What a Chase!
The inaugural Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase kicked off at Pan Pacific Singapore on Saturday 14 July. Below are some photos of the launch followed by the official press release.
For full results and gallery of pictures please click here.
Press Release
14 July 2007
For Immediate Release
The World’s Largest Urban Adventure Series Hits Singapore
14th July 2007, Singapore - Asia’s inaugural City Chase kicked off in Singapore at 1pm today, as participants in the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase raced across the island in a bid to be the winning team across the finishing line.
A total of 142 teams participated in the event, making this the biggest first City Chase race in any country since its inception.
Nick Jelinek, the founder of City Chase, feels that Singapore is the ideal location to hold Asia’s first ever City Chase. “As a vibrant, multicultural and cosmopolitan city, Singapore is a perfect example of what City Chase hopes to represent and exemplify,” he commented.
Participants had to travel on foot, use the bus or MRT to get to various ChasePoints around the island where they face challenges that tested their Mind, Body and Spirit. Few lucky participants also managed to hitch a ride in the Fast Forward vehicles provided by Avis, Asia’s leading car rental brand, if they got to a Fast Forward point at the right time.
Some ChasePoint activities such as tying a sarong and kicking a capteh in Arab Street, making a traditional Indian garland in Little India reflected Singapore’s rich multicultural heritage. Other ChasePoints such as abseiling, negotiating a mountain biking trail in Kent Ridge, tested participants’ physical and mental abilities. Some participants even braved digging in a container of worms to find matching mahjong tiles rather than choosing to move on to another ChasePoint. Participants need only complete 10 of the 12 ChasePoints on their clue sheet.
Traditionally, each race has a charity element. Participants in the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase were given a Teddy Bank from the Assisi Hospice at the flag off point and were encouraged to get members of the public to make token donations along the way. All proceeds went towards the Assisi Hospice’s Integrated Palliative Care Program for adults and children suffering from cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
This broad spectrum of activities is but one of the characteristics that sets the City Chase apart from other adventure races. Said Chris Robb, Managing Director of event organisers Sporting Spectrum, “We wanted to bring in an adventure race that Singaporeans would be intrigued by – not an easy task considering that most of us have it all. The City Chase has an international reputation of being a day of intense and exhilarating excitement that tests the boundaries of each of its participants, which makes it ideal for city dwellers such as us.”
According to Michael Schmitt, Director of Marketing at Pan Pacific Singapore, “Being the title sponsor of the inaugural City Chase conducted in Asia has truly been an honour and an experience. As a corporate organisation engaging with the community, this is one of our most significant sports sponsorship projects and based on the exploratory nature of the race, is particularly meaningful as a hospitality industry player.”
To capture the spirit and excitement of the World’s largest urban adventure series, Nat Geo Adventure will be filming parts of the race to be included in 4 one-hour TV programmes that will be televised worldwide after the World Championships in September.
The winners of Asia’s and Singapore’s first ever City Chase made it to the finishing line in 4 hours and 4 minutes. “We found the race very challenging but we had great help from friends. Finding locations was the hardest part. We used the MRT most of the time and our strategy was to go to the furthest ChasePoint first which was Kent Ridge, then make our way back” said one half Gaelic TaiGers, Taissa Matla. The Gaelic TaiGers are the first mixed team ever to make it to the World Championships.
Celebrity team Cynful Angels comprising Angel Teo and Cynthia Macquarrie came in 22nd position, ahead of other celebrity teams. “I never knew I could run so fast. If we hadn’t tagged team with the Aces (Liam Collins and Chris Whiting), we wouldn’t have been as motivated. The four of us stuck together all the way”, said Angel Teo. The vivacious pair came in 22nd overall.
After a day of unusual challenges and adrenaline-fueled activities, participants wound down to food and beer courtesy of title sponsor Pan Pacific Singapore and official premium beer Stella Artois, . “There’s no better way to end a day like this, than with an ice cold beer!” laughed Angel Teo, Gold90FM’s DJ.
