(Tumon, Guam) As the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race nears, Race Director Ernie Galito is expecting over a thousand participants for the signature race, which takes place on Sunday, October 14, 2007. Through a series of overseas promotions, the Guam Visitors Bureau has already received confirmation of runners coming from Japan and Korea to compete with local. Sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), the 20 km course was measured by the Association of International Marathon & Distance Racers (AIM) and runners will be timed using the latest technology.

The racing divisions for individual competitors in the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race are as follows: Junior: 14 � 17 years Open: 18-29 years Sub-Master: 30-39 years Master: 40-49 years Senior: 50-59 years Grand Master: 60+ years

The Guam Ko�ko� Road Race will also feature a 4 x 5 km Ekiden, or relay race, with the following team categories: Men�s, Women�s, Co-ed, Corporate, or Military teams. Co-ed and Military teams must have at least one female participant and corporate teams must consist entirely of current staff. Last year, first place in the Ekiden was taken by one of several visiting teams from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces, with the team from the USS Frank Cable hot on their heels for second place.

Of the many unique aspects of the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race, one of the most important is the use of the IPICO Tag Timing System for absolute accuracy throughout the race. The RFID, or Radio Frequency ID, chips provide immediate net and split times for every individual athlete. Participants will be able to track their elapsed time accurately as they cross over the 5-chip timing mats spaced throughout the course. Each timer features a miniature transponder in a waterproof glass capsule. When activated, the transponder sends its unique identification number to a receiver antenna in the mat. The entire process takes approximately 60 milliseconds.

The reading distance of the Chip System is limited, which is why it is attached to a part of the body closest to the embedded antennas in the mats. It has become commonplace in running, triathlon, cycling, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and in-line skating events for the chip to be attached to the shoelace or to the ankle with a strap. This allows the antenna to take accurate readings and report them immediately.

Another unusual facet of the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race is the presence of large groups of people lining the course, cheering racers on as they run past. Rooting for players may not seem unusual, but the cheering crowds at the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race are made up of different cultural performers groups who inspire runners with traditional song and dance as well as yells of encouragement. Add in several strategically placed water stops along the route and the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race becomes one of the island�s only early morning races where spectators nearly outnumber the participants and it's a tough call to determine who has the most energy � the runners or those cheering for them!

This year�s Guam Ko�ko� Road Race will be held in conjunction with the 20th Guam Micronesia Island Fair at Ypao Park, which is where the race begins sharply at 5 am for soloists and fifteen minutes later for Ekiden teams. Both races will follow the same course as last year, past the GVB offices and up the hill toward the residential area of Tamuning, turning sharply just past St. Anthony�s Church and along Gov. Carlos Camacho Road to Marine Corps Drive, Guam�s main highway. The initial part of the course involves navigating several slopes and hills before leveling out along East Agana Bay for 15.2 kilometers. Runners will turn around at the Governor�s Office in Adelup and follow the same route back to Ypao Beach, climbing the same two kilometers of hills and slopes before crossing the finish line.

With the inaugural event deemed a huge success, the GVB expects the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race to produce even greater results in terms of the number of participants, interest in Guam, and the amount of attention drawn to the race�s beneficiary, Guam�s territorial bird, the Ko�ko�. Also known as the Guam Rail, the indigenous Ko�ko� bird has become virtually extinct in the wild and now survives on Guam exclusively in captivity. Protected both locally and federally, a portion of the proceeds generated by the Guam Ko�ko� Road Race will be donated to continue the conservation and preservation efforts being conducted worldwide to protect this endangered bird.

To find out more about the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race, go to the Guam Visitors Bureau website at www.visitguam.org You will not only find details about the race and how to enter, but also a comprehensive history of the Ko�ko� and what is being done to save Guam�s official bird. To enter the race, overseas participants can register online and local runners can, too, but may also register at Hornet Sporting Goods in Tamuning or the GVB offices in Tumon. The deadline for registering is Friday, October 12th. There will be no late registration the day of the race as chip timers must be ordered in advance for the participants, so please - sign up early!

International and US Mainland and Hawaii participants are encouraged to travel with Continental Airlines, the official air carrier of the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race, who are offering special airfare rates for participants of this year�s race. For more information about airfare rates from your area, please call you local Continental Airlines office and use the Reference Code � GC733. The Hilton Guam Resort & Spa is the official hotel of the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race and details concerning special rates and reservations can also be found at www.visitguam.org and click on the logo for the 2007 Guam Ko�ko� Road Race.

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For more information: Ernie Galito, Race Director Email: erniegalito@visitguam.org Guam Visitors Bureau Tel: 671-646-5278/9 Fax: 671-646-8861