Rocky Mountain State Games Second Weekend Kicks Off Friday With Torch Relay And America The Beautiful Park Celebration

Colorado Springs, July 24---------The second weekend of the 2012 Rocky Mountain State Games begins Friday, and includes a special Opening Celebration at America The Beautiful Park that will wind up downtown with thousands on hand to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games in London in the evening.

A special Rocky Mountain State Games Torch Relay will begin at the U.S. Olympic Training Center at 3:45 with remarks by Mayor Steve Bach, the lighting of the torch at the OTC, and a 2.56 mile relay, starting at 4:00, through the city to America The Beautiful Park that will arrive at roughly 4:45 and open the celebration.

In addition, fans and athletes at America The Beautiful Park will attempt to break a Guinness World Record!  During the celebration festivities, an attempt will be made to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering in the world wearing swimming caps. The record to break is 2,049.  Swim caps will be handed out and once everyone has one, a picture will be taken. Organizers hope that number will set the new Guinness record.

The Parade of Rocky Mountain State Games athletes, officials and fans will then move from America The Beautiful Park to downtown Colorado Springs and join the Olympic Downtown Celebration that starts at 4:00. This celebration is a city wide event that will feature a free concert with Country Music stars Rodney Atkins and Andy Gibson, interactive booths, food, a live NBC Universal feed of the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony on a 15-by-27-foot HD screen, sport demonstrations, and much more, including a very special torch lighting ceremony around 9:40 p.m. featuring 1992 Olympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi and husband Bret Hedican (Olympic ice hockey). 

The weekend will include competition in 25 sports across the city for some 4,500 athletes beginning at 8:00 a.m. with Tennis action at Cheyenne Mountain High. It concludes Sunday around 7:00 p.m. with BMX competition at the Cross Creek BMX Track in Fountain. 

The Rocky Mountain State Games is a multi-sport festival for Colorado citizens of all ages and athletic abilities including physically disabled, visually impaired and Paralympic athletes. The Games are recognized by the National Congress of State Games, a member of the United States Olympic Committee. 

Organized and managed by the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, the 2012 RMSG includes competition in 34 sports. Competition is taking place along the Front Range with venues including the U.S. Olympic Training Center, U.S. Air Force Academy, Memorial Park, Fort Carson, Colorado College, City Auditorium, Cheyenne Mountain High and many others.

Athlete admission is free but spectator admission will be charged for the following sports:  Gymnastics, Karate, Taekwondo, and Wrestling.  Individual day passes can be purchased on-site, per day; Adults: $5, Youth(13-18): $3, Seniors(55+): $3. Youth 12 & under are admitted free.

For admittance onto the U.S. Air Force Academy, a driver’s license, vehicle registration and vehicle insurance must be shown, along with ID for all passengers.

The State Games concept was developed in New York in 1978 with the Empire State Games. Annually, more than 400,000 athletes compete in State Games nationwide. State Games feature various sports from the Olympic and Pan American Games programs as well as sports with regional popularity in each state.    

Friday, July 27th 

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m                           Tennis – Competition Begins – Cheyenne Mountain HS Courts

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Baseball – Competition Begins – Spurgeon Field, Rampart HS 

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Field Hockey – Competition Begins – El Pomar Youth Sports Park 

9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.                          Bowling – Competition Begins – King Pin Lanes

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                        Billiards – Competition Begins –Antique Billiard Museum

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.                        Soccer (High School) – Competition Begins – Cottonwood Park

2:00 p.m.                                               Cycling (Time Trial) – Competition Begins – Alpine Park, Salida 

4:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.                          Racquetball – Competition Begins – Big House Sports

8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.                        BMX Racing – Competition Begins – Rampart Park

Saturday, July 28th  

6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.                        Inline Hockey – Competition Continues – CET Sports Arena 

7:30 a.m.                                               Cycling (Criterium) – Competition Begins – Alpine Park, Salida

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Baseball – Competition Continues – Spurgeon Field, Rampart HS

8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.                          Field Hockey – Competition Continues – El Pomar Youth Sports Park 

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.                          Softball (Slow Pitch) – Competition Begins – Skyview Sports Complex

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.                          Tennis – Competition Continues – Cheyenne Mountain HS Courts

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Volleyball (Beach) – Competition Begins – Boodad’s Beach House 

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Weightlifting – Competition Begins – Weightlifting Gym-Sports Center 2, U.S. Olympic Training Center  

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Archery (Target) – Competition Begins – Memorial Park

9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.                          Billiards – Competition Continues –Antique Billiard Museum 

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                          Diving – Competition Begins – Schlessman Natatorium, Colorado College

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Karate – Competition Begins – Cheyenne Mountain High School 

9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.                          Racquetball – Competition Continues – Downtown YMCA

9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.                          Soccer (Adult) – Competition Begins – Cheyenne Mountain High School 

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                          Taekwondo – Competition Begins – Sports Center 2, U.S. Olympic Training Center 

9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.                          Bowling – Competition Continues – King Pin Lanes 

9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                          Judo – Competition Begins – City Auditorium                                                                

9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Wrestling – Competition Begins – Lewis Palmer High School, Monument 

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                        Flag Football – Competition Begins – Memorial Park 

10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.                        Powerlifting -- Competition Begins – National Strength & Conditioning 

                                                                Association

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                        Rock Climbing – Competition Begins – CityRock Climbing Center 

10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.                        Soccer (High School) – Competition Continues – Cottonwood Park 

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                        BMX Racing – Competition Continues – Rampart Park 

11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                        Gymnastics – Competition Continues – The Sundance Studio, Monument 

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.                          BMX Racing – Competition Continues – Cross Creek BMX Track, Fountain  

Sunday, July 29th  

6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.                          Inline Hockey – Competition Continues – CET Sports Arena 

7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.                        5K Run/Walk – Competition Begins – Memorial Park

7:30 a.m.                                               Cycling (Road) – Competition Begins – Alpine Park, Salida 

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.                          Baseball – Competition Continues – Spurgeon Field, Rampart HS

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                          Soccer (High School) – Competition Continues – Cottonwood Park 

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Tennis – Competition Continues – Cheyenne Mountain HS Courts

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Archery (3D) – Competition Begins – Academy Archery Range, USAFA 

8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.                          Badminton – Competition Begins – Cheyenne Mountain High School 

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                          Flag Football – Competition Continues – Memorial Park 

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.                          Racquetball – Competition Continues – Big House Sports

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                          Soccer (Adult) – Competition Continues – Cheyenne Mountain High School 

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                          Softball (Slow Pitch) – Competition Continues – Skyview Sports Complex 

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.                          Volleyball (Grass) –Competition Begins – Armstrong Quad, Colorado College 

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.                          Volleyball (Indoor) – Competition Begins – Big House Sports 

10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.                     Billiards – Competition Continues – Antique Billiard Museum 

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                        Bowling – Competition Continues – King Pin Lanes 

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                        Powerlifting – Competition Continues – National Strength & Conditioning 

                                                                Association 

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                        Rock Climbing – Competition Continues  -- CityRock Climbing Center 

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.                        BMX Racing – Competition Continues – Rampart Park 

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.                          BMX Racing – Competition Continues – Cross Creek BMX Track, Fountain