TELLURIDE, Colo. (Aug. 29, 2002) - Coming off a successful inaugural event, promoters of the Telluride 360 Degree Adventure Festival Presented by Subaru are looking to enlarge and enhance the event for 2003.

"When you step up to the plate for a first-year event, you're lucky to get to first base," said Rick Sutton, president of GaleForce Sports Marketing. "In Telluride we hit a home run on our first pitch."

For next year, however, the GaleForce team wants to see more sports, more people and more prestige for the event.

Having had Tissot UCI World Cup status for the downhill events drew significant prestige this year. Going forward, Sutton confirmed he would seek full World Cup status for the cross-country events, too. Equally significant in the event's success were the inclusion of the Professional Climbing Association's bouldering events, fly fishing contests, trail runs, non-stop clinics, kid activities and a bustling expo.

Compared to his flagship event, the Sea Otter Classic, Sutton noted the Telluride 360 Degree proved much larger in its first year. While Telluride does not have the housing and camping resources found in Monterey, Calif., Sutton sees the event easily growing from its debut and attracting participants and spectators from throughout the west.

"Can it get as big as Sea Otter? No. That doesn't mean it can't get very big," said Sutton. "My objective is to build an event that is comfortable for the community. We need to strike a balance between the community's economic considerations and its lifestyle considerations."

The first edition saw a combined 13,000 people in Telluride and Mountain Village during the four-day multi-sport festival.

There are two key components to ensure the return of the Telluride 360 Degree: local support and sponsorship.

Already Mountain Village has put out the welcome mat with a series of discussions on how to grow and improve the 360 Degree for 2003. Principle of these is the Mountain Village taking the lead in hosting the event in the future.

"Please, come back," said Kathy Mahoney, town manager of Mountain Village, when asked about the event's status in this Rocky Mountain hamlet. "My guests, homeowners and staff had the time of their lives. It has been too quiet around here in the summer."

As for sponsorship, Sutton confirmed that Subaru's support had been a one-year deal. Subaru, however, was pleased with the first version of the event, noting it complimented their market objectives.

"Our commitment to the outdoors and the active lifestyle consumer is not just talk," said Beth Gardner, promotions manager for Subaru of America. "Subaru has a history of supporting a variety of outdoor events each year, allowing us to fully demonstrate how our all-wheel drive vehicles fit the lives of outdoor enthusiasts."

The Telluride 360 Degree Adventure Festival Presented by Subaru was held July 11-14. For more information visit www.telluride360.org.

Subaru of America is the presenting sponsor for the Telluride 360 Degree Adventure Festival. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., Subaru has nearly 600 dealers nationwide. In 1975, Subaru was among the first to introduce America to the all-wheel drive passenger car. Today, the Subaru product line includes Legacy, Impreza, Outback, Forester and Baja. Subaru has a long history of supporting active lifestyle enthusiasts and the organizations that are important to them. Together with its partners, Subaru hosts hundreds of outdoor events each year from coast to coast. This approach helps Subaru to learn more about its customers' interests, and enables Subaru to demonstrate how all-wheel drive can complement their active lifestyles. For more information on Subaru of America, visit www.Subaru.com.

GaleForce Sports Marketing is an expanding sports marketing and event management company based in Redwood City, 25 miles south of San Francisco. GaleForce has promoted, marketed and managed right across the sporting spectrum. Properties owned or managed by GaleForce include the Sea Otter Classic and the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series. For more about GaleForce, please visit www.galeforce.org.

— Posted by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Gear Editor