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What do you get when you cross a BMX bike, two skateboards, and a shopping cart?
The California Chariot: America’s hottest new ride

San Diego, February 11, 2001 – Move over rollerblades, step aside skateboards, make way for some radically extreme scooters. Since its launch in June 1997, the California Chariot has created much hype in Southern California and is set to take the whole country by storm at the American International Toy Fair in New York this February 11-15 (Booth 4721).

Brainchild of well-known toy inventor Mark Rappaport, the California Chariot is touted as Southern California’s hippest new toy for children six and up. Though Rappaport has invented a number of big sellers, the Chariot marks the first time he is marketing his own product.

The California Chariot, with three wheels and dual footboards sitting just 3.5 inches off the ground, can reach speeds of 18 mph on flat ground. The geometry of the three wheels and the position of the rider give the Chariot its unusually stable and smooth ride. Rappaport designed the Chariot to be as easy to ride as a shopping cart – a rider just steps on and glides.

"It’s ideal for this particular age group because there is no learning curve," says Rappaport. "Now anyone can enjoy the thrill reserved only for competent in-line skaters or seasoned skateboarders."

" I’ve always been afraid to ride a skateboard but with the Chariot it’s so easy," says one young rider. "Now I know what it feels like to whoosh down the street."

The retailers love the California Chariot too. " The California Chariot is one of our best sellers. We can’t keep them on the shelves and we’re constantly getting requests for more," says John Naisbitt of Thinker Things Toy Store in Del Mar, California, who has been selling the California Chariot for the past two years.

The California Chariot is currently distributed through specialty stores in 46 states across the United States, but Rappaport has big plans for his sought after product. The Skoooch, a tike sized version of the California Chariot (geared to children ages three to six), was launched at the 1999 American International Toy Fair. A larger version for adults called the Grand Chariot will be launched at this years International Toy Fair. This year, the California Chariot plans to expand into Japan, Europe and Canada.

Rappaport has developed an impressive track record for inventing mega-hits over the past 17 years, including Nerf’s Bow and Arrow, Turbo Screamer, Max Forcer Hornet, Air Zones Micro Shot Rapid Fire, Jump n’ Jam Disc-stroyer, Sponge Blaster, Vortex’s Mega Spin, the new Vortex T3 (endorsed by John Elway), Rawling’s Power Pitch N’ Hit and the new Vortex Power Bat (endorsed by Mark McGwire).

U.S. Patent # 5, 785,331

Foreign Patents Pending

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