Any visit to the Willamette Valley starts with the memory of legendary University of Oregon distance runner Steve Prefontaine, a native Oregonian who transformed the world of track and field in the early 1970’s. After his death, Pre’s legacy would live on as Eugene and Hayward Field hosted countless world-class track events, including the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1972, 1976 and 1980. In 2008, Eugene emphatically reclaimed its “Tracktown, U.S.A.” title with a magnificent staging of the Olympic Trials that connected the sport’s past, present and future.  Not surprisingly, the trials will return to Eugene in 2012.

Best known as the tranquil setting for Oregon’s wine country, the expansive Willamette Valley is now home to its very own Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon, launching this year on Labor Day weekend. Runners from across the country have a chance to experience both the magnificent scenery and the renowned wineries of the Yamhill Valley, as the course winds through the Dundee Hills and concludes in winery-laden downtown Carlton, where a finish line festival of wine, food and fun awaits.

The otherwise serene Willamette Valley becomes a true hotbed for college football on Saturday afternoons in the fall as the University of Oregon and Oregon State University play host to raucous crowds and big-time foes. The two Pac-10 universities are now among the best football programs in the entire country, and they also offer a number of first-class athletic venues. In addition to the Olympic Trials, Hayward Field will host the NCAA Track & Field Championships for the ninth time in 2010, while Gill Coliseum at Oregon State University recently hosted the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.

Highlighted by Oregon State University’s dramatic run to back-to-back College Baseball World Series titles, the Willamette Valley has quickly grown into a baseball and softball hotbed. In addition to NCAA baseball and softball regionals, the region has hosted the American Legion Baseball World Series and NCAA Division II Softball Championships. The Willamette Valley is also home to two minor league baseball teams, the Eugene Emeralds and Minor League Baseball’s 2006 “Team of the Year,” the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

In the summer of 2010, Eugene will host a major international basketball event, the FIMBA Pan-American Championships, staged for the first time in North America.  Hundreds of masters basketball athletes, coaches, families and fans will descend upon Eugene-Springfield for nine days of competition, camaraderie and culture.

The Willamette Valley is also home to “the world’s best skatepark” in Newberg, and offers recreational enthusiasts a myriad of opportunities for cycling, canoeing, kayaking and snow sports. Check out the additional information in the column to the right and then head north to the Portland metro area, where more big-time sports activity awaits.