V Foundation tennis, golf, biking events come to NC

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V Foundation tennis, golf, biking events come to NC

By Ryan Craig

Aug 7, 2008

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It's August in North Carolina, which means it's time to welcome back the V Foundation for Cancer Research and it's athletic fundraisers to the Tar Heel state.

The third annual Racquets for Research Tennis Tournament, third annual Ride for Research Bike Ride, and 15th annual Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic will all take place over the next two weekends. The events raise money to fund cancer research nationwide, a mission that has been the Foundation's charge since it was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano.

The tennis tournament, the first of the events on the schedule, will take place on August 9 at the Cary Tennis Park. Players can show up at 8:30am for a warmup clinic with the pros before beginning play an hour later.

Registration is $200 per team, which includes an event T-shirt, breakfast, lunch and a gift bag, as well as a chance to play with tennis legends Tom Wilkinson and Tom Gullikson. You can sign up for the event online at www.firstgiving.com/jimmyv.

The following day, the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., will host the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic. The Classic will be played on courses number 1, 2 and 4, and is set to tee off at 9am. The gates will open for spectators at 8:30am - tickets are $5 and include a Carolina Hurricanes appreciation game coupon. Tickets can be purchased at TicketMaster or by calling (919) 834-4000.

This year's event will feature celebrities such as Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, N.C. State head men's basketball coach Sidney Lowe and former Redskins offensive lineman and current ESPN football analyst Mark May.

The three-event tour wraps up the next weekend with the Ride for Research Bike Ride on August 17 at the Koka Booth Amphitheater. The event will include a number of road tours, a safety rodeo for young riders, a swap meet, and rides and activities for both novice and experienced cyclists.

The first round of riders will depart from the site at 7am, with the second group scheduled to begin three hours later. The safety rodeo is slated to begin at 1pm. Registration is $50, and can be paid online at www.firstgiving.com/jimmyv.