First Annual River City Sports Festival a Big Hit, on Course for Years to Come to Promote Amateur Athletics & Showcase Mason City, Iowa

Online, May 14, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Ronin' Productions LLC is pleased to announce today that the First Annual River City Sports Festival [RCSF] was a successful event, in particular for placing the spotlight brightly on Mason City, Iowa, where last weekend it was all about celebrating amateur sports in action. After a good turnout and the captivating performances of the athletes during the nine amateur competitions, the overall vision of the three-day, multi-sport event became clearer and more focused on the end game.

As a result of sharpening that vision for promoting amateur athletics and showcasing Mason City as a destination for sports enthusiasts of all ages, Ronin', the presenter of the event, Visit Mason City, and other local supporters are already marking their calendars for the next River City Sports Festival.

Next year's festival is slated to take place May 15 -17, 2015. The competitions will again play out at North Iowa Area Community College [NIACC], as well as at other local venues supported by Mason City Sports and Recreation and area hosts and sponsors.

Although the lineup of tournaments is not yet finalized for next year, event promoters are already looking to add to the mix soccer, rugby, golf, dodge ball, table tennis and catamaran racing. To round out the competitions to be offered, promoters are seeking input from sports enthusiasts across the country. Ronin' is requesting that suggestions be sent via email to [email protected].

Sonny Onoo, chairman of Ronin' and a resident of Mason City, shared with everyone last weekend that the turnout for the event, which also delivered a professional wrestling show for the athletes and spectators, was resoundingly good.

"Most of the tournaments had excellent participation," Onoo said. "There are other event competitions that we will be evaluating during the next few months. All in all, we are very positive in regard to the outcome. Like anything that is launched for the first time and with the premise of having staying power and elements of giving back to the community, I think there's room for us to grow. Without a doubt, though, we showed everyone who was a part of this celebration what a friendly town Mason City is, and will always be."

This year, the River City Sports Festival, sponsored by Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers, provided both individual and team competitors an opportunity to participate in tournaments that included archery, basketball, dance, karate, power lifting, roller derby, softball, tennis and wrestling. Competitions were held at NIACC, while Mason City Parks and Recreation hosted the softball, tennis and roller derby tournaments, and the Mohawk Archery Club hosted the archery contests.

Last Saturday night, May 10, in the gym at NIACC, former WWE, WCW as well as current TNA and IPW superstars entered the squared circle to entertain the RCSF crowd. The spectacular, action-packed show was the first-ever pro wrestling event to be held in Mason City, and it was a way of rewarding the athletes for being a part of history, according to Onoo, formerly of the WCW.

Rumble in River City featured a card that included former WCW superstar Ernest "The Cat" Miller; female pro wrestling icon Gorgeous George; Disco Inferno; former NFL Atlanta Falcons cheerleader and WCW Nitro Girl Chae; and TNA Superstar Garett Bischoff, the son of pro wrestling icon Eric Bischoff; as well as superstars of Impact Pro Wrestling of Iowa. Also appearing as a special guest during the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament was former UCLA and NBA Los Angeles Lakers star Tracy Murray. AJ Ellingson, sports director at KIMT, a CBS TV affiliate in Mason City, and Larry Collins, a local school teacher and restaurant entrepreneur, served as guest managers during the main event.

Onoo is confident that RCSF will continue to proudly display his hometown for many years to come.

He said: "I now know for sure that this event has great potential, and is no longer just a dream of mine and others in the community. We are well on our way to make this an annual event in the area and to grow it to a level achieved by other multi-sport events across the country."

About River City Sports Festival
The River City Sports Festival [RCSF] is a presentation of Ronin' Productions LLC, and is sponsored by Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers. Ronin' is positioning the RCSF as an annual event in the Mason City area and is growing it to a level achieved by other multi-sport events, such as "The Arnold" and "Mr. Olympia." Each of the competitions in 2014 were run by a director who has managed other tournaments specific to his/her sport at the local, regional and national levels. The tournaments began May 9 and ran through May 11, 2014. Ronin' is a partner with the Visit Mason City Visitors Bureau on this historic amateur event, which is also sponsored and supported by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the North Iowa Sports Authority. For more information throughout the year, visit www.RCSportsFestival.com. For the latest updates, like River City Sports Festival on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.