For those that don't know me. my name is Jordan Rapp. I'm a professional triathlete from the USA. Since I spend most of my time training, I don't get out much, so you might know me online, where I spend most of my non-training time, as "Rappstar" on Slowtwitch.com, Twitter, and elsewhere. But I'm not important. What is important is this organization, World Bicycle Relief.
On November 22, 2009, I will be racing at Ironman Arizona in Tempe. Every day that I’m out training, I know I’m making a difference in my own chances for winning the race. I am fortunate enough to be able to “make my own luck.” But, for many kids in Africa, that is not the case so I’m hoping that I can change their luck. What will this take? $15,000 and you can be a part of it through this special Rappstar Raffle.
$15,000 will change an entire community’s luck in rural Zambia by bringing bikes to 100 secondary school children who face extremely long commutes – some of them walking close to 4 hours just to reach school – and also provide the supplies and training of 2 new field mechanics to care for those bikes. Just think, in the same time you complete your marathon portion of the Ironman, these kids are just getting to school. But, unlike you and I, who have a place to rest our feet after the hard day, they’ll have to do it all over again at the end of the day. So, why not take the step and provide a bike by joining World Bicycle Relief and my raffle and help give back through the power of bicycles.
Many of my sponsors have been very generous in providing prizes for a raffle that we will be doing starting the day after the Ironman, Monday November 23rd. The raffle will be done electronically, so you don't have to be there. We will do the raffle on a roll-down system. So the first winner will get first pick of prizes, second place gets second choice, etc.
You can donate ANY amount, but ONLY donations of $134 (the cost of one bicycle) will get you a raffle "ticket." For every multiple of $134 that you donate, you get another entry into the raffle. $268 buys you two tickets, $402 buys you three, $536 buys you four, etc.
To enter the raffle, you can donate online at grassroots.kintera.org/Active/Rappstar or if you want to snail-mail, you can do that to:
World Bicycle Relief
Attn: Katie Bolling (Rappstar Raffle)
1333 Kingsbury Street
4th floor
Chicago, IL 60642
Raffle tickets will be assigned automatically from the donations, so please make sure to give us an email or phone number (or both) that we can reach you at.
Now, what are the prizes? They are good! Below I've listed each company and what they have provided.
SRAM prize pack: a complete RED TT grouppo (R2C shifters, RED cassette, RED crankset & bottom bracket, RED front & rear brakes, RED front and rear derailleurs, 900 TT brake levers, PC1090R chain, and full cables) (MSRP $2600)
See Red. When the pursuit of victory becomes so focused and singleminded that nothing else matters. Inspired by the search for competition-vanquishing advantages, SRAM has created a world where high-performance race-ready componentry is taken one step beyond. SRAM Red is a living lab focused on the design, development, and improvement of already revolutionary technology.
Zipp prize pack: VukaAero (or complete VukaBull if the winner does UCI-sanctioned races) & 2 carbon bottle cages cages (MSRP $1367)
To fine-tune your fit, the VukaAero is the only integrated aero bar that allows 4 axes of adjustment of the extensions: fore-aft, vertical, rotational, and angular. The armrests can be spaced at 3 standard widths or a multitude of positions with the optional wings. Integrated full-carbon brake levers mimic the position, shape, and even the grippy texture of standard brake hoods.
Kiwami USA prize packs: *TWO* $469 gift certificates (two separate prizes, total contribution $938)
KiWAMi was created in 2003 by triathletes Craig & Hélène Watson (nee Salomon). After ten years of international competition, and nearing the end of their own careers, Hélène and Craig decided to embark on providing future generations of triathletes with something that had not been readily unavailable in top quality during their racing careers: quality garments that are purposely designed and produced for triathlon competition.
Aquaman prize pack: Bionik wetsuit (MSRP $467)
Made with Yamamoto # 39 on the body and GIGA # 40 on the shoulders and neck for extra flexibility. The neoprene is also treated with SCS all over the suit on the outside. Includes lower design collar.
AQUAMAN put together the first wetsuit which could provide warmth, freedom of movement, low water friction, and easy to take off. This was in 1986 when triathlon began to take off all over the world, the other companies started to make wetsuits for triathlon too but by that time AQUAMAN was technologically superior, and still is to this day.
CycleOps prize pack: Super Magneto Pro trainer, Training Mat, Climbing Black, realRides Training DVD (MSRP $525)
Between seasons, use our SuperMagneto Pro to get in great shape—and stay that way. It offers the most versatility of our trainers. You can adjust the resistance curves to fit a conditioned rider or a less physically fit rider. Or modify the curves to fi t a big or small rider. And if you plan to share a trainer with another rider, the SuperMagneto Pro is the right choice.
