San Francisco, CA – The Giant Race presented by Alaska Airlines today announces the first-ever all-female running team to participate in the event – the Alaska Airlines All-Stars. Captained by three-time Olympian Shannon Rowbury, the team of nine (9) female Bay Area athletes signifies the importance of representation in sports.
The Alaska Airlines All-Stars include:
- Alexi Pappas – Olympian, two-time All-American
- Alysia Montano – Olympian and World Champion
- Anna Kacius – Olympic Trials Qualifier, Team USA Gold Medalist 100km
- Clara Peterson – Five-time All-American
- Dena Evans – Eight-time Team USA Coach, D1 Cross Country Coach of the Year
- Kim Conley – Two-time Olympian, Pan Am Games Bronze Medalist
- Leslie Osborne – Three-time All-American athlete, former USWNT midfielder
- Shannon Rowbury – Three-time Olympian, World Championship bronze medalist
- Vanessa Fraser – Seven-time All-American
“Growing up in the 1980s, I remember watching major sports on television – never seeing women play,” said Shannon Rowbury. “This is why the idea of pursuing a career as a professional athlete never occurred to me. Now as I see my own children grow, I am struck by the profound impact of female representation in sports, which is why it is important for girls and women to always be imagining more.”
For decades, the San Francisco Giants have empowered girls and women in sports. In 2000, during the Giants’ inaugural season at Oracle Park, then Pacific Bell Park, Alexis Busch became the first bat girl in Major League Baseball history. In 2010, Renel Brooks-Moon became the first female public address announcer of a championship game in any professional sport. And last year, Giants Assistant Coach Alyssa Nakken made major league history as the first female coach on the field in a regular season game.
To continue building upon its long-standing commitment, the Giants are partnering with Rowbury’s Imagining More Foundation and Girls on the Run to remove barriers and provide greater access to female athletics and mental health services. Oracle Park will host Girls Day on Sunday, July 9 when the Giants host the Colorado Rockies to showcase the need for and impact of female representation in sports.
As part of the Girls Day activations, Alaska Airlines All-Star, Olympian and author of “Bravey”, Alexi Pappas will throw out the first pitch and the Giants will honor the Nike San Francisco Women’s Miler Club – a team of 100 women who recently set a new world record for the fastest 100 x 1-mile relay, while raising more than $7,000 for Girls on the Run Bay Area.
To celebrate this year’s historic all-female Giant Race team, Alaska Airlines is awarding free flights to four (4) winners of a social media contest to travel to a San Francisco Giants away game. Follow @giantrace on Instagram to participate. Terms and conditions apply.
The 2023 Giant Race will be held at Oracle Park on Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3 – featuring 5K, 10K and kids live races, with the introduction of the new Team Challenge that provides entrants the opportunity to form groups of nine or more participants. A virtual option is available for those who cannot participate in person. All contestants will receive an exclusive bobblehead, finishers medal, race shirt and commemorative race bib. For more information about the 2023 Giant Race, visit giantrace.com.
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ABOUT THE GIANT RACE
The Giant Race presented by Alaska Airlines represents the perfect combination of running and baseball. Launched in 2010 and with previous annual events held in Scottsdale, Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco, the Giant Race unites an array of Giants-inspired themes at every level of professional baseball. Historically, after stops in Scottsdale during Spring Training and at Minor League facilities in Sacramento and San Jose, the Series ends on the field at Oracle Park with a 20,000-participant race on the flattest and fastest course in San Francisco. The San Francisco Giants and Giants Enterprises work in concert to provide baseball fans and health & wellness enthusiasts an unforgettable journey of run, walk, fitness and training experiences. For more information, visit www.giantrace.com.
Giants Enterprises, the entrepreneurial arm of the San Francisco Giants dedicated to developing new ventures beyond the Major League Baseball franchise, hosts one-of-a-kind experiences at Oracle Park, throughout San Francisco, on San Francisco Bay and beyond. At the intersection of Sports, Entertainment, Hospitality, Events, Service and Tourism, Giants Enterprises has produced thousands of events over the last 20 years, including the 34th America’s Cup, delivering the Official Spectator Experiences and successfully commercializing the event for the first time in its 160-year history. In addition, Giants Enterprises has executed major concerts, international soccer matches, Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018, professional and college football games and The Giant Race series. One of the top hospitality, event, entertainment and sports consultancy teams in the world, Giants Enterprises operates more than 15 venues in and around Oracle Park including two luxury maritime vessels. For more information, visit www.giantsenterprises.com.