The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, is delighted to announce a long-term partnership with Matchsports, a joint effort that will see the 'Race to the Clouds' broadcast live for the next decade, starting with the race's 95th running on Sunday, June 25, 2017.
Despite the PPIHC's 100 year history, this prestigious event has only been broadcast on a delayed basis to date. The uniquely challenging environment on Pikes Peak, until now, thwarted all attempts to produce the high-quality live broadcast that the race and its fans deserve. After a long and exhaustive search to ?nd the right broadcast partner, the PPIHC has spent the past 12 months working closely with SBI Media (Matchsports' Swiss Parent) to develop a solution to overcome the technical challenges Pikes Peak, America's Mountain, presents and deliver a high-quality live broadcast covering the entire race course from start to finish.
"Last September Matchsports sent a small team from Switzerland to Colorado to test their system on Pikes Peak. After two brief days of testing we were pleasantly surprised to see Matchsports secure a level of connectivity that has never been achieved on Pikes Peak," stated PPIHC Executive Director, Megan Leatham. "The technological solution Matchsports has provided is remarkable and we look forward to sharing live action from the Race to the Clouds with fans across the globe in 2017."
"This partnership would not exist without a mutual respect for the mountain and both the PPIHC and Matchsports' full commitment to building a world-class live production," explained James Kalogiros, CEO of Matchsports. "Despite the immense technical design challenges presented by Pikes Peaks' remote location and extreme weather conditions, we are confident the hard work and focus our team has put into designing this broadcast will make it a success. We are excited to work closely with our new partners as well as the local community to provide the Hill Climb with the exposure it has long deserved and share this historic and prestigious event with the world."
The 95th running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be the first event on Matchsports IPTV global calendar. The first year of the partnership will see the PPIHC live-streamed using revolutionary production techniques speci?cally adapted by Matchsports to overcome Pikes Peak's many challenges. Beyond that, the long-term goal of attracting an additional partner in a major TV network to assist in sharing the race with new audiences will be pursued.
About Matchsports: Matchsports harnesses the power of technology to deliver next generation efficiencies to the world of broadcasting. Founded in 2012, Matchsports is a Swiss interactive sports and entertainment broadcaster who design and manufacture hardware and software products in the digital media space.
Dynamic connectivity, remote area production and end user interactivity were the key pillars of the Matchsports vision well before its founding in 2012, with the original plan to focus on a series of interactive products for the UCI World Tour. In 2014, the group diversified its strategy and technology to encompass a wider portfolio of sports and events. This has enabled the Group to establish universal-broadcasting solutions for non-sports-specific events globally.
A proficient IPTV content provider that can deliver a TV quality production, Matchsports' goal is to offer consumer audiences new ways to experience events. The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be the Group's flagship event in the United States for 2017, with further events steadily building an international calendar.
About The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb: The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, also known as the Race to the Clouds, is an annual invitational automobile and motorcycle hill climb to the summit of Pikes Peak - America's Mountain - in Colorado, USA that is held annually on the last Sunday of June.
Founded in 1916 by Spencer Penrose (also the founder of The Broadmoor Hotel, Pikes Peak Highway and El Pomar Foundation), the PPIHC takes place on a 12.42 mile (19.99 km) public toll-road boasting 156 turns, while competitors climb 4,720 ft. (1,440 m.) from the 9,390 ft. (2,862 m.) Start Line at Mile 7 marker on the Pikes Peak Highway to the 14,115 ft. (4,300 m) Finish Line at the mountain's summit. As the drivers and riders climb toward the summit, the thin air slows reflexes and saps competitors' mental and muscle strength, in addition to robbing internal combustion engines of up to 30% of the power they are capable of at the Start Line. Competitors and their vehicles must be in top shape and condition simply to finish, let alone win.
The race is self-sanctioned and is the most diverse one day motorsports event in the world with everything from Sidecars, Motorcycles, and 1,400+hp Electric Vehicle & Unlimited racers being able to compete in the same event.
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