January, 2023
The SURGE Sentinel
OUR MONTHLY PUBLICATION WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST NEWS, OFFERS, AND INFORMATION FROM SURGE AND OUR PARTNERS.
WHAT'S NEW
AROUND THE BAY ROAD RACE 2023
SURGE Activewear is excited to be the official merchandise supplier of the 2023 Around the Bay Road Race! This incredible event hosted annually in Hamilton, ON is in it’s 129th year, making it the oldest of its kind in North America. ATB offers a unique 30km route, a 5km race, and relay options as well.
Register now to receive your Around the Bay technical shirt provided by SURGE, and check out the ATB Event Store on our site to purchase your exclusive merchandise.
BRIGHT SPOTS
We would love to share the great things our partners and friends have accomplished recently!
Want your team or event's highlights to appear in a future issue? Send us a message at info@SurgeActivewear.com or share with us on Instagram to be featured!
JANUARY'S FEATURED PRODUCT
SURGE CLUB SINGLET
Teams and clubs have been noticing that good quality, well-priced singlets are increasingly difficult to get their hands on over the past few years as many local suppliers have not been able to stock these products. At SURGE we recognize the importance of this essential garment for runners as well as other athletes and are pleased to be able to offer a great solution.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
SOMERSAULT RACE SERIES
SURGE Activewear is thrilled to have had the ongoing opportunity to work with Somersault Race Series, proudly providing participant gear, merchandise, and teamwear for their many events and athletes over the past two years.
We were pleased to be able to connect with Somersault’s Co-owner, Adam Kourakis, to gain some more insight into the organization from their perspective.
What inspired the creation of the Somersault race series?
AK: I (Adam) first came across Somersault when I was 14 years old. I did a local 5K run with my soccer team and really enjoyed the experience. I also ran a fast time for my age and was motivated to work on my running so that I could do better at the next event. Over the next 15 years I either volunteered or raced at every Somersault Event. Shortly after that, I opened my first bicycle shop, velofix Ottawa, and also became a series sponsor. After 5 years of sponsoring, volunteering, and racing, I had the opportunity to be a Race Director at Somersault before finally transitioning to owner. It's been a 20-year journey but Somersault has been a big part of my life, socially and professionally, for so long that I couldn't be happier to continue its legacy.
Tell us about some proud moments that come to mind in Somersault’s history and evolution.
AK: Shortly after purchasing the series, I was fortunate enough to hire my wife, Elizabeth, to work with me. She now handles our social media, partnerships, and athlete experience. She still finds the time to work at her previous job, as a nurse, but I love getting to work alongside my best friend and life partner.
The second thing that I'm most proud of is the sustainability that I've brought to Somersault. I bought the series in February of 2020, just 3 weeks before COVID shut us down for 2+ years. It was a really difficult time to take over the series but during that time, we found some great ways to make our events more fun than ever. Beyond the success that we've had with the athlete experience, we also achieved the status of Certified Carbon Neutral, and reduced our waste and carbon footprint by over 90%. Our series now how a formula that allows us to survive post-COVID, and do some great work for the environment, and local charities. All Somersault events now double as a fundraiser for a local charity.
Lastly, I'm proud to be growing the sport of triathlon and running. Somersault now runs the Meech Lake Triathlon, which is the oldest triathlon in Quebec. We've added new races to our calendar - some of which have new formats that you don't see in the region. We also co-organize the KTown Triathlon in Kingston to help develop the sport outside of Ottawa.
What would you like to see for the future of this series?
AK: I want to see Somersault offering the best events possible to the local community. I want to see Somersault evolve year-after-year so that new athletes join the sport and so that veterans have something fun, engaging, and challenging to look forward to.
What can athletes look forward to with Somersault in 2023?
AK: In 2023, we have 3 new events:
-Formula Run: our first ever relay event where teams of up to 4 runners have to come up with the best formula, so that their team can complete the most laps possible in 90 minutes.
-The Tulip Festival Run: An event where you can run or walk through closed road through the Canadian Tulip Festival. It's going to be our most scenic event yet.
-The Meech Lake Triathlon: While this event has been around for almost 4 decades, we're proud to keep the event alive. It's already on track to sell out but if you haven't done this race yet, it's a must-do.
Is there anything else in particular you want to share with our community about your organization?
AK: We hope that the people of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario will consider signing up for a Somersault Event in 2023, and that they'll bring a friend! Having an event in the calendar is a great way to stay motivated and by having everyone stay a little more active is good for all of us. We're trying a lot of new things at Somersault, so not only does your registration include great value, Carbon Neutrality, and a donation to a local charity, but it also allows us to peruse other innovations that we're dreaming up.
There are so many things that we want to do for the community, but we need to know that the running and multisport community are up for it and want to see the changes that we have in mind.
Somersault is a race series, based in Ontario, Canada, that specializes in multisport and running events. Somersault has been producing events for over 35 years and has grown to now host thousands of athletes each year. With key values including Safety, Community, Fun, and Inclusion, Somersault is able to provide opportunities for participation in fabulous events to a wide range of individuals with varying levels of ability and skill.
COMING UP...
Check out our Event Calendar to see what exciting events will be in your area, and where you can find SURGE in 2023!
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