A half-hour television program about the 2003 International Tour de Toona has won the prestigious Telly Award, the cable television indutry’s equivalent of an Emmy.
NorthBridge Productions’ program on the tour, that aired in 2003 on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) followed the event, garnered the honor in the live eveny category, according to officials of the Boca Raton, FL. production company. The show chroicled the entire seven days of the hemisphere’s largest stage race, judged by many experts to be one of the world’s top women’s cycling events.
“The International Tour de Toona is thrilled to have been the subject of an award-winning production. On behalf of the thousands of sponsors and volunteers that make our community-based race possible, I extend hearty congratulations and an invitation to come back every year,” said tpur promoter Rick Geist. “The powerful combination of NorthBridge Communications, OLN and Altantic Broadband, enabled us to tell the story of the hemisphere’s largest stage race to a national audience.”
NorthBridge’s president and executive producer Ron Secreto told the Boca Raton News that the program stood out because of its production quaility, which combined the excitement of a bike race and travel aspects of the small town in central Pennsylvania through which the tour passes.
“You were so a part of the cycling race,” NorthBridge’s executive vice-president of programming, Carolyn Pace told the Florida newspaper about the proram and the experience it offers. “Witnessing real people pushing themselves through 10 days of biking and more than 456 miles is an experience.”
“The interest in cycling continues to grow at a fantastic rate,” explained Geist. “Most surveys show it is one of the top two or three areas of sports interest, and it continues to attract interest from people who enjoy high levels of personal and professional achievement and higher than normal income levels.”
The Outdoor Life Network plans coverage of the 2004 edition of the International Tour de Toona that will air on Atlantic Broadband, according to David Dane, vice-president and general manager. Dane is also a member of the International Tour de Toona’s steering committee. Production and broadcast details are still being worked out, Dane aded.
Dane also added his congratulations to the production company, to OLN and to the race. “Atlantic Broadband is very pleased that an event in our area was part of programming that won this worldwide recognition, and that we were able to provide our hundreds of thousands of local viewers with the opportunity to view it,” he said. “We’re also very pleased that OLN has chosen to continue with programming about the International Tour de Toona’s 2004 edition.
“If individuals and businesses haven’t become affilaited with the International, it’s very easy for them to do so,” Geist added. “Call 949-RACE or visit our website http/www.turdetoona.com for more information.
