May 12, 2011
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Brought to you this week by the Leslie Jordan, Ashworth Awards, Virtual Race Bags, and Mike Plant and Associates.
Latest News

 

U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Course Modified After Athlete Feedback

RunnersWeb.com

The Houston Marathon Committee and USA Track & Field have announced that the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon course has been modified based on feedback received from athletes and coaches after a first run of the course at the USA Half Marathon Championships last January.  The improved 2012 course will feature a one-time 2.2-mile inner loop followed by an eight-mile loop traversed three times. With only one broad u-turn on the eight-mile loop, faster marathon times are expected. The relatively flat course has a similar configuration to the 2012 Olympic Marathon multi-loop, multi-turn eight-mile course in London. More  
  
Active Network, SGMA to Team Up on Sports Participation Report
Business Wire
The Active Network announced this week that it is teaming up with the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the trade association of leading industry sports, sporting goods and fitness brands, to understand consumer behavior around U.S. sports participation -- why people begin playing, why they continue and why they eventually stop -- as well as insights into the roots of brand loyalty. More
  

New USAT CEO Wants to Raise Governing Body's Profile 

The Gazette 

Intent on using his power as the new chief executive officer of USA Triathlon to increase the crowds at the starting lines, Rob Urbach has spent his first two months on the job trying to determine ways to raise the profile of the Colorado Springs-based national governing body, which boasted an all-time high 134,942 members, $6.8 million in total assets and roughly 50 employees last year.  The revamped slogan of USA Triathlon, adopted by Urbach, is "sharing the win." Urbach wants triumphs at the Olympics, a better return on investment for sponsors, a boost in the coaching ranks, revitalized youth programs and easier dealings for race directors. More 

 

  

Tour of California Prepared for Stage 1 Winter Weather Forecast

Cycling News 

Foul winter weather is predicted to arrive in the high-altitude Sierra Mountains around Lake Tahoe this weekend and could affect the start of the Amgen Tour of California on May 15. AEG Sports, organizers of the eight-day race, have announced that they have come up with alternate plans just in case the weather causes stage one - and potentially even stage two -  route restrictions.  "We're working carefully with all relevant public safety and weather forecast entities," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports."We have developed a number of contingency plans, and when the Sunday weather forecast becomes clearer we will, in consultation with the teams, public safety organizations, and commissares, make a decision which will represent the best and safest course of action." More

  

Nike Signs Sponsorship Deal with Atlanta Marathon 

Atlanta Track Club 

The Atlanta Track Club, organizer of the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay, have announced that Nike has been named the official apparel and shoe sponsor of the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay which will take place on October 30.  As the official apparel and shoe sponsor, Nike will provide participants in the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay with Nike long-sleeve performance shirts. More

 

K-Swiss Reports 1Q Loss Despite Sales Growth 

Business Week 

K-Swiss Inc.'s first-quarter loss widened, dragged down by higher expenses even as revenue improved on better U.S. results. The lost $9.8 million compared with $4.7 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expenses climbed to $40.8 million from $35.3 million. Revenue for the three months ended March 31 rose 10 percent to $72.6 million, helped by better domestic results. More

 

WTC Adds Panama Race to 2012 Ironman 70.3 Schedule 

Xtri.com 

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and BN Sports, LLC, today announced the addition of Ironman 70.3 Panama to its expanding event calendar in 2012. Ironman 70.3 Panama will take place on February 12, 2012, on the Isthmus of Panama and will serve as the Ironman 70.3 Latin American Pro Championship as well as a qualifier for the 2012 Ironman World Championship 70.3 at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, NV.More

 

Easton Bell Reports 1Q Sales Growth in Action Sports Division 

Transworld Business 

Easton Bell, parent company to Giro and Bell, reported  first quarter net sales for its action sports division increased more than 16% to $12.4 million, mainly due to a jump in sales of cycling helmets and accessories, as well as powersports helmet sales to specialty dealers and Giro branded cycling shoes. More

 

