Janus Charity Challenge tops $1,000,000

Record setting day at Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene

The Janus Charity Challenge has been recognized as one of the best fund raising programs, and at the 2006 Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene athletes participating in this program raised over $1,000,000.

This record breaking total of $1,367,075.73 was the result of the efforts of 49 Ironman athletes.

The top five fund-raisers were:

5th place Sybil Praski, Denver, CO ALS Association $ 31,000

4th place Scott Moore, La Cresenta, CA K & R Foundation $ 49,950

3rd place Bob Seemuth, Vancouver, WA Justice for All $155,558

2nd place Bob Seemuth, Vancouver, WA Center for Bioethical Reform, $243,416

1st place Jim Yanoschik, Murreita, CA Rotaplast International $547,264

TOTAL (including Janus' contribution of $50,000), $1,367,075.73

Bob Seemuth, the second and third place fund-raiser, has participated in the Janus Charity Challenge at six Ironman North America races, raising in excess of $1 million to date. The first place fund raiser at Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene, Jim Yanoschik, raced in support of Rotaplast International, a program that sends surgical teams into third world countries to repair cleft lips and palates.

The Janus Charity Challenge was created in 2001 in support of Janus’ sponsorship of the U.S. Ironman race series. The program encourages Ironman athletes to use their passion for the sport of triathlon as a way to help others by raising money for charity. The most unique element of the program is that there is no pre-designated non-profit recipient – each athlete can raise money for the cause that is most important to him/her.

To inspire participation, Janus provides all fundraisers access to a wide variety of fundraising tools to assist them in their efforts. In addition, Janus donates nearly $300k each year in financial awards to the non-profit beneficiaries of the top fundraisers at each of six races. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $12 million for hundreds of charities throughout the United States. The program broke its single-year record by raising $4,007,309.94 in 2005.

Casey Cortese, Janus’ director of community relations and vice president of the Janus Foundation said, “At Janus, we view our work in the community as both a responsibility and a privilege. Through the Janus Charity Challenge, we’re not only using our resources to support hundreds of worthy nonprofit organizations throughout the country, but we’re also engaging more people in understanding and meeting the needs of their own communities.”

To find out more about the Janus Charity Challenge, please visit wwww.januscharitychallenge.com.