June 16, 2011
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Brought to you this week by the Leslie Jordan, Ashworth Awards, and Mike Plant and Associates.
Latest News

 

2012 Ironman U.S. Championships Sells Out in 11 Minutes

Bloomberg

The inaugural Ironman U.S. Championships in New York and New Jersey sold out its regular $895 slots online in 11 minutes, organizer World Triathlon Corporation announced today. The race, scheduled for August 11, 2012, still has $1,500 slots available, with the additional $605 going to Ironman Foundation charities. More 

 

Reebok Founder Invests in Newton Running 

Boston Globe 

Reebok International founder Paul Fireman is jumping back into the running-shoe business with an investment of close to $20 million in Newton Running, the Boulder, CO footwear company that aims to capitalize on the industry's biggest innovation in decades: shoes that mimic barefoot running.  He and his Fireman Capital Partners will take a roughly 30 percent stake in Newton. More

 

Famed Nike Swoosh Turns 40

The Oregonian

In 1971, Portland State University student and graphic designer Carolyn Davidson was asked by PSU assistant professor Phil Knight to design a logo for his new athletic shoe business.  The story of the creation of one of the world's most recognized corporate symbols for $35 is a classic. More 

 

 

Universal Sports Signs Deal with DirecTV

The Hollywood Reporter

Universal Sports, which broadcasts many major running, triathlon and cycling events, has landed a multi-year distribution deal with satellite provider DirecTV, the companies announced Wednesday. The pact will put Universal Sports - which is a joint venture between NBC Sports and private equity firm InterMedia Partners -- on DirecTV's Sports Pack by October 2011, with a free preview for DirecTV's 19.4 million U.S. customers by early August. More

 

Tourism Council Seeks Agreement to Keep Ironman Florida 

NewHearld.com 

Bay County, FL Tourist Development Council (TDC) officials are seeking a new $525,000 "destination agreement" with Ironman Florida that would tether the triathlon to Panama City Beach for five years beginning in 2012.  Richard Sanders, TDC vice president of sports marketing, said the contract under negotiation would cost the TDC $25,000 this year and then $100,000 each year for five years beginning in 2012. More 

 

Boulder's Valmont Bike Park Opens 

Bikeradar.com 

Boulder, CO's Valmont Bike Park, a 40-acre paradise for the two-wheeled sect, opened on Saturday.  Fifteen years in the making, Valmont includes something for everyone: cross-country trails, dual slalom, a UCI-worthy cyclocross circuit, pump tracks, dirt jumps and a slopestyle course that wowed the crowds on opening day when a cadre of local pros were turned loose on the mix of dirt and fabricated features. The park is free and open to the public. More

 

2XU Signs Two-Year Deal with WTC 

Ironman.com

High performance sports apparel brand 2XU has signed a two-year agreement as the exclusive official compression partner of World Triathlon Corporation's global Ironman Series. 2XU will now operate as the preferred supplier of compression apparel at Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events. More

 

Philly Insurance Triathlon Launches Green Race Initiative

PRWeb 

Already recognized as one of the "Top Greenest Races" in the country by Triathlete Magazine, the seventh Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon (PHLYTRI), taking place June 24-26, is working with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and event sponsors Nathan Performance Gear and Philadelphia Insurance Companies to implement a new PHLYTRI "Green Race Initiative" continuing to minimize its environmental impact on its host venue, Philadelphia's historic Fairmount Park. More 

 

Council for Responsible Sport Receives Spirit Mountain Grant

CRS

Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund.  The fund distributed the grant at its quarterly check presentation this week at the tribal gymnasium of the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde in Grand Ronde, OR. "This very generous grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund will allow the Council to undertake a thorough and critical review of our certification standards," said Catherine Humblet, CRS managing director. More 

 

Cervelo Hires Redmond Sports Group to Rep Southeastern U.S. 