Anthem Blue Cross Named Leadman EPIC 250 Sponsor 

EON 

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been named the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Leadman Life Time EPIC 250 Triathlon, taking place in Las Vegas on May 14. "We are pleased to be involved with such an innovative event as it enables us to continue our mission of promoting health and fitness here in Nevada and throughout the community," said Mike Murphy, president and general manager of Anthem in Nevada. More

 

Mardi Gras Marathon Now Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans 

The Times-Picayune 

Beginning in 2012, the former Mardi Gras Marathon will be called Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans.  The race has always had Mardi Gras in the name, being the Mardi Gras Marathon for four decades, and the Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon for the past two years. More 

 

Kimbia Signs Deal to Provide White Rock Marathon Online Registration 

Kimbia 

Kimbia has announced that it has reached an agreement with the MetroPCS Dallas White Rock Marathon to provide online registration and event management for the 2011 race. 

"Kimbia will build the DWRM website, including the on-line registration section. In addition, we are very excited about Kimbia's dynamic on-line fundraising component that we anticipate will help us meet our fundraising goal for the event beneficiary, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC)," said Chris Packard, executive director of DWRM.  

 

Arizona Looks at Safety of Swimming in Tempe Town Lake 

Arizona Republic 

The state agency charged with ensuring that water in Arizona lakes is safe says the time has come to reconsider allowing swimming at Tempe Town Lake, which could jeopardize its status as a prime venue for triathlons and duathlons including Ironman Arizona. Linda Taunt, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's water-quality division, said the state has discussed the issues contributing to the lake's water quality with Tempe officials for years. More

 

 

Xterra Pacific Championships Returns to Northern California 

Santa Cruz Sentinel

For the first time since 1993, California State Parks will open Santa Cruz's Wilder Ranch State Park up to mountain bike racers for the Xterra Pacific Championship triathlon on May 15.  This will be the first Xterra triathlon to be held in Northern California since Half Moon Bay hosted the Pacific Championships in 2002. More

  

Fifth Third River Bank Run Course Avoids Flood Rerouting

The Grand Rapids Press 

Fifth Third River Bank Run officials are glad they won't need to change the 25K course for Saturday's Grand Rapids, MI race. On Monday morning, they determined that the flooding along Indian Mounds Drive and Veterans Memorial Drive had gone down enough last weekend that they could keep the traditional route. Crews from the cities of Grand Rapids, Grandville, Walker and Wyoming will work to clean the 25K course of mud and debris so it can be ready for the race. More

 

FuelBelt Hires Hartford Sales Group to Rep West Coast

Xtri.com 

FuelBelt, Inc. has named The Hartford Sales Group as its new sales representative team for the west coast. The award-winning agency has represented some of the top performance and outdoor brands in the market since 1984. The Hartford Sales Group, managed by Larry Hartford, will be covering California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii with five sales representatives based from their central offices located in Laguna Niguel, CA. More

 

Zeasorb Signs Sponsorship Deal with Ironman 

PR Newswire 

Zeasorb, a leading antifungal powder, has announced its two-year sponsorship of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 brands in the antifungal and anti-chafing categories.  Zeasorb will also be the presenting sponsor of the 2011 and 2012 Ironman 70.3 Augusta and the 2012 Ironman 70.3 Florida. The sponsorship will include ongoing engagement and on-site activation at Ironman events through 2012. It will also be highlighted on packaging, through digital and social media outreach and consumer engagement via contests and giveaways. More 

 

Canari Cyclewear Expands to Handle Growth in Custom Sales

Bicycle Retailer 

Canari Cyclewear has moved its custom department into a new building in order to keep up with demand from the fast growing division. The new office space, located next door to its Vista, CA, facility, will house administrative and design employees while production will remain in the original building. Canari manufactures all its custom apparel in Vista with fabric sourced from Italy and Asia, said Erik DeKold, custom sales director. More

 

Radio Station Renews as Chicago Marathon Broadcaster 

RunnersWeb.com 

CBS Radio's WSCR-AM 670 The Score has announced that it will once again serve as the flagship radio station for the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon continuing a tradition that was started in 2006. 670 The Score will feature four hours of live race day coverage. More

 

Newsmakers

David Dowd has been hired by Saucony as western regional sales director. He will be responsible for Saucony's western U.S. accounts and independent sales representative agencies, as well as communicating the goals and strategy of the brand to retail partners. Prior to his new role at Saucony, Dowd was vice president of product and brand marketing at Fleet Feet Sports Chicago where he was responsible for all aspects of brand and product marketing for two Chicago-based stores.

