Ogden, Utah (July 18, 2023) — Today, Salomon North America is proud to announce a new partnership between Golden Trail National Series and United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). As part of the brands’ commitment to clean sport, USADA will be offering race day testing at the upcoming Pikes Peak Marathon and Mammoth Trail Fest. Athletes, coaches, agents and others can learn about the new testing policies, procedures and information during a live webinar with USADA, Salomon and race directors on Tuesday, July 25 at 8 a.m. MDT.
“I could not be more excited for this new partnership between the Golden Trail National Series and USADA that helps legitimize anti-doping in the sport,” says Steff Gardner, Salomon North America trail marketing manager. “At Salomon, we’re constantly exploring new ways to support and help foster the sport of trail running. Adding a level of professionalism and integrity through this USADA partnership is just one step in our ongoing efforts.”
USADA’s mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport and protect the rights of athletes through a gold-standard anti-doping program that can be applied to any sport or sporting event. The organization is recognized as the official, independent anti-doping organization for all Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American sports in the United States and has been used in over 80 different sports and events, from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to the Boston Marathon.
The Pikes Peak Marathon and Mammoth Trail Fest will implement this new testing program, which aims to provide athletes with a trusted, professional testing partner to match the professionalism athletes bring to each race.
“At Mammoth Trail Fest, we believe in with respect to the environment, competitive sport, and our community, there is no place for shortcuts or compromised ethics,” shares Mammoth Trail Fest race director, Tim Tollefson. “We remain committed to clean sport through advocacy and education. We are delighted that we now offer legitimate gold standard race day testing at both races through USADA.”
“The Golden Trail Series brings an elevated level of competition to the Pikes Peak Ascent, and with this level of competition, we want to advocate for clean sport and enhance the future of trail running,” says Ryan Linder, Pikes Peak Marathon race director. “Overall, the Pikes Peak Marathon is thrilled to collaborate with Salomon and Mammoth Trail Fest to make this partnership with USADA possible.”
USADA, Salomon, Pikes Peak Marathon and Mammoth Trail Fest will be holding a live webinar on USADA testing policies, procedures and more on Tuesday, July 25 at 8 a.m. MDT. Athletes, coaches, agents, volunteers and more are welcome to join and are encouraged to contact Tim Tollefson (timothytollefson@yahoo.com) or Ryan Linder (ryan@pikespeakmarathon.org) for the webinar link.
To learn more about the partnership or Salomon, please reach out to Corinne Baud at corinne.baud@rygr.us.
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About Salomon: Born in the French Alps in 1947, Salomon creates premium footwear, apparel, gear and winter sports equipment that is superior in function, radical in design and obsessive in style. At the Annecy Design Center, engineers, designers and athletes collaborate to write the future of sports by creating products that transform outside sports experiences and enable a deeper connection with nature, allowing people to unleash the best version of themselves so that they might positively impact the world.
About USADA: USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping programs for all Olympic, Paralympic, and UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to stand with athletes to champion their right to clean sport, inspire true and healthy sport, and promote the integrity of sport.
About Pikes Peak Marathon: The Pikes Peak Marathon, founded in 1956, is the oldest continually held marathon in the United States, taking runners from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet, and back down for a total of 26.2 gruelling mountain miles.
About Mammoth Trail Fest: From world-class trail races and community focused events to free live entertainment, storytelling, and great local food, Mammoth Trail Fest is a multi-day experience designed to increase access to trail and ultrarunning through opportunity, education, and trail stewardship.
