Mermaid Series launches the next episode of virtual challenges on sodisp.com

November 17, 2020

The RACE TO 2021, a 61 day virtual challenge is keeping participants active, engaged and moving throughout the holidays; Event hosted on the sodisp.com virtual platform

San Jose, CA (November 17, 2020) The Mermaid Series, a women’s focused triathlon and running race series has partnered with sodisp.com to provide an engaging and enhanced virtual experience for participants from across the globe with the RACE TO 2021. The 61 day challenge is leveraging the technology and virtual platform built by Sodisp.com. The platform provides events with live leaderboards, interactive maps, event badges, personalized participant profiles, auto-syncing to Strava, Garmin and FitBit as well as manual entries.

After the COVID19 shutdown, the Mermaid Series hosted an all virtual 5K, 10K and Half Marathon in place of their cancelled in-person events. While the virtual event filled the void, it was still lacking a live element and atmosphere compared to the in-person events. That’s where partnering with sodisp.com came in and really enhanced the experience. For their next event, the Mermaid Series launched the Run Across California on sodisp.com and immediately realized the game changing experience the platform provided. With over 2,300 participants and 365 teams participating in the virtual journey from Lake Tahoe to Ocean Beach in San Francisco it was critical that the virtual platform be intuitive, engaging and easy to use for the participants.

“We were looking for a way to increase engagement and provide a ‘live’ feel to the virtual experience. Sodisp.com was the perfect partner to work with. Their live leaderboard, participant tracking, auto-sync and customizable features really knocked it out of the park. Participants have raved about how connected they felt to the event and how the event has kept them motivated during the pandemic,” said Carlo Facchino, Founder of the Mermaid Series. “When you see participants checking the leaderboard and their personal profile three to six times a day it’s a true testament to the virtual platform. Participants can earn badges and even interact with each other by liking or commenting on someone’s achievements. You don’t see that type of engagement on other platforms.”

Sodisp.com offers a platform where every organization can host their own virtual event or challenge. Key features are the interactive map, leaderboard (team and individual), integration with all registration systems, profiles, badges, ability to sync to Strava, Garmin, FitBit, and a manual entry option. Facchino notes, “The technology behind your virtual platform will be the key driving force for your participant engagement. Choosing the right virtual platform, like sodisp.com can really distinguish your event’s virtual experience from the rest.” Sodisp continues to build features that are centered around participant engagement and will be adding Polar, Suunto and COROS integration in the near future.

Host your virtual challenge on sodisp

Hosting a virtual challenge on sodisp is easy; using the powerful self-service tools you can go live within a day! Please reach out to us to discuss the white-label or tailor-made solutions we offer. Non-profits and smaller events can host their first challenge for free. Contact us (or request a demo) at hello@sodisp.com to learn how we can support you with your virtual challenge.

About Mermaid Series: The Mermaid Series provides a positive and encouraging environment that inspires women from all backgrounds to experience the joy of crossing the finish line. Based in California, the Mermaid Series hosts events in the San Francisco bay area, San Diego, Colorado and Washington.

About sodisp: The name sodisp is short for social distancing sports. sodisp.com is launched in May of 2020 by the founder of the largest running app and community in The Netherlands and with over 10 years of experience in the endurance sport events industry. sodisp.com is the latest platform to combine gamification with outdoor sports to allow its users to enjoy the great outdoors, even in this challenging post-corona era. Feel free to contact us at hello@sodisp.com.