 

Barb McKeever, one of the organizers of the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon, SheROX Triathlon Series and IronMan 70.3 Pocono Mountain, has been chosen to be the new race director of the Lehigh Valley Health Network for Via.  She replaces Bart Yasso of Runner's World who will be the race director emeritus.

 

Jerry Heinlen, the CEO of Yakima, has been replaced by a four-person management team as the company has eliminated the CEO position as part of a reorganization.  The management team includes Mark Reis, chief financial/operating officer, Ron Ten Berge, senior vice president, chief marketing officer, Josh Creasman, vice president operations and supply chain and Richard Jeli, senior director, engineering.

 

Chuck Kenlan, the executive director of the Mt. Bachelor (OR) Sports Education Foundation for the past 8� years, has resigned. MBSEF is a Bend-based nonprofit organization with youth programs in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and cycling.  It organizes the annual Pole Pedal Paddle race.  

 

Conferences
Road Runners Club of America National Convention
(May 12-15, 2011)
53rd annual convention of the RRCA in Fredericksburg, VA. More
  
Running USA Regional Summit
(June 18, 2011)
Regional summit for race directors at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park, San Diego.  More
Online Seminars

 

Profitable Strategies for Corporate/Non-Profit Partnerships 

Organization: IEG, LLC 

(May 19, 2 p.m. eastern) 

Securing sponsorship for events, programs and year-round relationships is a challenge in a time of tight corporate budgets, especially for nonprofits that need to prove they can provide business-building benefits in addition to generating goodwill for their sponsors. Attendees of this webinar will receive a roadmap for maximizing revenue and minimizing resources needed to deliver value to corporate partners. More

 

Leveraging Your Board: Achieving Thoughtful Governance
Organization: Greater Giving

(May 25, Noon, eastern)

For most nonprofits, having a board of directors is a given. However, many nonprofits feel that their board takes a passive rather than active role in the organization, viewing their board membership as an obligation rather than an exciting opportunity to contribute. Would you like your board members to become dynamic contributors to your organization? At this webinar, we'll discuss best practice for recruiting and managing board members to achieve optimal results with two seasoned philanthropy consultants who are experts at coaching nonprofits to coax the very best from every member of their board. At this webinar, you will learn: how to define the skill sets you'll need, identifying who to recruit-and how, how to set expectations with new and existing members, how to groom prospective board members and how to keep your board engaged. More 

Career Opportunities
 

Sales Representative
Company: EnduraFit, LLC
 

EnduraFit, LLC, a regional manufacturer of performance apparel catering mostly to all levels of endurance events, is looking to expand its offerings to bike/tri shop retailers.  In addition to our high quality performance apparel, we also have sublimated bike gloves and arm warmers and a new product called The Rack Jacket.  This is a triathlon specific bike cover designed to eliminate the use of trash bags in overnight racks.  Qualified reps will have at least five years experience in the appropriate retail market.  Please contact David Hyatt at [email protected] to discuss further details.

 

Email Marketing Manager
 
Company: Competitor Group, Inc. 

 

Competitor Group, Inc. is seeking an Email Marketing Manager to lead and plan the execution and evaluation of all email campaigns our company. This person will develop marketing strategies for all email efforts throughout the company as well as implement and oversee best practices and serve multiple departments, often over the same time period, working closely with the internal marketing team and event staff, and external vendors to execute the necessary business and marketing strategies/tactics. More

 

Director of Operations and Strategy

Company: Ludus Tours 

 

Ludus Tours, a travel and hospitality company focused on many of the world's biggest and best events including the London Summer Games and FIFA World Cup, is looking for a director of operations and strategy. Responsibilities will focus on business and event operations, logistics and execution of overall company strategy.  For a complete job description, contact Adam Dailey, [email protected].

