Dec 16-17, 2006 Angkor International Bike Race and Half-Marathon

Angkor International Bike Race and Half-Marathon to support child protection and land mine survivors in Cambodia

Join Village Focus International (http://www.villagefocus.org/) and Hearts of Gold at Angkor Wat in Cambodia on December 16-17 for an international Bike Race/Half-Marathon to benefit child protection and land mine victims!

Nearly 2000 participants from over 20 countries will converge in solidarity to bike and run through the “Angkor Wat” complex - one of the 7 wonders of the world. Today in Siem Reap, the town adjacent to the temples, nearly one million tourists have replaced the power outages and gunshot fire from the Khmer Rouge that were common just over a decade ago.

The 11th Annual Angkor Half-Marathon will take place on December 17. In addition to the 21 kilometer half-marathon, the event includes 5 and 10 km run-walk options as well as a 4 km family fun run, a 10 km race for participants with artificial legs, and a 21 km wheelchair race.

This year, Village Focus International is hosting the first ever Bike Race through the Angkor complex. The bike race will take place the day prior to the half-marathon, on December 16, with the option to complete a 45 or 82 km bike race. Quality bikes will be available for participants to rent.

Both events will take place at 6:30 am and be closed to vehicle traffic allowing participants the unique experience of seeing the Angkor temples in a quiet, personal way with local villagers cheering them on. Participants will receive a bike jersey, bottle and T-shirt and are invited to a number of fun activities and outings just before and after the race days.
See www.villagefocus.org/angkor_marathon/index.htm and
www.angkorwatmarathon.org/ for details and registration.

The events will benefit Hearts of Gold (www.hofg.org), a Japanese NGO that assists survivors of land mine explosions, and Village Focus International (www.villagefocus.org), an NGO with Cambodian, Lao and American leadership that works to empower children, women, indigenous groups and vulnerable communities. Both groups have extensive experience working in Cambodia and are excited to collaborate for this event. Bikers will act as ambassadors from their community by having friends sponsor their participation.

All proceeds made from the event will go to support child protection and land mine survivor projects in Cambodia. Village Focus currently oversees SMILE, an innovative project that creates opportunities for youth leaders to inform their peers and communities about HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, sex trafficking and other issues using performance and visual arts as education tools.

Anyone interested in participating or sponsoring the event should email Todd at todd@villagefocus.org or go online to register and seek more information.
www.villagefocus.org/angkor_marathon/index.htm.