Patch Sprint organizers have been in contact with uber live event producer David Atkins (Sydney 2000

Patch Sprint enthusiast Jake Gittler has been tabbed to light the torch

Olympics, Vancouver 2010 Olympics) who has agreed to produce both the opening and closing ceremony.   The cost to produce such a live event will be borne primarily by race registrants.  Effective Thursday, March 4, the cost of registration for an adult will increase from $30 to $11,493.  The Kindersprint will still be a relative bargain at $5,329.

   Initial ideas for the opening ceremony have been leaked to the press.  They include a re-enactment of Camp Pok-O-Moonshine’s first summer of 1905, a diorama of the Patch Sprint course floating over Long Pond,  a performance by U2 of an original song written specifically for Patch 2010, the camp song performed by Carrie Underwood, and a 2 hour speech about the Revolutionary War history of Lake Champlain by camp owner Jack Swan.

   The closing ceremony will be just as important, but will have a more campy feel

Ceremony will have a decided native American theme

than the regal opening ceremony.  Besides the usual rousing speech by the race coordinators about the good efforts of the participants, there will be a dinner, an awards ceremony featuring Doc’s Old Kinda Cookies, a closing slide show, and an announcement about how much money was raised for the Adirondack Scholarship Foundation.  Afterwards, everyone will be invited to a post-post-race party on Willsboro Point.

   If you were inspired by the Olympic Games in Vancouver, you are in for a treat on Saturday, May 29 for Patch 2010!