Adventure Race Across Bermuda
Phil Keogan, producer and host of CBS’s The Amazing Race, will travel to Bermuda for the first annual Ultimate Bermuda Experience on January 17, 2012.
Five lucky couples have won a trip to Bermuda to compete in an adventure race across the island.
Similar to The Amazing Race TV show, contestants will compete in challenges designed to showcase Bermuda and its culture.
In addition, the experience will kick off with a fundraising gala with dinner and dancing under the stars on January 15, 2012 to benefit the MS Society of Bermuda, the official charity of the Ultimate Bermuda Experience.
The race will begin at Camden in the Botanical Gardens and will finish in Royal Naval Dockyard. Local residents are encouraged to cheer on the contestants at various spots along the race: 7am at Camden for the start, 8am at Albuoy’s Point Park for a challenge and 11am in Dockyard for the finish. Video segments of the race will be posted on several sites including CBS.com.
“We are delighted to sponsor the Ultimate Bermuda Experience,” said Dudley Thomas, Director, The Ultimate Bermuda Experience Delivery Consortium.
“The format of this experiential adventure will not only highlight the beautiful landscape, people and culture of Bermuda and introduce our tourism product to new consumers in North America but also raise awareness and funds for those in Bermuda suffering from multiple sclerosis. It represents a fantastic opportunity to introduce the Bermuda tourism product to new consumers.”
In keeping with the theme of exploring Bermuda’s culture, the Ultimate Bermuda Experience will be hosting a fundraising dinner on January 15 at 7pm in The Queen’s Exhibition Hall on Commissioner’s House Grounds in Dockyard, one of Bermuda’s most interesting historical quarters. Guests will be able to meet Phil Keoghan [pictured] and hear about his worldwide adventures.
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased from 27th Century Boutique and Elbow Beach Cycles. Ticket proceeds will go to the MS Society of Bermuda.
“This is a major fundraising initiative for the MS Society of Bermuda and we welcome donations from corporations and members of the public,” said Mr. Thomas, who is also Director-At-Large & VP Business Development of Elbow Beach Cycles, platinum sponsor of the Ultimate Bermuda Experience. “Individuals can call 292-5838 or email victoria@troncossi.bm.”
Mr. Keoghan, producer and host of the multi-award winning CBS series, The Amazing Race said: “I have been a longtime supporter of the U.S. National Multiple Sclerosis Society and I am so happy to be coming to Bermuda to support the local chapter here. I am also thrilled to be visiting Bermuda to learn about and experience everything the island has to offer.”
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, sometimes disabling, disease that strikes the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and spinal cord. People with MS can experience anything from cognitive difficulties, visual disturbances and memory loss to fatigue, muscle stiffness and weakness, pain in the arms and legs, and depression.
While there is no cure and the condition is extremely difficult to diagnose, there are treatments available to manage the symptoms of MS and slow down its progression. The MS Society of Bermuda works with its members to help pay for the high costs of medications that can range anywhere from $1,300 to $5,000 a month.
“We are so grateful to the Ultimate Bermuda Experience and Phil Keoghan for raising awareness of MS and funds to help us provide MS sufferers on the island with much-needed assistance with their medical needs,” said President of MS Society of Bermuda, Carolyn Armstrong.
Other sponsors of the Ultimate Bermuda Experience include NOW Energy Bar, The Reefs Hotel & Club, The Que Agency, G.E.T. Limited, Hope4Life and Bermuda Ministry of National Security.
@Bernews I’m confused. Will this air on CBS as part of their lineup for their show “The Amazing Race” or is this a money making venture for the MS charity that is using the name etc.?
It’s not the Amazing Race TV show itself and will not be on TV, although it will go on CBS.com. It’s based on the TV show format, called the Ultimate Bermuda Challenge, and will also serve as a fund raiser for the MS charity as you mentioned.
Wow, looks like this will bring more people to Bda than that Faith Based con artist thing a few years back. $400k cheaper too!
As much as I appreciate the fact that it will draw some much needed attention to Bermuda, why does it have to finish in Dockyard? St. George’s is definitely in need of the publicity and even though Dockyard has some historical significance, it doesn’t begin to compete with the culture, architecture and history of St. George’s. What do the businesses and promoters of Bermuda have against St. George’s?
I agree, what is it with treating St. Georges like Bermuda’s step child. Most of Bermuda’s plus a bit of North America’s history is there. All Dockyard has is the maritime museum which takes less than an hour to cover, shops that are clones of ones in Hamilton & an ugly, nasty & dirty fake beach that was once a dump. Not all tourist arrive by Cruise Ship but because of the ignorance of thinking this plp has destroyed the most unique town in Bermuda.
Its embarrassing to finish in either of those places. This will only show the world how boring either end of the island is.
