@ci.eugene.or.us.
Community Teamwork Helps Pull Trials Together
Eugene 08 is an exemplary and unprecedented collaboration by a network of track-world, public, private, corporate, and community volunteer participants who have come together to produce the event. Private and public entities, including local governments at all levels—State of Oregon, Lane County, and the cities of Springfield and Eugene—have stepped up with contributions of funds and services to support the collaborative effort.
Olympic Athletes Connect with Youth to Inspire the Next Generation
To inspire the next generation of athletes and fans, special programs will be held before, during and after the Olympic Trials. “I’m a Track Fan” will introduce youth to track and field, and encourage them to support athletes competing at the Trials. The “Personal Best: Youth Leadership & Track Camp,” plus a youth clinic and all-comers meets at Hayward Field, will provide direct involvement in the athletic action. A high energy, dynamic recreational space for youth, known as the “The Starting Block,” will also be featured in the Eugene 08 Festival.
Blacks on Track Team Works to Welcome Everyone
Community members are working to ensure that all athletes, their families and coaches, and all visitors from diverse cultures, or more urban areas, feel welcome and enjoy their time in Oregon.
World’s Greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors
Eugene has a rich and vibrant arts community that includes the internationally acclaimed Oregon Bach Festival, multiple music venues, and a downtown gallery district. Recreation opportunities abound in more than 100 parks and over 2,600 acres of open space and natural areas. Enjoy a nature hike in the nationally-acclaimed West Eugene Wetlands or a bike ride along the riverfront or a fun, family gathering at the award-winning RiverPlay Discovery Village playground.
DESTINATION: EUGENE & LANE COUNTY OREGON
Lisa Lawton, Director of Community Relations, Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon at (800) 547-5445, press@cvalco.org or go to www.visitlanecounty.org/media for details, images and assistance.
Activities & Attractions Outside the Ordinary
From the emerging sport of sand boarding to gondola-powered mountain biking, from the world’s largest sea lion cave to the most historic covered bridges in the West, unconventional activities and attractions abound in Lane County.
Eugene: Beyond the Track
Oregon's second largest metropolitan area is packed with a lively mix of arts and culture, scenic attractions, culinary offerings and passion for sports and recreation. Miles of designated running and bike paths, plentiful performing arts events and cultural festivals, bountiful wineries and restaurants, local organic farms and food producers, and the unlimited access to the great outdoors are among the area’s most treasured features.
Lane County’s Landscape: From the Coast to the Cascades
A short drive, yet a world away, are spectacular mountain peaks, miles of sandy beaches, old-growth forests, sparkling waterfalls, white water excursions, relaxing hot spring, hiking trails and hillside vineyards. Lane County offers endless exploration in true Northwest character. From Eugene’s centralized hub, a trip to the Oregon Coast or Cascade Mountain regions is just about an hour and 15 minutes away.
Springfield: Urban Wilderness & Sports
Springfield, through the work of the Willamalane Park and Recreation District, enjoys more than 600 acres of parks and open spaces, including the 250-acre Dorris Ranch, a spectacular natural habitat with a rare oak savannah and scenic trails along the Willamette River. For those who want to experience the thrill of the outdoors while still inside, Willamalane operates an indoor wave pool featuring 4-foot surf waves and a 136-foot water slide. For sports enthusiasts, Willamalane operates the only side-by-side artificial turf soccer fields in the area for local and regional tournament use.