LouLife

It was a history-making week/files/storyimages/for Kentucky Derby Festival events as the youngest pilot ever captured the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race on Sunday, May 1, and three male competitors won races for the third consecutive year in the Meijer miniMarathon and Marathon on Saturday, April 30.

Despite some weather-related postponements, the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race went off under sunny skies from the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center on Sunday. Forty-eight balloons lifted off from the fairgrounds in pursuit of the "Hare" balloon, which landed an hour later in a subdivision off Pope Lick Road in the Middletown area. Twenty-year-old Nick Donner tossed his bag of Bluegrass seed just one foot, three inches from the target and became the youngest pilot to win the longstanding Derby Festival tradition. On Saturday, more than 25,000 people gathered on a muddy field at KFEC to see the static luminary of the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Rock-n-Glow, which featured live music and an Elvis soundtrack by 103.1 WRKA.

In Saturday's Meijer races, Teddy Mitchell won his third straight miniMarathon, Charles Njeru set a course record in winning his third consecutive Marathon and Chad Johnson took his third consecutive Marathon wheelchair division title.  Njeru, a native of Kenya, beat his own course record in the 26.2-mile race, winning in 2:17:44. Former Western Kentucky University runner Bonita Paul won the mini in her first attempt and Jill Knesh of Homer City, Pa., took the Marathon title. Husband and wife Nick Grider and Amy Doolittle-Crider each finished third in the mini.

Also on Saturday, Pikeville High School defeated Russell High School in the finals of the Derby Festival Foundation Academic Challenge in the Junior Varsity-High School Division and Johnson County beat Lexington's Winburn in the finals of the Middle School Division. Ninety-nine teams took part in the event, answering more than 2,400 questions before the final four teams qualified. Sponsored by Anthem, it was the 17th year for the Academic Challenge, which is one of the largest quick-recall competitions in the country.

Tonight, the Great Bed Races will get rolling at Broadbent Arena as the racing starts at 7 p.m. The competing teams will showcase their beds earlier in the day in the dormitory area for tailgating and practice runs. A pre-race parade inside the arena will begin at 6 p.m. The event, sponsored by Jillian's, requires a Pegasus Pin admission.  It will be hosted by 107.7 SFR and will be broadcast live on WAVE 3 TV, beginning at 7 p.m.

And don't miss the Festival's original wine event - the 27th annual Run for the Rose'.  More than 130 area servers and 35 corporate teams, including a media division, will compete Tuesday at Louisville Slugger Field.   The event is hosted by 102.3 The Max . Admission is a Pegasus Pin.  Come check out all the thrills and spills of one of the Festival's most spirited events.

Tuesday event line-up:

DERBY FESTIVAL RUN FOR THE ROSE'®.  11:30 AM.   Louisville Slugger Field. Admission is a 2005 Pegasus Pin.  $4 Parking at Slugger Field.  Contributing sponsors: Commonwealth Bank & Trust Company, Beringer-Blass Wine Estates, Delta Air Lines, Kentucky Restaurant Association-Louisville Chapter and 102.3 The Max.

REPUBLIC BANK DERBY FESTIVAL PARADE PREVIEW.  5 - 9PM. Kentucky International Convention Center. Admission is a 2005 Pegasus Pin. Floats, inflatables, equestrians and bands for the Pegasus Parade on display. Sponsor: Republic Bank & Trust Company. Contributing sponsors: BellSouth and Kentuckiana Family Magazine.

STOCK YARDS BANK DERBY FESTIVAL PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL EXHIBITION.  6 - 11 PM. Baxter Jack's.  Admission is a 2005 Pegasus Pin.  Sponsor:  Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company.  Contributing sponsors: 99.7 WDJX, ASICS and Mikasa. Coordinated by The Volleyball Connection/Tandem Sport.

DERBY FESTIVAL RAMBLE FOR THE ROSES®.  6 PM.  Five mile walk starting at the Iroquois Park Amphitheater.  Contributing sponsors: University Hospital and The New Eagle 104.3. For entry information call (502) 329-0769.  Proceeds to benefit the scholarship programs of the Holy Rosary Foundation, DeSales High School and Holy Cross High School.

FIFTH THIRD BANK DERBY FESTIVAL $1 MILLION DOLLAR HOLE-IN-ONE GOLF CONTEST  FINALS.  6 PM. Seneca Golf Course, Hole #8. Free for spectators.  Sponsor: Fifth Third Bank. Contributing sponsors: PepsiAmericas of Kentuckiana, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, Louisville Water Company, WLKY NewsChannel 32 and 84WHAS.