ITPMAN Triathlon Raises Funds for Bleeding Disorder

Some 500 Endurance athletes and multisports enthusiasts will be converging on the beautiful town of Darien, CT on September 27 to be in a great race for a great cause - the 4^th Annual Darien Sport Shop ITPMAN Triathlon to benefit the ITP Foundation.

The ITP Foundation, which battles a rare bleeding disorder called ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura) in children, is a Darien-based non-profit. The triathlon is one of its major fund raisers, helping it to continue its programs to fund medical research, help families with children and adolescents with ITP and raise aware of the disorder.

Participants in the 2008 Darien Sport Shop ITPMAN Triathlon will swim 0.5 miles, bike 15.0 miles and run 5.0 miles. Both professional and amateur triathletes are welcome , as are relay teams. Registration and complete details are available now at www.active.com. The fee for USAT participants is $100; non-USAT members registration is $110. Registration will close at 500 athletes.

Evonne Klein, 1sxt Selectwoman o Darien, stated in a release that "the Darien Sport Shop ITPMAN Triathlon has quickly become an institution in our community. I am delighted to welcome more participants to our beautiful town every year. While enjoying the surroundings, their participation benefits such a worthwhile cause."

Christopher Landino, the Foundation's Executive Director, praised the Darien Sport Shop, which is the Title Sponsor of the event for the fourth year. "As area athletes know, Darien Sport Shop is synonymous with quality, and the Foundation is proud to have Darien Sport Shops imprimatur of quality on the ITPMAN Triathlon. Their generosity in helping the ITP Foundation help children with this bleeding disorder is greatly appreciated."

"I have been proud to support the ITPMAN triathalon since its inception and particularly pleased that it has grown in popularity each year," said Gina Zangrillo, President, Darien Sport Shop. "This translates in the end to greater donations to assist this worthy cause while bringing a notable athletic event to our community."

For more information, please contact the ITP Foundation at (203) 655-6954 or chris@itpfoundation.org.

Members of the Darien Sport Shop ITPMAN Triathlon Committee include Craig Butler, Sue Fegelman, Eneas Freyre, Nancy Freyre, Dan Honig, Christopher Landino, Nick Logan, Maja McGuire, Michael E. McGuire, Jr., Eric Opdyke, Jessi Stensland, Matt Vinoski.

About ITP and the ITP Foundation

ITP is a disorder of the blood that involves the immune system and occurs in about 4 in 100,000 children, causing spontaneous bruising and/or bleeding throughout the body. The ITP Foundation is a non-profit organization established to raise awareness of ITP, fund ITP research and help families with children and adolescents who have ITP and need financial assistance to manage and treat this dangerous bleeding disorder. The Foundation takes an active role in raising awareness of ITP through outreach efforts on both national and local levels. This is done through sporting, social and educational events. The primary focus is on sponsorship of endurance athletes who raise funds for the ITP Foundation.

About Darien Sport Shop

The Darien Sport Shop has been a landmark in the Darien downtown business district since Steve Zangrillo founded it in 1946. After more than six decades of service to the community, this family business that started as a single room sporting goods store has grown to include specialty departments offering mens, womens and childrens fashions, several designer boutiques, a premier collection of sports apparel and equipment as well as seasonal ski and snowboard rentals. The Darien Sport Shop is dedicated to being a good neighbor in the communities it serves and helps others through numerous outreach initiatives. For more information, please contact the Darien Sport Shop at (203) 655-2575 or log on to www.dariensport.com