Archives: Press Releases

PARK CITY, Utah (Oct. 24, 2024) – Rossignol, an industry leader in winter sports equipment for 117 years, has solved one of the most common barriers to the sport of skiing with the introduction of its all-new Vizion ski boot family. Boasting three unique patent-pending innovations, Vizion is the world’s first high-performance, four-buckle ski boot to offer truly hands-free, slipper-like entry and exit.

Since the inception of the plastic ski boot, ease of entry and exit and legitimate alpine performance have never coexisted. Rear-entry boots lack performance and precision, while traditional overlap boots are often challenging to slide into when sized correctly.

The introduction of Vizion has officially eliminated the need to compromise with unanimous positive feedback and “Best in Test” accolades coming from the team at America’s Best Bootfitters. Noteworthy tester comments included, “…the best I have seen for matching ease of entry with legitimate performance,” “something that the market truly needs,” and “Boot of the Year,” highlighting that an all-too-common problem for skiers has finally been solved.

The Vizion boots also secured the top accolades in both SKI Magazine and Outside Magazine.

Offered in multiple flexes and lasts for both men and women, Vizion offers broad market appeal no matter skill level or foot shape. Its ultra-intuitive design is brought to life through Rossignol’s revolutionary Step In Technology.

Composed of three patent-pending innovations, Rossignol’s Step In Technology addresses the problem of pairing ease of use and performance with an innovative design that allows the upper cuff to retract backward on the lower shell, making it extremely easy to get a foot into or out of the boot. Once the foot is in the boot, an integrated mechanism ensures the cuff locks into ski mode at the same time the buckles are closed, ensuring error-free use paired with real alpine power and precision.

Mark Elling, Test Director for America’s Best Bootfitters added, “As far as I can tell, this is a home run. I’m ready to start selling them ASAP. I’ve already got a waiting list.” 

Rossignol’s Step In Technology will feature prominently in its ski boot line looking to future seasons.

Learn more about Vizion here and check out the entire winter collection at Rossignol.com

About Group Rossignol

Headed by CEO Vincent Wauters, Group Rossignol designs, manufactures and markets a broad range of winter sports and outdoor equipment. The Group’s brands provide a continuous, year-round experience accompanying consumers in every moment of sporting effort and leisure, from elite-level athletes to amateurs, from the mountains to the city. The Group’s global headquarters is located in the French Alps near Grenoble with five different industrial sites (Sallanches, Nevers, Saint Etienne de Saint Geoirs, Artès, Montebelluna) across western Europe and a U.S. headquarters in Park City, Utah. The Group houses a strong portfolio of complementary brands: Rossignol – the iconic brand for winter sports, and ready-to-wear fashion and apparel; Dynastar – the specialist ski brand; Lange – the iconic ski boot brand; Look – the long-standing premium manufacturer of ski bindings; Risport – the reference for ice-skating; Kerma – specialized in ski poles and technical equipment; and Dale of Norway – an iconic Norwegian brand known for its high-quality wool-based knitwear. Each has built their own unique identity and draws their inspiration from the mountains. Rossignol is majority owned by Nordic Private Equity fund Altor since 2013.

GROUP ROSSIGNOL: 1413 Center Drive – PO Box 981060 – Park City, UT 84098 – T. 435-252-3300 – F. 435-252-3301

 

STAMFORD, Conn. –  (October 24, 2024) – LOWA Boots, the global footwear brand known for over 100 years of hand-crafted European heritage, will debut an expanded trail running line at The Running Event in Austin, November 19-21, 2025. Focusing on two new key styles, the MADRIX is a trail runner engineered for race day performance over medium to long distances, while the AMPLUX 2 is an all-around runner for varying distances and everyday use. On display at booth 1817, both will be available at lowaboots.com and at select retailers beginning March 2025.

“We expanded our Trail Running line because we are seeing a growing demand for footwear in this category that specifically delivers both performance and versatility,” said Peter Sachs, general manager of LOWA. “With trail running becoming more popular among a more diverse range of outdoor enthusiasts, from weekend adventurers to serious athletes, our shoes address varying needs and running styles. The MADRIX and AMPLUX 2 provide unmatched comfort, traction, durability and all-around performance, ensuring runners of all levels can tackle any terrain with confidence.”