Father and son team Gopala Krishnan and Ashwin Krishnan had tougher challenges to face as compared to the other teams, due to Ashwin’s autism. “I grossly underestimated my son today. He really pulled his weight when it counted. We enjoyed the race and made some friends along the way, especially while we were in the fast forward car,” said Mr Gopala Krishnan. They completed 8 out of the required 10 ChasePoints.
The winning team is off to Rome in to compete in the World Championships where from September 27 – 30, teams from Sydney, Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chicago and Canada will take part in an adventure of a lifetime.
For media information, contact:
Prisca Hoo
Senior Account Manager
Strategic Public Relations Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 6325 8270
About Sporting Spectrum
Sporting Spectrum is a premium Asia Pacific sporting event management company. Established in 1992, Sporting Spectrum has become a market leader in developing and managing events for both the corporate sector as well as the public domain. Sporting Spectrum delivers the annual JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Sydney and has delivered the event in Singapore for the past three years. Other services cover the full spectrum of golf days, major events, corporate sporting days and tailor-made team-building exercises for a variety of corporate clients
About Pan Pacific Singapore
Recognised as one of Singapore’s Top 10 Hotels and amongst the Top 50 Asian Hotels by Condé Nast Traveler, Pan Pacific Singapore has also been distinguished by World Travel Awards 2006 as Asia’s Leading Business Hotel. A choice accommodation option for travellers with 775 well-appointed rooms and suites in the heart of Marina Bay, immerse in 37 floors of luxury presenting magnificent views of the city skyline. With the tallest Atrium in South East Asia, the hotel is linked via skybridge to three large shopping malls including Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Meetings and banquet space span over 3,000 square meters while the chic Executive Centre on Level 22 boasts a selection of venues on a smaller scale fitted with technologically advanced audio and visual equipment, including state-of-the-art motorised screens and projectors. The hotel features wired/wireless high speed Internet access throughout, presenting the perfect convenience for business travellers.
A multitude of award-winning dining and entertainment options may be enjoyed within the hotel while the Wellness Village features leisure facilities including a gymnasium, spa, swimming pool and tennis courts.
For more information on the hotel, visit www.panpacific.com/Singapore
About Global Hotel Alliance
Global Hotel Alliance currently comprises 7 luxury brands encompassing 153 upscale and luxury hotels with over 46,000 rooms in 39 different countries. Each brand is a key player in their main region of operation: Kempinski in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Omni in North America, Pan Pacific in the Pacific Rim, The Leela Group in India, Dusit in Thailand, Landis in Taiwan and China, and Marco Polo in China and Hong Kong. GHA will continue to grow to include selected hotel brands in those regions not currently covered by the alliance.
www.globalhotelalliance.com
About Nat Geo Adventure
Bold, high impact and exciting, Nat Geo Adventure unleashes the spirited adventurer in all of us. Nat Geo Adventure chronicles the unfiltered experiences of young travellers whose journeys take them to the edge. Exhilarating stories and thrilling imagery fuels an audience eager to stretch their own limits and understand the real world beyond their borders. Nat Geo Adventure is available in more than 40 countries around the world including Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Israel, Africa and the Middle East.
Nat Geo Adventure is available on StarHub Digital Cable Channel 73. For more information, please call your local operator.
About Avis
Avis and its subsidiaries operate the world’s second largest general-use car rental brand providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at nearly 5,000 locations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Latin America / Caribbean region. In Asia, Avis is a leading provider of vehicle rental; vehicle leasing and limousine / chauffer drive services operating over 230 locations throughout a network of wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and licensing agreements in 19 markets. Avis opened its first operations in Asia in 1970 in Hong Kong. Throughout the 70s Avis grew steadily in the region, with operations launched in Singapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. More recent, developments have included openings in India in 1999 and China is 2003.
About Assisi Hospice
The Assisi Home and Hospice is a registered charity founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood Sisters. The Hospice cares for over 900 cancer patients last year with 414 live-in patients, 468 home-care patients and 42 adults under the day centre care programme. Within these premises is the Assisi Children’s Centre, a day-care facility for 34 children between 3 and 20 years.
The Hospice is highly dependent (70%) on public donations to run its operations. Patients are only charged a nominal fee or nothing at all. Last year, income from patients and Ministry of Health subsidy covered only 34% of expenses. Over 90% of adult patients were highly subsidised and almost all children were fully subsidised.
