Back to News Table of Contents.

 Fall Matchup Guaranteed to Tax Members of Both Parties

The fall battle between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches will be waged on a new course in Washington D.C.’s Anacostia Park. The SGMA Capital Challenge, a bi-partisan three-mile road race, has become one of the Capital’s most enduring sports traditions and each September hundreds of competitors show up for the invitational team event. The 21st running is scheduled for Wednesday, September 12 and will debut the new Anacostia Park riverfront, out and back, flat, fast course.

According to unnamed senior race officials, construction at the old site caused the move, but the new site is superior in many ways with better parking and more spectator friendly with the start and finish in the same area.

                      The event attracts over 700 runners and in the past teams have been captained by the likes of “almost President” Gore, Majority Leader Tom                           Daschle, Minority Whip Don Nickles, present and former Senate committee Chairs Bingaman, Lugar, Grassley, and many more                          members of Congress, political appointees, Federal Judges, as well as noted print and electronic team captains. Competition is limited                        to teams led by Senators, Representatives, Cabinet or Sub-Cabinet appointees, Agency Heads, Federal Judges, or TV, radio and print                            journalists. (Team captains must actually  complete the course for their team to count).

                                  The 2001 event will welcome many past participants from earlier eras of the Reagan and Bush White Houses, who have been ineligible                   for eight years. Senators Tim Hutchinson and Kay Bailey Hutchison as well as fastest man in Congress Bart Gordon will return to defend                       their division titles as will the winning Navy team. 

The race, which benefits the District of Columbia Special Olympics, has as title sponsor the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA). SGMA is the national trade association of over 2,000 manufacturers and national brand distributors of athletic clothing, footwear and sporting goods equipment. SGMA’s primary mission is to promote sports, recreation and fitness. This makes for a perfect fit for an event designed to highlight the fitness of many of the Capital’s busiest leaders and which tries to answer the question which branch of government is the fittest.

Supporting sponsors are Fannie Mae (the nation’s largest source of funding for home mortgages), Deer Park spring water, Roll Call newspaper and Running Times magazine. All entry fees, along with an additional contribution from the sponsors, go to D.C. Special Olympics.  

The SGMA Capital Challenge not only recognizes the swiftest participants with awards for the fastest Senator, Representative, Independent Agency Head, Sub-Cabinet Appointee, Federal Judge and journalist in male and female categories, but also rewards teams with the Best and Worst Names, Best Spirit and Most Legible Entry. There are also team awards in Senate, House, Executive Branch, Judicial and Media categories (both electronic and print).

Qualified teams may obtain entry forms and information from Jeff Darman, Director, SGMA Capital Challenge, 110 East State Street, Suite 15, Kennett Square, PA   19348   610.925.1976. Entries close August 31.

###