The MADRIX is designed to give elite mountain runners that extra edge on technical trails. Standout technology includes the ultralightweight LOWA® DYNATPE midsole for the ideal balance of cushioning and rebound, a carbon-reinforced split shank to return energy with every step, and a full-length VIBRAM^® PULSE Megagrip outsole with 4mm deep lugs for superior traction on varying terrain.

The AMPLUX all-rounder concept returns as the new AMPLUX 2 model that balances comfort and trail feel for mid-distance and daily training runs. It features highly durable yet breathable 5-D printed REPTEX® Sport uppers, a new DYNEVA® midsole designed for cushioning and rebound at speed and a full-length LOWA® TRAC® AGILITY outsole with 4.5 mm deep lugs.

LOWA continues to demonstrate its commitment to the trail running community through active sponsorships and support of key events across the country. This month, LOWA is a key sponsor at the upcoming Uwharrie 100 Ultra, in North Carolina, and will give winners of these races their choice of the brand’s trail running shoes. Earlier this year, the brand sponsored the Pilot Mountain to Hanging Run Ultra and the Hellbender 100 in North Carolina, where the brand’s trail running ambassador, Cyndi Wyatt, led product demos. Additionally, LOWA extended its sponsorship to two popular summer races in Utah, the Wasatch Trail Running Series at Snowbird and Brighton, furthering its presence in the trail running scene.

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About LOWA Boots
With over 100 years of hand-crafted European heritage, LOWA Boots is a globally respected footwear brand located in Jetzendorf, in Upper Bavaria. Since 1923, LOWA has created premium outdoor boots and shoes featuring beautiful silhouettes, best-in-class quality, and proprietary technology. Its designers adeptly navigate the outdoor performance, lifestyle, and tactical categories, always nurturing brand integrity. LOWA is one of the only footwear brands to receive ISO 9001 status for the highest quality construction and process standards. LOWA certified tactical boots are also made to comply with the European Union’s PPE standards. For more information, visit www.lowaboots.com.

Media Contact:

Charlotte Daher de Garcia, CGPR

charlotte@cgprpublicrelations.com  

781-710-7284

AMHERST, Mass. (October 23, 2024) – OrthoLite®, the global leader of branded, high-performance, comfort footwear solutions, announces the hire of Raj Santhana as the new Vice President of Operational Excellence. As part of OrthoLite’s global operations management team, Santhana will be responsible for OrthoLite manufacturing excellence and innovation as well as automation and digital transformation. He will work closely with the company’s industry-leading Global Foam Innovation Team in a new satellite office located in Singapore to further OrthoLite’s global commitment to innovate and manufacture the world’s best and most proven footwear foams.

With more than two decades of experience in footwear and manufacturing, Santhana most recently worked at Bata as the Global Head of Quality in Singapore. Prior to that, Santhana spent seven years at Adidas where he served in director roles overseeing quality footwear and manufacturing excellence in footwear.

“In addition to his vast expertise in the footwear industry, Raj holds two engineering degrees and he will be critical to driving operational excellence programs for our global team of 3,200 people at OrthoLite’s owned manufacturing facilities around the world,” said Richard Bevan, COO of OrthoLite.

Additional personnel moves include the promotion of Shaw Kiat Phua to Vice President of Global Foaming, leading OrthoLite’s Global Foam Innovation Team. SK’s team is committed to advancing OrthoLite’s market leadership as the first and most trusted name in comfort, performance and less impactful footwear foams. In his new role, SK leads the strategic direction for OrthoLite PU material development with a focus on sustainable innovations in footwear and will continue to report to Bevan, COO at OrthoLite. SK is also based in Singapore and regularly travels to OrthoLite’s manufacturing facilities in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Europe, India, and Brazil.

Since 1997, OrthoLite continues to drive innovation and continual improvement to build excellence in foam footwear products and materials consistently, at scale and with on-time delivery to more than 550 footwear brand partners.

