The 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open is indicative of the highest level of accomplishment in responsible sports event production, and demonstrates true leadership on both corporate and civic levels.
(Keith Peters, executive director of the Council for Responsible Sport)
The Evergreen certification achieved by the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open is the first such award in five years and only the fourth ever given by the Council. The first Evergreen certified event was the 2008 Marin County Triathlon, followed by the 2009 UCSD Grove Run and the 2010 EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon. To earn Evergreen status, an event must earn 90% or more of the credits offered in the certification standards; the Waste Management Phoenix Open achieved 56 of 61 available credits.
A total of eight events achieved Gold certification in 2015, which requires earning at least 75% of available credits (45 credits):
- Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, Cincinnati, Ohio (52 credits awarded)
- Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, Washington, DC (51)
- Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, Vancouver, BC (50)
- Suissegas Milano Marathon, Milan, Italy (49)
- UCI World Road Cycling Championships, Richmond, Virginia (48)
- Fundación Natura Carrera Verde 10K, Bogota, Colombia (48)
- Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, Texas (46)
- Shell Houston Open, Houston, Texas, (46)
Seven events earned at least 60% of available credits (36) to gain Silver certification in 2015:
- CAF Caracas Marathon, Caracas, Venezuela (40)
- Austin Marathon, Austin, Texas (39)
- CAF La Paz 3600 10k, La Paz, Bolivia (38)
- 3M Half Marathon, Austin, Texas (37)
- NCAA Division 1 Track & Field Championships, Eugene, Oregon (37)
- Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, Los Angeles, California (36)
- USATF Track & Field Championships, Eugene, Oregon (36)
There are also a few certification applications form 2015 still pending, with post-event documentation being gathered:
- Runner’s World Half Marathon & Festival, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Oregon
- University of Oregon vs. Oregon State Civil War football game, Eugene, Oregon
Finally, the list of applicants for certification in 2016 is growing, and includes some new and/or very noteworthy events. Of course, many more events will be added to this list as the year unfolds:
- IAAF World Track & Field Indoor Championships, Portland, Oregon (new)
- NCAA Division 1 Men’s Final Four, Houston, Texas (new)
- Glass City Marathon, Toledo, Ohio (new)
- AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Monterey, California (Gold in 2014)
- Austin Marathon, Austin, Texas (Silver in 2015)
- Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, Chicago, Illinois (Silver in 2013)
- TD Five Boro Bike Tour, New York City (Silver in 2014)
- U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, Eugene, Oregon (Gold in 2012)
Keep an eye on this space throughout the year for updates on our our vision of responsibly produced events becoming the norm with event organizers around the world.
The post Waste Management Phoenix Open tops list of events certified by the Council for Responsible Sport in 2015 appeared first on Council for Responsible Sport.