Bicycle Retailer 

Cerv�lo has hired independent representation company Redmond Sports Group to better serve its Southeastern territory. The territory includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and the southern half of Virginia. Redmond Sports Group, established in 2000, is a veteran agency, supporting the territory with a three member team of Travis Werts, Drew Burke and Duncan Satchell. More

 

 

Specialized to Unveil New Core Retail Lab

Bicycle Retailer 

Specialized Bicycles will be unveiling its new Core Retail Lab at this year's dealer event. The Core Retail Lab, which contains two different size retail environments - one 1500 square feet and the other 4000 square feet, was constructed within the walls of the company's global headquarters in Morgan Hill, CA. More

 

Peaksware Releases TrainingPeaks App for Android 

Peaksware LLC 

Peaksware, LLC, developer of the TrainingPeaks.com fitness and training log, announced this week the release of the TrainingPeaks Mobile application for Android.  TrainingPeaks users, coaches and athletes can now view calendars and metrics, record workouts, and log nutrition with built-in food libraries on devices powered by Android. More
FINIS Swimsense Monitor Now TrainingPeaks Compatible

 

Strava Launches Mobile Android App for Cyclists

PR Newswire

Strava, creator of web and mobile applications for avid athletes, has announced its first mobile application for cyclists on the Android platform. Android users can track their power, speed, climb, and more in real-time on their mobile phone with the free application. The application lets Strava users analyze their rides and compare their results on climbs and sprints to other local riders. More

 

MPI Creates Evening Sprint Triathlon Race Series 

Fortyninegroup.com 

Multisport Performance Institute (MPI), a leading provider of multisport coaching, training camps, clinics, specialized services and events, has announced the addition of the Portofino Sunset Tri Series to its calendar of races. The Portofino Sunset Tri Series, a four-race Super Sprint distance evening series, starts on June 23. Subsequent races will take place on Thursday evenings through the summer - on July 21, August 4 and August 18. All races will be held at the Portofino Island Resort, on Pensacola Beach, FL.

 

Colorado Trail Run Series Organizers Adds Two New Events 

ESMG LLC 

Endurance Sports Marketing Group, LLC has announced that it will be adding two additional trail runs to it's trail race series at Colorado resorts. The two races will both be held at Keystone Resort and Snow Mountain Ranch, north of Winter Park. July 16-17 and September 24-25 races will include a half marathon, 10K, 5K, and kids race. More

 
 
 
Newsmakers

 

Jorge Engroba, Ty Stevens and Robert Wilkins have been hired by Orbea USA as full time factory representatives for its eternal sales team.  The three will focus full-time on the Orbea and Orca brands and supporting dealers.  Engroba, who has worked for Orbea for the last six years as an independent rep, will cover the Northeast and New England territories. Ty Stevens will cover the Southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and eastern Tennessee.  Robert Wilkins, who has worked as an independent rep for Orbea in northern California for the last two years will cover Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. 

 

Lynette Carpiet, the managing editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News will be promoted to editor when longtime editor, Megan Tompkins, departs later this month to join Shimano's OEM sales team. Carpiet joined the magazine in February 2005.

 

David Pruitt has been named as CEO for Performance Inc., the parent company for the Performance Bicycle retail chain.  The long-time Performance, Inc. executive has already served as the company's president, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.

 

David Grayson has been hired by Suunto's North American subsidiary as national sales manager for the U.S. Grayson most recently served as national business manager for PowerBar.

 

Brian Melekian has been hired by Ludus Tours as vice president of operations and strategy. Melekian will work directly with the executive, account management and sales teams to oversee daily operations and shape new strategy and processes. He previously was the senior vice president of the United Football League and the Virginia Destroyers.

 

Mason Reay has been named by Nuun & Co. as its new president. Reay, who joined Nuun in 2010 as head of marketing, will expand his responsibilities to include oversight of finance, customer support and business operations.
 

 

Conferences
Global Open Water Swimming Conference
(
June 17-19, 2011)
Annual gathering of the open water swimming community at Columbia University in New York, NY in conjunction with the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame ceremonies and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. More
 
Running USA Regional Summit
(June 18, 2011)
Regional summit for race directors at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park, San Diego.  More
  
Medicine of Cycling Conference
(August 20-22, 2011)
Second annual conference presented by USA Cycling at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  The conference offers medical professionals a platform on which to collaborate and establish common standards of care for competitive cyclists. More
Online Seminars

 

Going Green as a Business Strategy

Organization: Active Network

(June 28, 4 p.m. eastern)
The biggest concern among race directors in adopting green practices is the cost. Whether it's the price of the race T-shirt or the compostable cups, there's a perception that eco-friendly materials and services cost more. In this webinar Bruce Rayner, founder and chief green officer of Athletes for a Fit Planet, will share ideas for how you can minimize the cost of sustainability and turn it into a revenue opportunity. Rayner will be joined by two race directors who will share their experiences and insights. More

 