OrthoLite has built a rock-solid reputation for innovation, reliability, capacity and is known for its collaborative approach in development with the world’s best footwear brands to create custom insole formulations that deliver unrivaled comfort and performance. OrthoLite insoles are the key interface between how a shoe is designed to perform and the discerning consumer, and its products can be found in more than 600 million pairs of footwear a year.

About OrthoLite®
OrthoLite is the world’s leading supplier of open-cell foam technology, and the innovator and creator of Cirql™, the sustainable materials solutions provider that provides footwear brands and their factory partners with the most sustainable, circular choice in materials. OrthoLite is found in more than 550 footwear brands across all categories of footwear and is the first name in comfort and performance foams with a stalwart commitment to an ongoing journey toward producing excellence with less-impactful manufacturing practices. The company also has a long-standing history of meaningful partnerships and sponsorships that demonstrate a dedicated commitment to supporting its customers, consumers, brand partners and the footwear industry. OrthoLite is the Official Insole sponsor of the New York Yankees, supporter of The Conservation Alliance, The European Outdoor Conservation Association, Textile Exchange, and is a founding supporter of the Two Ten Foundation. Stay up to date with company news by visiting OrthoLite.com and following OrthoLite on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. To learn more about the benefits of OrthoLite, visit www.ortholite.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Verde Brand Communications
Julie Evans
julie@verdepr.com

 

Greenville, S.C., (October 23, 2024) – Gran Fondo Hincapie’s 13th annual Greenville cycling event took place this past Saturday, welcoming over 2,000 riders for a weekend of riding and fundraising.  The event raised close to $700,000 and continued efforts to raise one million dollars for the Polk County Community Foundation.

Participants were aged six to 85, residing from 42 states and 13 countries, including Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, England, Canada, Mexico, and Spain, to name a few. Leading into and during the event weekend, the Hincapie team rallied the global community with the ultimate goal of raising over one million dollars for a local community heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene. Their efforts aren’t done yet.

“This year’s Gran Fondo Hincapie was a last-minute shift in focus, but it quickly became a full-scale fundraising effort,” said Rich Hincapie, President of Hincapie Events. “Once we decided to pivot, George, myself, and the whole family started reaching out to our networks. We worked tirelessly in the lead-up to the event weekend—calling, texting, emailing individuals and groups, calling in favors, and rallying support from the global community—not just cyclists, but anyone who believed in the cause. It was incredible to see so many people come together for the fundraising events, which spanned four days. Raising the amount we have so far is my proudest accomplishment in cycling.”

As with all of Hincapie’s Gran Fondos, and more than ever with this Greenville event, the weekend was much more than just a big ride. Leading into the event weekend, a global press release was distributed and picked up by all major bike media, which helped rally the cycling community. Over the four-day event weekend, all programming aspects of the weekend were tailored to maximize fundraising, including special dinners, live auctions, and targeted events. Celebrity riders showed up in full force in support including Sir Mark Cavendish, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Jan Ullrich, Jolanda Neff, Bobby Julich, Christian Vande Velde, and Victor Hugo Pena as well as celebrities from the NFL and motocross racing world.

A Thursday night fundraiser with Michelin star chef Matt Accarrino had over 100 people in attendance and a Celebrity Chef Dinner on Friday night, featuring five chefs, was sponsored by 21 beverage companies and welcomed over 400 people. On race day, a big effort was placed on the signage around the expo, which had a QR code for people to make donations. A fundraiser clicker was broadcast during the Festival and Expo all day, and the rest stop on course was accepting cash donations.

On Saturday night, during the After Party, a live speed painting was done of Mark Cavendish, the Tour de France stage win record-holder, by artist Jared Emerson, which was signed by Cavendish, and raised $92,500. During the event, an auction was facilitated by a close friend of the Hincapie brothers, Anthony Sullivan, founder and CEO of Sullivan Productions, Inc., the face of OxiClean. Many prized possessions and generous donations were auctioned off, with all proceeds going to the fundraiser.

The weekend culminated with a high-end fundraising gala in downtown Greenville, hosted by the Les Domestiques, a Canadian philanthropic club whose motto is “cyclists that serve.” This event alone raised over $240,000 and George Hincapie’s most prized possession was auctioned off as a finale to the incredible weekend of giving.

