National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games, Madison
The U.S. Transplant Games are an inspiring four days of competition, with some 1,500 athletes participating, all of whom have received a life-saving organ transplant. The games are held every two years, each time in a new location, with the 2010 games to be hosted in Madison, thanks in part to a Ready, Set, Go! grant awarded to the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. While this athletic event calls attention to the success of organ and tissue transplantation, it is also a celebration of life among recipients, their families, and friends. In fact, sometimes this is the first time recipients and living donors meet. It’s organized much like the Olympics, with state teams represented in 14 different sports, from track and field to bowling. From July 29 to August 4, 2010, Madison expects to welcome some 7,500 spectators to venues around the city.
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Youth and Adult Taekwondo Championship, Madison
Intense competition, fun to watch - that best describes the atmosphere of the Taekwondo Championship held mid-summer 2008 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Over five days, some 2,500 athletes, from age eight on up, competed in a variety of events, including sparring competitions and synchronized forms. And along with the athletes, the city played host to 800 coaches and nearly 5,000 spectators, providing a nice return on investment for the Ready, Set, Go! grant award provided to the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. This competition is held every year, rotating to a new venue each time.
U.S. Curling Association Challenge Round, Eau Claire
At the end of January 2008, the Eau Claire Convention & Visitors Bureau had more on its mind than cabin fever. The community played host to the U.S. Curling Association’s Challenge Round, the last opportunity for teams to quality for the U.S. men’s national championships. The Challenge Round featured eight teams representing states from coast-to-coast, including one from Wisconsin. Curling is big in Eau Claire and the local club showed up in force to support the event. The teams themselves also had fans and families in tow. Because there were more games played per team than in past competitions that meant more time spent in the community and more hotel nights. The event was held at the Eau Claire County Expo Center where there’s a dedicated curling facility with four sheets of ice, spectator viewing area and heated club room. By the way, to prove this area is not just into chilly sports, they also hosted a regional fishing tournament in September 2007, also thanks to a Ready, Set, Go! grant.
NAIA National Cross-Country Championship, Kenosha
The Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, was successful in securing the two-year contract for the 2007 and 2008 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Cross-Country Championships, with dollars from a Ready, Set, Go! grant used to offset facility rental costs. The Kenosha community has a long history with cross country and a long-standing tradition of running great races. Coaches were excited to return to the Wayne Dannehl Course at UW-Parkside and the community was pleased to host the 137 schools and hundreds of athletes participating in this late fall event. Along with tallying winning times, the area also tallied nearly 1,400 room nights for hotels in Kenosha and Racine.