 

Marketing Coordinator
Company: Ludus Tours 

 

Ludus Tours, a travel and hospitality company focused on many of the world's biggest and best events including the London Summer Games and FIFA World Cup, is looking for a marketing coordinator.  The marketing coordinator's primary role is to support the Ludus sales & marketing department with tasks assigned in the digital, print, communications and event arenas.  A successful candidate will have an understanding of all aspects of marketing and how it applies to our business environment.  This position reports to the director of sales & marketing.  For a complete job description, contact Adam Dailey, [email protected].

 

Vice President, National Sales, New York

Company: Competitor Group, Inc.

 

Competitor Group, Inc. is seeking an experienced National Sales Representative who is passionate about building and developing the company's strategic sales and marketing initiatives.   Qualified candidates will be outgoing, goal-oriented and have a keen interest in the active lifestyle.  In this growth position, you will be responsible for selling media  including print/digital advertising, endemics, regional event sponsorships and other marketing opportunities while maintaining and up-selling existing clients and developing new business. More 

 

Expo Coordinator
Company: Competitor Group, Inc. 

 

Competitor Group, Inc. is seeking an Expo Coordinator to provide support in the planning and execution of all Competitor Group Expos (Rock 'n' Roll Series, Carlsbad 5000, Tri Expo).  Responsibilities include vendor communication, vendor placement coordination, administrative duties, and obtaining health permits. More 

 

Senior Product Developer - Footwear
Company: Brooks Sports

 

The primary role of the Senior Product Development Manager is to lead, manage and execute the footwear development process across all footwear categories, utilizing advanced product and process knowledge. The Senior Developer will work with cross-functional product creation teams to meet style commercialization and material development timelines, as well as oversee product commercialization. They must have advanced knowledge of the total footwear construction process including, outsole/midsole technical drawings, material construction and properties, textile manufacturing, costing, and pattern making. Other critical responsibilities include analyzing manufacturing capabilities, anticipating problems, facilitating problem solving and addressing issues in a timely manner. The Senior Product Developer will be responsible for generating ideas regarding the engineering principles that enhance our footwears' performance and overall product value with the ability to communicate ideas across all product teams. In addition, a superior understanding of design and development processes from inception through production, as well as an ability to act as a technical resource with the ability to mentor others is essential. More

 

Marketing Coordinator
Company; Newton Running 

 

Full time Marketing Coordinator opportunity at Newton Running, the world's leading manufacturer of natural running footwear products. We are looking for an outstanding project manager with deep marketing skills to serve as the primary liaison between our marketing agency and principal constituencies at Newton Running. More

 

Grassroots Marketing and Inside Sales Associate
Company: Newton Running

 

Associate will collaborate closely with the marketing, customer service and Ecommerce sales teams to increase inside sales.  Associate's work will include (but is not limited to) the following areas: developing grassroots marketing relationships with individuals and groups, supporting natural running symposia and form clinics, and managing Newton Running's sponsored athlete programs. More

 

2XU Compression Channel Manager - Endurance Sports

Company: Sports Multiplied, LLC 

 

Sports Multiplied is the exclusive USA distributor of 2XU Performance Compression Apparel catering to the Endurance, Athletic, and Team Sports retailer and communities. The Compression Channel Manager - Endurance Sports will be responsible (in concert with the Category Director) for the day-to-day in-house running and growth of the Endurance Sports channel business comprising over 600 endurance and multisport retailers nationwide. Primary roles and job functions:  1) Creating relationships and supporting / growing the day-to-day sales over the phone with the Endurance channel retail partners.  2) Responding to and fulfilling collateral requests by both new and existing partners as well as outside sales agencies.  3) Working with the 2XU Compression Category Director to accurately forecast and most importantly achieve monthly, quarterly, and yearly sales goals. For a complete job announcement or to apply, contact Johnny West, [email protected].

 

Marketing & Social Media Manager
Company: Vision Event Management

 

Vision Event Management is looking for a fun, active and web savvy person to join our team as Marketing & Social Media Manager. The Marketing Manager will work closely with the team to develop and implement marketing and social media plans and programs for all Vision Event Management events. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and organization skills to be able to manage numerous projects with competing deadlines. A strong self-starter with creativity and imagination will thrive in this position. More 

 

  
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