SPEED RACK ANNOUNCES FIFTH NATIONAL TOUR

Serious stirring and shaking is about to happen, thanks to the return of Speed Rack, the all-female speed-bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer.  The fifth national tour kicks-off on November 15, 2015 in the United States and travels to eight cities – Chicago, New York, San Antonio, Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Boston before crowning a winner at the Speed Rack U.S. Finals in New York in May 2016. After two successful years in the U.K. and a launch in Canada, Speed Rack is the largest network in the industry for female bartenders reaching hundreds of women each year and raising thousands for breast cancer research.  

Equal parts spectator sport, cocktail bonanza and charity fundraiser, Speed Rack is the brainchild of two of the cocktail world’s leading ladies, Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, who were named two of the “Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink” by Food & Wine and Fortune magazines in 2015.  Founded in 2011, Speed Rack has raised more than $350,000 globally for breast cancer charities and elevated top female bartenders in America and abroad who go shaker-to-shaker competing for industry glory and the Speed Rack title.  

“Speed Rack shines a spotlight on female mixologists thriving behind bars around the world and the fifth national tour will visit new cities and old favorites, each with a unique cocktail scene,” says Marrero. “Speed Rack is a cocktail competition for the ladies – one that celebrates women, was created by women and supports women, in and out of the spirits industry. And while we are at it, the competition raises money for breast cancer and donates 100% of the proceeds from each event directly to breast cancer charities.” 

The 2015-2016 Speed Rack tour schedule will be:  

United States

Chicago – Sunday, November 15, 2015
New York – Sunday, December 13, 2015
San Antonio – Tuesday, January 12, 2015
Seattle – Sunday, January 31, 2016
San Francisco – Sunday, February 21, 2016
Las Vegas – Sunday, March 6, 2016
Nashville – Sunday, March 20, 2016
Boston – Sunday, April 3, 2016
New York, Speed Rack National Finals – June 2016
 

International

Projected cities and countries for 2015-2016 include Paris and Australia, with a return to Vancouver, British Columbia, and London, England. 

Contestants compete in timed heats to make rounds of cocktails, culled from a list of 50 accepted industry-standard classic recipes, in front of a panel of judges and a crowd of excited viewers. Judges rate each drink based on time and accuracy. The United States judging panel includes cocktail world luminaries such as Julie Reiner, Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich and Audrey Saunders, culinary authorities such as Kate Krader of Food & Wine magazine, notable chefs and celebrated writers.   

The founding partners of BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) will reward Miss Speed Rack USA, crowned at the Speed Rack U.S. Finals, a scholarship to its five-day program. The grand prize will be announced at each event.  

Charity beneficiaries to date have included SHARE cancer support, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Susan G Love, The Helen David Foundation and others.  

Additional information can be found on the Speed Rack website, www.speed-rack.com; on Facebook, www.facebook/speedrackinfo, and on Twitter, @speed_rack using the hashtag #BacktheRack. Check out the antics at last year’s regional heats by visiting: http://www.speed-rack.com/videos and http://bit.ly/1cIrwLH. The 2015-2016 tour is filmed videos by Le JIT Productions with event execution by Double Barrel Consulting.
 
The first international competition designed to highlight up-and-coming women in the cocktail industry, and give back to those impacted by breast cancer, Speed Rack taps top female bartenders in leading cocktail markets and puts them head to head in timed challenges – all for the purpose of raising funds for breast cancer charities and other charities supporting breast cancer research, education and prevention. To date, Speed Rack has raised more than $350,000 globally. Speed Rack, Inc. was created by produced by nationally acclaimed bartenders and industry ambassadors, Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix. For more information visit: http://www.speed-rack.com.