About Pacific Beverages
Pacific Beverages is a Singapore based organisation importing and distributing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that has come to epitomise the city’s growing appetite for flavours from all over the world.
With a portfolio of international premium brands including the hugely popular San Miguel® Beer alongside SOL®, Boddingtons®, Stella Artois®, Hoegaarden® and Leffe® the company, as the official agent and distributor for these brands, has established itself as a key player in Singapore’s rapidly growing and discerning imported beer sector.
Pacific Beverages is also consolidating its position in the premium non-alcoholic category by introducing the Appletiser® and Grapetiser® sparkling juice brands into the market. The company is also handling the on-premise distribution for the globally popular Red Bull® (Blue & Silver) energy drink.
The company prides itself on its excellent relationships with hundreds of Singapore’s finest F&B establishments across all sectors with a passion for excellence and service. With an overriding commitment to quality throughout its operations, Pacific Beverages offers its business partners in depth training and support allied to its truly unique product offerings.
For further information please visit www.pacbev.net
A TASTE OF THE CHASE AT OUB CENTRE!
Join us down at OUB Centre, Raffles Place on Wednesday 4 JULY for some Laughter, Discovery and Adventure!
Get a taste of what the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase has to offer and see our daring abseilers scale six floors down the OUB Centre.
Watch Celebrity Chaser, Emilee Kang (former Singapore Idol finalist) as she attempts to abseil in the middle of the CBD! You will also witness the daring inverted abseil stunts by the Ace Adventure team.
REGISTER for the Chase of a Lifetime between 10.30 - 2.30pm and win great prizes. You will also go into a draw to win a FREE TEAM ENTRY for your friends and colleagues.
Make your way down there and witness the World''s Largest Urban Adventure Series for the FIRST time in Singapore!
Media Launch
The official launch of the inaugural Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase was recently held at the Pan Pacific Singapore. Below are some photos of the launch followed by the official press release.
Press Release
10 May 2007, 12pm
The World’s Largest ‘Urban Adventure’ Race Series Comes to Singapore
10 May 2007, Singapore – City Chase, The world’s largest ‘Urban Adventure’ race series comes to Singapore on Saturday, 14 July 2007.
Started in 2004 in Vancouver, this part obstacle course and part scavenger hunt event, now held in all major Canadian cities, became the largest ‘Urban Adventure’ race series in the world just after two seasons.
Last year’s world championships in Chicago had teams from England, Australia and Canada slugging it out in an exciting and challenging 33 hour event that saw determined and competitive winners of the Sydney race; Ben Rattray and Andy Hill take the World City Chase title.
Competitors of the world championships swam in freezing Lake Michigan, swung on a flying trapeze, ate authentic deep dish pizzas, jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet, played golf at 4.00AM, completed a back yard makeover for Habitat for Humanity, canoed down a picturesque river for 22 kilometres before crossing the finish. In all they covered over 30km on foot as well as using the Chicago transport system.
This year sees many global cities such as Sydney, Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, London and Chicago on the schedule. Singapore is the fifth leg on the race calendar.
Coming to Asia for the first time, The City Chase is a unique urban adventure that requires participants to exhibit teamwork, resourcefulness, determination and showcase their ability to make decisions on the fly as they search for ChasePoints scattered in unknown locations throughout Singapore.
The Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase starts with teams of two receiving a clue sheet detailing a variety of physical, intellectual and humorous challenges, designed to push comfort zones. The challenges are designed to test Mind, Body and Spirit through a variety of mental and physical challenges.
Teams are free to chart their own course between ChasePoints and need complete only a certain number of the total amount of ChasePoints. Most of the physical demands of the event will be travelling between ChasePoints. To conquer this 4-6 hour urban event, two person teams will run, walk and use public transport to navigate their way around the city state, while calling family and friends for help, accessing the Internet, and even employing the assistance of total strangers.
While ChasePoints in the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase are being kept under wraps for now, the race organisers promise participants a slew of fun and challenging hurdles to be crossed at many iconic locations around Singapore.
