Inventor of First Hybrid Bike-Scooter-Stairclimber Rides to the Top to Win 10 Million Free Ads on Yahoo!

Yahoo! Search Marketing, formerly Overture Services, today announced that Phoenix-based StairCycle(TM) Innovations was selected from among nearly eight thousand entries as the winner of its national "Think Big" contest. StairCycle, co-founded by cardiovascular ultrasound specialist Craig Ridenhour, offers a first-of-its kind cycle that combines the benefits of stair-step exercise systems and a recreational bicycle.

Sir Richard Branson, world renowned entrepreneur, Chairman and founder of the Virgin Group of companies, served as the official contest judge and selected StairCycle from the finalists chosen by Yahoo! Search Marketing. Sir Richard chose StairCycle for its innovative product, strong business plan and proven ability to "think big." Following the announcement at 11am ET outside the NASDAQ building in New York City's Times Square, Sir Richard and Yahoo! Search Marketing president Ted Meisel will award Ridenhour 10 million free ad impressions across the Yahoo! network to kick-start his global marketing program.

"I was impressed by the entries we received, many describing truly innovative products and sound business practices," said Sir Richard Branson. "At the end of the day, it was StairCycle Innovations and Craig Ridenhour who caught my attention for their inventive product and entrepreneurial spirit. It's obvious that Craig has been thinking big for quite some time, and I am eager to watch StairCycle Innovations reach great success."

"I spent seven years developing the StairCycle to offer people a new and fun way to stay fit, but never had the resources to effectively market it," said Craig Ridenhour, CEO of Staircycle Innovations. "Having the support of Sir Richard Branson and Yahoo's team of experts is a dream come true for me. They've really helped me learn how to use online advertising and search marketing to take my business into the big time."

As the contest winner, Ridenhour has been granted his very own Yahoo! Search Marketing advisory team, which guides him as he creates his specially customized, targeted online advertising campaigns. Yahoo! Search Marketing's array of sponsored search and contextual ads, coupled with Yahoo! graphical ads, will help Staircycle Innovations market its products to millions of U.S. Internet users.

"Yahoo! created the 'Think Big' contest to highlight the power of our search marketing platform to drive real-world results for businesses of all sizes," said Ted Meisel, president, Yahoo! Search Marketing. "We knew that we could count on Sir Richard, one of the world's most creative and successful entrepreneurs, to select a truly 'big thinker' to benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We look forward to helping StairCycle Innovations build brand and category awareness by reaching a vast consumer audience with its story, all the while taking its sales to the next level."

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Author Notes:

Craig Ridenhour contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.fitness-equipment-101.com. As an individual who has always been concerned with personal health and fitness I constantly search the Internet for credible information and advise.