While hundreds of athletes vie for the gold in London, the strength of local law enforcement, businesses and others will be on display Saturday as they compete at the 6th Annual Plane Pull at the Long Beach Airport.
With a common goal of raising more than $75,000 for the Special Olympics, at least 30 teams consisting of 25 members each are set to contend against one another by seeing which can pull a 164,000-pound FedEx Airbus 310 down a dozen feet of tarmac the fastest.
Last year’s winner, Long Beach Motor Patrol, will defend their trophy title against Long Beach SWAT and previous “Fastest Pull” winner, Fed Ex.
In addition to team trophies, the top fundraiser will receive two free roundtrip Jet Blue airline tickets. Spots are still available and individuals from the community are encouraged to register online or at the event Saturday, starting at 8 a.m.
The voiceover department of Beverly Hills-based talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, is excited to participate, said Team Captian Steve Sirkis, in a statement.
“I love the cause as it makes such a difference in the lives of the athletes,” said Sirkis in a statement. “Through our company, we are passionate about giving back, and the Plane Pull sounded just plain fun for all of us to let loose, have a great time, but also give back to charity!”
Free T-shirts and lunch will be provided to participants while the Olympic Village will offer children the chance to take part in their own Pee Wee Pull, hosted by the California Highway Patrol and the Special Olympics, in addition to games, live DJ music and food truck fare.
A High Flying Classics Car and Motorcycle Show is also taking place from 8 a.m. to noon in the Boeing parking lot behind the airport, as well as a trophy ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
In the four decades since its inception, the Special Olympics have offered year-round sports training and competition to more than 11,500 children and adults from 11 counties across Southern California.
Designed for children and adults with learning disabilities, the games increase physical fitness, motor skills, self-confidence and help cultivate a more positive self-image, according to their web site. For more information about the Special Olympics, including how to compete, donate, volunteer or coach, click here.
The Long Beach Airport is located at 2019 E. Wardlow Rd., Long Beach, CA 90807. For more event information, click here.
The Plane Pull is sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Tesoro, SEIU Local 99, FedEx, CHP, JetBlue, Wescom, US Bank, Long Beach Airport and Uso's Family, according to a statement.