Organiser, Sporting Spectrum Pte Ltd is delighted to have been awarded the Asian rights for City Chase. “We have a long standing relationship with Pan Pacific Singapore and are excited to partner with them to deliver the first ever Asian City Chase event. There is no doubt that Singapore will provide a spectacular backdrop for this fun and unique event that is clearly taking the world by storm as evidenced by its rapid global expansion in recent years. We’re also very happy to have Nat Geo Adventure on board as the official broadcaster in Singapore”, said Mr Chris Robb, Managing Director, Sporting Spectrum Pte Ltd.
“Based on our philosophy to engage with the community, Pan Pacific Singapore is committed to support this exciting event, the first on this scale in the city. As a hospitality provider, we hope that this event will promote a sense of good sportsmanship while showcasing the many facets of Singapore to the participants and audience”, said Michael Schmitt, Director of Marketing
The first team to cross the finishing line together with a valid race passport containing the official number of ChasePoints stamps wins a free trip to the World Championships held in a secret location on 27 – 30 September 2007.
Interested parties may log on to www.citychase.com to sign up. Registration costs $150 per team.
About Sporting Spectrum
Sporting Spectrum is a premium Asia Pacific sporting event management company. Established in 1992, Sporting Spectrum has become a market leader in developing and managing events for both the corporate sector as well as the public domain. Sporting Spectrum delivers the annual JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Sydney and has delivered the event in Singapore for the past three years. Other services cover the full spectrum of golf days, major events, corporate sporting days and tailor-made team-building exercises for a variety of corporate clients
About Pan Pacific Singapore
Recognised as one of Singapore’s Top 10 Hotels and amongst the Top 50 Asian Hotels by Condé Nast Traveler, Pan Pacific Singapore has also been distinguished by World Travel Awards 2006 as Asia’s Leading Business Hotel. A choice accommodation option for travellers with 775 well-appointed rooms and suites in the heart of Marina Bay, immerse in 37 floors of luxury presenting magnificent views of the city skyline. With the tallest Atrium in South East Asia, the hotel is linked via skybridge to three large shopping malls including Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Meetings and banquet space span over 3,000 square meters while the chic Executive Centre on Level 22 boasts a selection of venues on a smaller scale fitted with technologically advanced audio and visual equipment, including state-of-the-art motorised screens and projectors. The hotel features wired/wireless high speed Internet access throughout, presenting the perfect convenience for business travellers.
A multitude of award-winning dining and entertainment options may be enjoyed within the hotel while the Wellness Village features leisure facilities including a gymnasium, spa, swimming pool and tennis courts.
For more information on the hotel, visit www.panpacific.com/Singapore
About Global Hotel Alliance
Global Hotel Alliance currently comprises 7 luxury brands encompassing 153 upscale and luxury hotels with over 46,000 rooms in 39 different countries. Each brand is a key player in their main region of operation: Kempinski in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Omni in North America, Pan Pacific in the Pacific Rim, The Leela Group in India, Dusit in Thailand, Landis in Taiwan and China, and Marco Polo in China and Hong Kong. GHA will continue to grow to include selected hotel brands in those regions not currently covered by the alliance.
www.globalhotelalliance.com
About Nat Geo Adventure
Bold, high impact and exciting, Nat Geo Adventure unleashes the spirited adventurer in all of us. Nat Geo Adventure chronicles the unfiltered experiences of young travellers whose journeys take them to the edge. Exhilarating stories and thrilling imagery fuels an audience eager to stretch their own limits and understand the real world beyond their borders. Nat Geo Adventure is available in more than 40 countries around the world including Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Israel, Africa and the Middle East.
Nat Geo Adventure is available on StarHub Digital Cable Channel 73. For more information, please call your local operator.
Contact
If you have questions about the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase that has not been answered in the FAQs, ask singapore@citychase.com.
If your company/organisation wishes to be a partner of the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase, email lyn@citychase.com.
If you wish to be a part of the Pan Pacific Singapore City Chase, but for some very good reason are not able to compete or you do not have the resources to sponsor, email singapore@citychase.com to be a volunteer!
If you wish to speak to the one of our City Gurus, call us at +65 6733 0392.
