Sustainable Drinking

I am sure you’ve seen packaging marked as BPA-free. But do you know what a BPA is and why it matters?

BPA, or bisphenol A, is an organic compound often found in plastic. The Food and Drug Administration in the USA released a report in 2010 questioning the safety of BPA’s use in food packaging and in September Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance.

Here’s what Kor Water have to say about BPA:

Bisphenol-A, also known as BPA, is a chemical that is commonly used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate is the most common type of plastic used in clear water bottles. BPA has been linked to a variety of health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and early onset of puberty. The longer a liquid sits in a container made with BPA, the more of it leaches into that liquid. The hotter the liquid and the older the container, the faster this leaching occurs. 

The controversy over BPA has escalated in recent years as more scientific data has accumulated. While government agencies such as the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) have called for a ban on BPA, the Food and Drug Administration believes these measures are premature and that more research is required. 

As a company, we place the utmost priority on the health safety of our products. While there is still debate over the health impact of BPA, we didn't want to leave anything to chance. That's why none of our products contain BPA. 

Want to go BPA-free? You can get a Kor bottle from any Sports Fever store.

Fundraise and Ride for Free

Want to ride for free in this year's HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma? Simply register for the HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma, enter in all your details but do not pay for your registration. Once you have registered then set up an Everyday Hero Fundraising Page, fundraise or donate $200 or more and you will qualify to ride for free!

Two hundred dollars is an achievable target and one that will change the future for those living with asthma in WA. Please support the Asthma Foundation of WA by starting your efforts to raise $200 for Asthma by March 2011.

Your contribution will go directly towards education and support services for asthma sufferers, their parents and carers. It will also allow us to continue funding research in the hope that one day, we WILL find a cure.

For tips and hints on how to successfully fundraise email the Asthma Foundation of WA at bikehike@asthmawa.org.au and they will send through all the information you need!

HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma

Start Sunday 20th March 2011 with a great ride on the Freeway. The 7th Annual HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma is on and offers three fantastic and challenging events for those of all ages!

If you're a keen cyclist, then why not try the 60km ride from Kwinana Train Station? Looking for an exciting experience then try the 30km ride from Belmont Park that goes through the Graham Farmer Tunnel?

If you're just looking for something to do with the whole family then the 10km City of Joondalup Family ride is for you!

All three events finish in the City of Joondalup CBD. Entries are now available online, so please add this date in your diary and make sure you are a part of one of the largest mass participation cycling events in Australia!

All HBF Members receive a 15% discount on online entry fees. For more information, to register online or download an offline entry form at www.freewaybikehike.com.au.

Participants who enter before the 4th March will have the option to have their participant pack posted to them and save you time queuing on the day.

2011 Smokefree Perth Criteriums

Inspired by the Oz Open?

With The Australian Tennis Open inspiring many to take to the sport, tennis players can get an advantage via Sports Medicine Australia’s Preventing Tennis Injuries Fact Sheet.

The rate of tennis injuries has been calculated at five injuries per 1,000 hours of participation. The most common injuries are to the lower limbs – ankle, knee and thigh.

“Every year once The Australian Tennis Open is over and won people are inspired to start playing tennis, often without appropriate preparation. Sadly, this is a recipe for injury,” Sports Medicine Australia’s spokesperson, Dr Anita Green said.

“However many common tennis injuries can be prevented by undertaking good preparation in the form of hydration, warming up, using appropriate equipment and practising good technique,” Dr Green said.

Sports Medicine Australia offers these tips to get prepared and minimise the risk of tennis injury:

• Always warm up, stretch and cool down
• Maintain an adequate fitness level. Undertake specific conditioning and training exercises that simulate tennis (i.e. acceleration, deceleration, twisting, turning and stretching).
• Seek instruction from a qualified coach to develop correct skills and techniques.
• Avoid over-repetition of any one type of shot. Practise a range of strokes including groundstrokes, serves, return of serves, overhead smashes and volleys.
• Use a racquet suitable for your style of play and physical capabilities.
• Check and maintain the playing surface to ensure it is in good condition and free of hazards. A tennis ground checklist can help.
• Seek professional advice on footwear.
• Be sun smart to protect from heat injury. Wear sun-protective clothing, a hat, sunglasses and SPF 30+ sunscreen.

To download the Preventing Tennis Injuries Fact Sheet visit sma.org.au. Sports Fever is here to help with offering professional advice on footwear and if you're getting in to tennis make sure you swing by our Cottesloe store and check out our Wilson concept area and stringing machine!

City of Perth Triathlon 2011 Video

If you were part of the City of Perth Triathlon 2011, make sure you watch this great video to see if you made it on camera. If not, check out all the action to see what went down on the day and maybe give some thought about competing in the next one!

While you're at it, hit comment below to tell us what you thought of this year's event. Did the cyclone warnings scare you off?

Rotto Swim turns 21

Safety is the key message as the WAtoday Rottnest Channel Swim turns 21. Rottnest Channel Swim Association president Raymond Yong said 2011 was shaping up as the best swim yet.

“We’ve put an added emphasis on safety because we have a full ballot of swimmers,” Raymond said.

“That means not only will there be thousands of swimmers on the water, there will also be lots of boats and paddlers supporting them. Once again we want to make sure everyone gets to Rottnest in great shape.

“To do that, our emphasis is on making sure skippers know they are the key ingredient to their swimmer’s safety and the safety of those swimmers in their immediate vicinity, all the way to Rottnest.”

Early on Saturday, February 26, 2300 swimmers will take to the waters at Cottesloe Beach for the 19.7km swim across the Indian Ocean to Rottnest Island. Raymond said the 20th anniversary of the swim last year was a milestone and testament to the continued enthusiasm into the event’s 21st year for all swimmers – whether they have been in every event, or just made their channel debut.

“It’s such an iconic event on Western Australia’s calendar and indeed on the international swimming calendar,” he said. “We’re excited about the continued support from swimmers who want to be part of the event, so we’re working very hard to make sure our preparation for the day is thorough.”

Event details:
Date: Saturday, February 26, 2011
Start: Cottesloe Beach from 5.45am. Last swimmers leave the beach at 7.30am.
Finish: Thomson Bay, Rottnest. First swimmers are expected from 9.45am. Last swimmers must hit the beach by 5pm.