“The bike I rode to second place in the 2006 Tour de France Prologue in Strasbourg—missing the win by just one-one hundredth of a second—will always be one of my most prized possessions,” said Hincapie. “Auctioning it off for $45,000 was a reminder of how hard work and pushing just a little harder has always been key to reaching my goals. It’s an important reminder for many aspects of life: if we can push harder, we can achieve anything—even to reach our goal of raising a million dollars. Throughout my entire cycling career, helping raise this much money for our local community has become my greatest achievement.”

The Hincapie team still has their eye on their ultimate goal of raising one million dollars to help residents of Polk County. Donations may be made through this link. 

To learn more about Gran Fondo Hincapie please visit https://hincapie.com/ or follow along on social media on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

 

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October 22, 2024 – Today, 53 outdoor recreation businesses call on the Biden Administration to designate Sáttítla in Northern California as a national monument. From the outdoor industry to brewers, banks, and sportsmen, these businesses represent industries that rely heavily on the protection of the outdoors for their bottom line.

Safeguarding Sáttítla National Monument in the Medicine Lake Highlands region would preserve high value public lands, critical fresh water resources, and will further bolster California’s vibrant outdoor recreation economy. The well-being of the Highlands ecosystem and aquifers is essential to California’s climate stability, water supply, and its tourist economy.

“Outdoor businesses are taking a stand to protect this critical landscape. Designating Sáttítla as a national monument would not only honor the Pit River Tribe, but it would show the Biden Administration’s commitment to California’s growing outdoor recreation economy. The Conservation Alliance and its member companies are in full support of Sáttítla National Monument.” Bridgette Windell, Public Lands Advocacy, The Conservation Alliance

Outdoor recreation is a significant contributor to California’s economy, adding nearly $74 billion to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and supporting over 567,000 jobs state-wide. The Medicine Lake Recreation Area currently receives over 40,000 visitors per year who come from urban centers and all over the world to enjoy more than 100 miles of trails, fishing, swimming, camping, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and the outstanding vistas of this mysterious landscape.

The Medicine Lake Highlands have long been a target for energy development. These areas are too sacred and precious to the Pit River Tribe and surrounding communities to risk degradation from commercial-scale development. The Conservation Alliance and its business members are proud to join a growing chorus of hundreds of local businesses, congressional champions, and community leaders in calling for the designation of Sáttítla National Monument.

“As a resident and local business owner who has enjoyed this area with friends and family, I encourage President Biden to declare Sáttítla as a National Monument. This area needs permanent protection for its rich natural and cultural history, fresh water aquifer that fuels Californian’s water supply, and its exceptional recreational activities.” Belinda Sanda, Owner, Belinda Sanda Sales

“We at Peak Design are proud to use our voice in support of designating Sattila as a national monument. We believe that adventurers can only find their true peak when natural spaces, like Sáttítla, are preserved for future generations. That’s why our company is calling on the Biden Administration to take immediate action to safeguard these lands and waters. By protecting Sattila, we can ensure that the wild, beautiful landscapes that inspire adventure will remain intact for all to enjoy.” Annie Nyborg, Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Peak Design

“GU believes that everyone should have access to natural places. As fellow Californians, we are proud to join the Pit River Tribe, community leaders, and dozens of businesses in calling for the designation of Sáttítla National Monument. Permanently protecting Sáttítla will ensure that Californians continue to have access to outdoor spaces where we can run, hike, and move, for generations to come.” Celia Camargo, Director of Community & Purpose, GU Energy

About The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance is a coalition of over 270 like-minded member companies who pool resources to fund and advocate for the protection of North America’s cherished wild places and outdoor spaces. Through the collective power of their membership – companies from a range of industries – from the outdoor industry to brewers, bankers, sportsmen, and renewable energy – take bold steps to conserve wild public lands and waters. Since 1989, they’ve awarded over $33.1 million in grants and helped protect over 124 million acres and 4,964 river miles, remove or halt 41 dams, purchase 22 climbing areas & designate five marine reserves. For complete information about TCA, visit www.conservationalliance.com.

Media contact:

The Conservation Alliance

Lilly Zoller

lilly@conservationalliance.com

(248) 302-1553

 

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