26-Year-Old Ida Bernstein Wins 'LIVE! with Regis and Kelly's' 2010 High Heel-a-Thon

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- On today's "LIVE! with Regis and Kelly," 26-year-old Ida Bernstein of Cockeysville, MD ran away with the win during LIVE's 2010 High Heel-a-thon in Central Park.  The Maryland grad student finished the 150-yard sprint in a remarkable 19.12 seconds, setting a new course record and winning the grand prize of an All-New 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, plus a special surprise $10,000 check.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100922/LA69949)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100922/LA69949)

Rebecca Sorenson of Ft. Collins, Colorado, walked away with $5,000 as the 2nd place finisher, and 3rd place runner Anna Carr of Destin, FL was awarded $2,500. In the men's race, 2008 High Heel-a-thon winner Shane Neil of Brooklyn, NY returned and successfully defended his title, winning $1,000 in prize money.  In addition, this year's High Heel-a-thon was powered by Zappos.com, and the online fashion retailer teamed up with "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn (roving correspondent for the event) to present the "Best Dressed" award.  Cat Berkowitz of Waxhaw, NC, was rewarded for her stylish ensemble with a snazzy trophy and a $1,000 Zappos.com gift certificate.  And in keeping with the overall footwear theme, all finishers were able to take home a pair of Seychelles shoes from the Zappos.com booth.

Other notable participants were LIVE's own Kelly Ripa, who finished with a time of 29.77 seconds, wearing a pair of 3-inch LaDuca heels;  Broadway, film and TV star Kristin Chenoweth, completing the course in 48.77 seconds; and "90210" beauty AnnaLynne McCord, with a time of 36.92 seconds.

Even those who didn't place in the competition could feel great about participating, as proceeds from the 2010 High Heel-a-thon benefited the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in support of The Heart Truth® campaign for women's heart health education and research. At the end of the event, Philbin and Ripa presented the organization with a check for $63,000.

Established in 1999, Zappos.com, operated by Zappos Development Inc., has quickly become the leading destination in online apparel and footwear sales by striving to provide shoppers with the best possible service and selection.  The Zappos Family generates gross merchandise sales exceeding $1 billion annually. Zappos.com currently showcases millions of products from over 1000 clothing and shoe brands. Zappos.com, Inc. was recognized in 2009 and 2010 by FORTUNE MAGAZINE as one of the "100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR". More information about the customer service philosophy, unique culture, and job openings can be found at http://about.zappos.com. More information about Zappos Insights and its business membership program can be found at http://www.zapposinsights.com. 

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Eos, Golf, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Passat, Passat Wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2010 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

The Heart Truth® is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Through the campaign, the NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health awareness movement that is being embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women.   The centerpiece of The Heart Truth is the Red Dress, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by NHLBI. The Red Dress® reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action. To learn more, visit www.hearttruth.gov.

"LIVE! with Regis and Kelly" is executive produced by Michael Gelman, and is distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Produced by WABC-TV in New York, "Live with Regis and Kelly" airs every weekday morning in more than 200 markets across the country.

SOURCE LIVE! with Regis and Kelly