The Next Level

Big things are happening in Triathlon in 2010.  This is an amazing group of athletes and we couldn't be more excited about what the season will bring.  Look out Kona, here we come. 

(Madison, WI) (Westlake Village, CA)—Iconic footwear and sportswear brand K•Swiss and Trek Bicycle, the world leader in bicycle technology and innovation, are proud to announce the formation of the 2010 Trek/K•Swiss Triathlon Team. The joint venture between Trek and K•Swiss will be seen as the world’s premier triathlon team, bringing together nine of the world’s top international Ironman and Ironman 70.3 athletes.

The launch of Trek/K•Swiss Triathlon Team underscores both brands’ continuing investment in the finest athletes in the world. With more than 30 years of experience, Trek has proven itself to be the industry’s most forward thinking and innovative manufacturer by continually striving to produce the most technologically advanced bicycles on the planet. K•Swiss has upheld a similar tradition of excellence and ingenuity, expanding from classic tennis footwear to running footwear and apparel designed to enhance the performances of the world-class triathletes they support.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership and what we believe it will bring not just to the athletes but to the entire sport of Triathlon,” said Trek Bicycle Road and Triathlon Brand Manager Nick Howe. “At Trek, we’ve long believed that working with the best athletes in the world is paramount in helping us to provide the absolute best bicycle products available. To have an opportunity to partner with a team of this caliber and to work with a company as committed and innovative as K-Swiss is extremely exciting.”

“Joining with Trek to put together this triathlon team is a very exciting venture for us,” said K•Swiss Sports Marketing Director Erik Vervloet. “Trek has consistently been an industry leader in design and innovation and is always looking to move the needle in delivering the fastest bike available, anywhere. We strive to provide that same relentless focus on innovation in our footwear. Combine this partnership with some of the top triathletes in the world and you have a fantastic team. With the help of our athletes, we want to continue to push the envelope in developing the best triathlon products on the planet. We look forward to working together with Trek and are very proud of the team that we've put together. We believe that the results will speak for themselves.”

The Trek/K•Swiss Team is comprised of two World Champions, a 2^nd place finisher at the 2009 Ironman World Championships, and multiple 70.3 champions.

Elite Team

 

Fraser Cartmell        UK      3x Ironman 70.3 Champion

Julie Dibens             UK      2009 Ironman 70.3 World Champion & 3x XTERRA World  Champion

Joe Gambles            AUS    3x Ironman 70.3 Champion

Heather Jackson       USA    Top Ironman 70.3 athlete

Chris Lieto               USA    3x Ironman Champion & 2^nd  Ironman World Championships (’09)

Matt Lieto                USA    Top 5 Ironman athlete

Paul Mathews           AUS    Ironman 70.3 Champion

Michael Raelert         GER    2009 Ironman 70.3 World Champion

Andrew Yoder          USA    2nd in the Colombia Triathlon in 2009

 

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About Trek Bicycle:

Trek Bicycle Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of bicycles and bicycling-related products and accessories. From Tour de France-winning road bikes to tricycles designed to introduce the next generation of riders to the possibilities of pedal-power, Trek has a bike for nearly every rider. More than a bike company, Trek is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent people from using bicycles more often for daily transportation, recreation, and inspiration, believing that the bicycle can be a simple solution to many of the world’s biggest problems, including obesity, traffic congestion, and climate change.

About K•Swiss:

K•Swiss is a publicly traded company founded more than forty years ago in Van Nuys, California. K•Swiss introduced the first all-leather tennis shoe, the K•Swiss "Classic" in 1966. Since its inception K•Swiss has rooted itself in California Sport with an aim to be the most inspiring and innovative sports brand in the market. Today the company offers performance and lifestyle footwear and apparel for several categories under its California Sports umbrella including Tennis Heritage, California Fit (Running, Triathlon and Fitness) and California Youth. For more information about K•Swiss, visit www.kswiss.com.

New Year's Revolution Resolution

Ah, the new year; that wonderful time when we take stock of the past season and look to find ways to offer more in the  year to come (or to find some new excuses to get us on our bikes more, and do other things less).  For the purpose of the little experiment that we call the “UpTheRoad blog” that means taking a good hard look inside, and asking ourselves if we gave it our all 2009.  As the impromptu author of this blog I think the answer is, “we can do better.”  So, after looking hard inside, I’ve decided that my New Year’s Resolution is to offer you more.  To scour the world of Trek Road and Triathlon and find things that might inspire you to ride, to think, to tri, or to do more.  Trek Athlete Chris Lieto recently tweeted that his New Year’s Resolution was to, “Beat Crowie.”  (as an expression of his desire to beat the current Ironman World Champion).  Our product department has resolved to "keep making bikes better," and our Road team has identified a little race in France that they will ride to win.  We are not all cut out to set World Championship goals, but whether your New Year’s resolution is to beat the world champion, to champion the world, or simply to ride more, I wish you all genuine success in 2010.  In my attempt to start the year off by championing my goal to offer more, I think this video is a great place to start.  After all, if a picture is worth a thousand words this thing has to be worth like a million words…..at leastJ. 

Here’s hoping that 2010 sees you spending more time on your bike smiling than you did in 2009.

Thanks for reading (and watching)

Nick