True-Motion prize pack: T-Zero Jacket, hoodie, long sleeve t-shirt, polo shirt, t-shirt (MSRP $277)
True-Motion sportswear was founded by a group of four passionate triathletes whose vision was to create casual sportswear that people feel good about wearing. We offer cool styles and comfortable fabrics to embrace the active lifestyle. There are numerous offerings of technical apparel available to today’s athlete, but what do you wear when you are done training and racing? That is how True-Motion was born. We want to be the after race, after training, or just hanging out on a Saturday afternoon brand of choice. So whether you are a fierce competitor, a promising novice, or simply a passionate spectator, off the field/court/roads you’ll look like all three. Be True.
TP Therapy prize pack: Total Body Package with Ultimate6 book and DVD (MSRP $150)
The TP Total Body Package is the ultimate set of tools to help massage and maintain a healthy, active body. It has our revolutionary Footballer, Massage Ball and Quadballer. Also includes our ULIMATE 6 GUIDEBOOK and Brand New ULTIMATE 6 DVD.
PersonalBestNutrition.com prize pack: Complete nutritional evaluation ($300 value) AND $134 product Gift Certificate
Personal Best Nutrition (PBN) has been servicing the unique needs of endurance athletes for over 15 years providing detailed nutritional analysis on every aspect of your training and racing. PBN also carries a full array of nutrition products such as Gatorade Endurance, CarboPro, EFS, Cytomax, Optygen, GU, Endurox R4, Accelerade, Salt Caps, etc.... virtually EVERYTHING you need from a nutritional perspective to race at your BEST this season.
1st Endurance prize packs: *TWELVE* 1 bottle of OptygenHP & Headsweats visor (twelve separate prizes) (MSRP 12 x $95, total contribution $1140)
First Endurance continues to lead the endurance nutrition category by introducing OPTYGENHP, the next-generation of Optygen. This revolutionary formula is the result of human clinical trials and the latest scientific research on increasing endurance and performance. New features include Beta-Alanine as well the most potent Rhodiola available.
SaltStick prize pack: large bottle of SaltStick caps and two SaltStick dispensers (MSRP $68)
Jonathan Toker, Ph.D., founder of Toker Engineering LLC, developed the SaltStick products. Toker is an elite-level triathlete who hails from Canada and lives in Southern California. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute in 2001, worked in the biotech industry for 5 years, and raced in the professional ranks as a triathlete and runner for 5 years.
WorldBicycleRelief Cane Creek special prize pack: limited edition (one of 500) WBR Cane Creek headset (MSRP $200)
Cane Creek introduces the World Bicycle Relief Reserve headset. Cut from high-grade Stainless steel, serialized to commemorate the limited run of 500 pieces and packaged in a Western Cedar wooden box; this is one unique headset with a very special purpose.
With the purchase of each beautifully engraved Reserve headset Cane Creek will make a donation directly to World Bicycle Relief, enough to provide 1 bicycle per headset to a person in Africa.
WorldBicycleRelief Zipp special prize: Zipp Sub9 disc body signed by many of Zipp's professional athletes.
Truly a one of a kind item. (PRICELESS)
I hope to be adding more prizes all the way until the draw date, which is Nov. 23 rd (the day after Ironman Arizona), so please check back often!
For my part, I will be donating 10% of my prize money from the race, rounded up to the nearest whole bicycle amount. For example, If I won, the prize money for that is $8,500. Ten percent of that is $850. $850 divided by $134 is 6.3, so in that case, I'd round up and donate seven bicycles - $938.
Here is the exact breakdown: 1st - $8500 -> 7 bicycles. 2nd - $5500 -> 5 bicycles. 3rd - $3500 -> 3 bicycles. 4th - $2500 -> 2 bicycles. 5th - $2000 -> 2 bicycles. 6th - $1500 -> 2 bicycles. 7th - $1000 -> 1 bicycle. 8th - $500 -> 1 bicycle.
If you visit the donation site right now, before anyone else donates, you'll see ONE donation for $126. That's from me, and it's because $134 doesn't go evenly into $15,000. So that's the difference between selling 111 raffle tickets (at $134 each) and $15,000. That way, we don't end up short even if everyone gives exactly $134.
If you have any questions, comments, etc. there is an active forum thread HERE.
You can help me change the world through simple sustainable transportation!
Thanks for your support!
Jordan "Rappstar" Rapp