Each year four select ORC members are chosen to represent Orlando as part of the Sister City "Cultural Exchange" Program with Urayasu, Japan. The four chosen members travel to compete in the Tokyo Bay 1/2 Marathon in early February and in return the Urayasu Runners Club sends four select members to participate in the OUC 1/2 Marathon in early December. 

The ORC members are chosen using the following criteria:
  • Member of the club for 1 year
  • Club involvement
  • ORC Challenge Standings
  • Ability to represent the ORC
  • One male, one female over 40
  • One male, one female under 40

 

The trip is usually for six days (including travel) with hotel and airfare included for each chosen representative. All other expenses are the representative's responsibility. Additional friends and family may attend at their expense.

2008 ORC Representatives will be:
  • Michele Brackett
  • Tom Ward
  • Stacey Bartos
  • Karl Barrus

More photos....
JapanChristmas2006 2007 Urayasu Representatives were:
  • Mr. Shigeyuki Yanagida and his wife Emiko
  • Mr. Hiroki Zaizen
  • Ms. Shoko Nakano and her children Akari and Shotaro
  • Ms. Kaeko Muroi, her husband Yuusaku, son Ryosuke and her daughter

Several of our ORC members that have had the privilege of traveling to Japan have shared their experiences.  Follow the links below to see how they remember these wonderful trips.

Dave Warren - 2006

Karl-Heinrich Barsch - 2006

Mike Rothwell - 2002, Part 2

Chris Lipscomb - 2002