I have worked in the tourism industry for over 7 years DIRECTLY dealing with tourists and every single one has said “well we went to spend the day in dockyard/St Georges, but were very disappointed with how little there was to do”
My only advice to tourists is go there for 2 maybe 3 hours max, take a quick look around, take a photo, grab some lunch and then get out of there before you become frustrated you wasted time!
Get something exciting down there so people have a reason to go, ie. bungee jumping, mini go kart track… No body cares about ya old cobble stone roads anymore…there cool to stand infront of and take a picture but lets be real, no one is going home bragging to their friends they saw an unfinished church.
Put some temporary attractions out there, ones that can easily be removed to restore the island natural beauty if necessary, but dont encourage tourists to visit a place that sucks. If you dont believe me, go ahead, take a family outing to dockyard or st georges and you tell me how long it takes before your kids start complaining.
But you are right…these places do need attention, BADLY. But without anything to do please dont tell tourists its fun because straight up its not.
Lets see these places turn into real tourist attractions…
OMG! Have you even seen the show? Do you even know what you are talking about at all? Did you even read the article? It’s a race around the island similar to the TV show The Amazing Race, which means that they may be going to St. George’s along the route somewhere doesn’t it? Why do you people have to get so jacked up all the time with stuff you don’t even understand!? Why not just be happy that this is happening on the island. What is so terrible about living in Bermuda that makes you people so negative? I just don’t get it. Beautiful beaches. Wonderful weather. Yeah – certainly an environment to make you act like a d$@k!
Very valid point Trikeita.
Probabley because that is the destination of cruise ships as seen in brochures etc.
Ole St. Geo left out again. Sad really. Feel sorry for all my old friends there who once again have become the victims of piss poor comunication with regards to World Heritage Sights.
we should make a deal with disney and let them add some disney tourist things down here….if you started bringing the disney cruise here you would get more kids and families then you could start adding some go karts and theatre, and things for the whole family to do.
For Disney cruises to come here there’d actually have to be something fun to do here. Our politicians refuse to vote on anything that could be seen as fun. Afraid of losing the church vote. HA! the church who don’t pay taxes! HA!
Seems like church goers in Bermuda think its more moral to go to Vegas than Disney. Frank Rosenthal is a saint & Walt Disney is the devil.
Indeed the church is one of the most powerful, and disruptive forces in Bermuda. There should be total separation of church and Government. None of our politicians have the ball bearings to make it so.
Sorry Cedar Beams but the ‘Church’ is really a group of people that meet and worship in a ‘building’ and those same people pay taxes!
Gets a bit tiring to hear that same untrue statement made time and time again of groups of people “the church” that volunteers their time and their money to help the homeless and needy, be made to pay more than someone that is not a member of a church.
Is this seriously an ENTIRE chain of comments about church on an article about a cool tourism opportunity? I am embarrassed for all of you. Bermudians hate their island more than anyone it appears. And it seems as if you all have a lot of time on your hands to be debating church and government randomly on a completely unrelated article. No wonder tourists don’t want to come here. You people are crazy!
Wow, I am excited, this is one of my favorite shows. Can’t wait, even though it is only a version of the original show.
Ok fine, it is not ending in St. George’s, but stop the negative. You are not helping our tourism industry by posting this. If you are so concerned about the lack of attractions at either end of the island focus your energy into formulating a plan to change things. So until you do this STOP complaining. Kudos to Dudley et al for organizing and sponsoring this event.
Sorry to burst your “Purple” bubble but it is all relative. Take off your blinders.
It’s the UBC, not to be confused with the UBP! Well done organisers.
How they gonna put the markers or flags down and not get stolen ? As we know the island is full thieves right know?
BEING NEGATIVE IS BORING ! BERMUDA HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER, RESPECT IT AND ENJOY ……….
Frankly, it is not a negative comment at all. For the record I actually live in St. George’s and I do stroll around my community freely and with a camera all the time, simply because I never know what I will see. Whether it’s the museums, the views, the forts, the flora and fauna, I always find something. Clearly you do not understand that some tourists like architecture, history, nature, rock formations and peace etc. My comment was mainly to state that the ending could have finished in St. George’s and generated some much needed revenue to the businesses that are really struggling. Also other freelance artists and vendors could have set up and also gotten a little piece of the pie. Especially the young entrepreneurs out there. Do I feel that the St. George’s tourism product can be improved? Sure. However, if those businesses are not given equal and ample opportunity like Dockyard, how can these businesses invest the money to improve the product. We are a World Heritage SIte, do we not deserve something better than the scraps of the tourism industry that we have been receiving? My comment is quite logical, and I did say that I am excited that The Amazing Race is making a stop here, however I just think the benefits of this show being here, need to be shared around a little more fairly.