TD Bank Partners with US Handcycling Federation
May 2, 2012
$2,500 Prize Purse Awarded During Roger C. Peace US Rehabilitation Hospital US Handcycling National Criterium Championships
GREENVILLE, SC – May 1, 2012 – TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, today announced its partnership with the US Handcycling Federation, based in Evergreen, Colorado.
In conjunction with the Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital US Handcycling National Criterium Championships in Greenville, SC over Memorial Day weekend, TD Bank will award $2,500 in total prize money in five separate categories (women, H1, H2, H3 and H4).
The U Handcycling National Criterium Championships are held in downtown Greenville on Monday, May 28 in conjunction with the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships. A staunch commitment to active involvement in the local community is a vital element of the TD Bank philosophy. TD Bank is committed to supporting organizations who improve the lives of those who live, work, and play in the communities in which they do business.
“TD Bank is proud to support these dedicated athletes and the National Criterium Championships,” said Rob Hoak, Regional President for TD Bank. “Partnering with the US Handcycling Federation not only allows us to support the community and this wonderful event, but also lets families experience our brand.
”Since 1999, U.S. Handcycling has managed the U.S. Handcycling Series (USHCS). The series was created to provide a platform for wheelchair athletes to compete domestically in cycling events and includes 25 events annually in more than 15 states. A key to the success of the series has been partnerships with existing, high-profile cycling events such as the USA Cycling Professional Championships in Greenville, SC. In Greenville, the handcycling athletes compete on the same roads and in front of the same crowds as their able-bodied counterparts, creating awareness about the ability of athletes with disabilities.
TD Bank’s support of the Handcycling Championships lends a lot of credibility to the Paracycling movement in the United States and we are thrilled they have chosen to support athletes with disabilities,” states Ian Lawless, Executive Director of the US Handcycling Federation. U.S. Handcycling is honored to again be a part of the USA Cycling Professional Championships in Greenville. The community, the event, and sponsors like Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation and TD Bank have helped bring Para-cycling to a whole new level.
After four years of hosting a handcycling event, Greenville embraced Para-cycling by bidding to host the 2014 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, which was awarded to the Upstate and is anticipated to be one of the highest-profile Para-cycling events ever conducted in the world. About US Handcycling Federation U.S. Handcycling works with USA Cycling, Inc. and the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Paralympic Division to organize and conduct Para-cycling competitions at major cycling events nationwide.As a nonprofit national association for Para-cyclists, the organization works with local, regional and national cycling events to create an integrated competition environment that is open to athletes with disabilities.
About the Sport of Para-cycling
Para-cycling is cycling competition for athletes with physical disabilities, and is governed by the
International Cycling Union (UCI). Cycling is contested every four years at the Paralympic
Games, which include athletes with physical disabilities, and are run in parallel with the Olympic
Games while the IOC–recognized Special Olympics World Games include athletes with
intellectual disabilities, and the Deaflympics include deaf athletes. Para-cycling races are
currently organized on the road and on the track, and World Championships for both are held
annually with the exception of the Paralympic year. The UCI added a three-event Para-cycling
World Cup in 2010, and domestic racing calendars are organized in more than 40 countries.
Competitors utilize bikes that are adapted to their ability: traditional or adapted bicycle, tandem,
tricycle or handcycle.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing
more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking
products and services at more than 1,280 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-
Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer
customized wealth management services through TD Wealth, and insurance products and
services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and
Portland, Maine. To learn more, find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com.
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody’s. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol TD. To learn more, visit www.td.com.
About USA Cycling Pro Championships
The Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships return
to Greenville for the seventh consecutive year Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-28. The event
weekend will kick off with the Individual Time Trial Championships presented by Duke Energy,
Saturday, May 26 at CU-ICAR. Cyclists will compete against the clock on a 6.9 mile course
(completed three times). The Road Race Championships presented by TD Bank will be held on
Monday, May 28 with the start/finish in downtown Greenville.
The 110-mile course will include three short downtown circuits, four long laps over Paris Mountain, and then three finishing downtown circuits. Licensed by USA Cycling, Inc. (Colorado Springs, CO) and organized by Medalist Sports, the event continues to build in momentum and stature. Supported by the event’s many partners, including Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS), Title Sponsor; TD Bank, Presenting Sponsor of the Road Race Championships; Duke Energy, Presenting Sponsor of the Individual Time Trial Championships; GE Energy; Hincapie Sportswear; Yakima Products; the City of Greenville; Greenville County and in partnership with the Palmetto Peloton Project and the US Handcycling Federation, the Championships are expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators from around the country to Greenville over the course of the event weekend. For more information about the event and other weekend activities, please visit usacyclingchampionships.com.