Sweet Spot: The Intersection of Sponsorship and Social Media

Organization: IEG, LLC 

(July 14, 2 p.m., eastern)

There's no denying the buzz around Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media web sites. But how can properties leverage those sites and other user-generated sites with their corporate partners? This webinar will provide a look at how properties are using social media to grow their audiences, reputations and, perhaps more importantly, their sponsorship revenue. More

 

Tax, Personnel and Insurance Issues: Making the Right Choices 

Organization: Road Race Management

(July 22, 11 a.m. eastern)

The webinar led by attorney Carl Sniffen will cover common tax, personnel and insurance mistakes and is designed to help events, clubs and finish line/timing companies avoid making incorrect and costly tax and legal assumptions. More

 

Career Opportunities

 

Marketing Manager, Running

Company: Puma USA

 

As our Marketing Manager for Running, you'll manage the development, creation and execution of the running category marketing plan that drives brand strength, fuels consumer demand, strengthens our connection with consumers and drives sell through of running product. You'll lead category, seasonal and product specific initiatives that will require cross-functional integration within the marketing department and other functional areas within the organization.  More

 

Manager, Multisport Event

Company: Competitor Group, Inc

 

Competitor Group, Inc. is seeking a Manager, Multisport Event to serve as an operations lead for our TriRock Series as well as be the overall event manager for multiple races within the National Series.  This person will oversee permitting, course design, equipment set-up and tear down and management of temporary event personnel and volunteers. This role will require a strong understanding of multisport operational event requirements and a significant amount of travel.  The ideal candidate works well in high-pressure, deadline-oriented event environments and is comfortable and confident managing and speaking to large groups of people. More

 

National Running Managing Director

Company: Life Time Fitness 

 

The National Running Managing Director plans and coordinates running activities and programs in the club and outdoors to ensure that goals or objectives of running programs are accomplished within prescribed time frame and funding parameters. Creates and manages program business plans, marketing strategies and service strategies to drive member engagement. Responsible for all operations of the running program. Upholds the fulfillment of Life Time Fitness' Mission Statement. Works closely with other Endurance businesses (Cycle, Triathlon, and Swim). In addition, significant interaction with Group Fitness division and various corporate functions (PR, Marketing, Accounting, etc.). More

 

Management Operations Intern
Company: Ludus Tours

 

The ideal intern should be interested in pursuing a career in sports, tourism & hospitality or general management operations, or ideally a blend of the all of these. This position will specifically shadow the Director, Operations & Strategy as well as the Managing Director (as needed) and serve as "right arm" by preparing for meetings, attending meetings, supporting department initiatives and correspondence, budget management, personnel management, etc. Ludus Tours' Director, Operations & Strategy has over 15 years of experience in sports management & operations, and will devote considerable energy to transferring this knowledge to the intern. For a complete job description, contact Brian Melekian, brian@ludustours.com.

  

Director of Retail Marketing

Company: Saucony

 

The Director of Retail Marketing will work closely with the CMO to develop, manage and execute integrated retail and trade marketing programs consistent with the brand and corporate strategy. This position is responsible for leading all aspects of Saucony's retail, trade and field marketing initiatives including; specialty retail marketing programs, POS and retail brand presentation, trade shows, field marketing initiatives of Saucony's 'Tech Rep' program, key account marketing plan development. More

 

Ecommerce Manager
Company: Saucony 

 

Saucony is an emerging global athletic brand seeking high performance individuals to join our fast moving team.  We have a mission to inspire every runner, on every run, on every day, and Ecommerce is a key to achieving our goal.  The Ecommerce Manager is responsible for developing and executing our go-to-market ecommerce strategy including P&L management, direct to consumer acquisition and retention marketing efforts, traffic generation, conversion efforts, email marketing, paid and natural search, and website merchandising. More

 

Communications Manager
Company: USA Track & Field 

 

USA Track & Field is seeking a candidate with strong writing, organizational and new media skills to work in our Communications Department. We are a non-profit Olympic sports organization based in Indianapolis, IN. The candidate should be hardworking, energetic, detail-oriented and personable who demonstrates a strong understanding of the Olympic sport movement, specifically track & field. This position requires significant domestic and international travel (often on weekends) throughout the year, including the USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, World Junior Championships, Junior Olympic National Championships and several Visa Championship Series events. International travel may include youth/junior events and/or World Championships and Olympic Games. The candidate will work under the supervision of the Senior Director of Marketing & Communications. More 

  

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