Vaude has restructured their distribution operations in the Czech Republic: starting May 2006, Anna Gabrikova and Jesse Guthrie will direct all sales and marketing of the mountain sports brand from their company headquarters in Prague. This will also mark the end of Vaudes collaboration with the previous distribution partner Vertical. The legendary sport climbing pioneer Jesse Guthrie and Vaude are already joined by a long-standing sports and business partnership.
To lead off their collaboration, Vaude will significantly increase selling capacity to the Czech market, aiming to supply retailers in the future directly from Vaude headquarters in Tettnang, Germany. This will allow Czech sporting good retailers to directly profit from Vaudes outstanding logistical set-up: with access to a complete range of Vaude products, they will have at their disposal Vaudes comprehensive stock of products found in the central warehouse. With a 95 percent stock availability that is absolutely leading in the industry, it offers high delivery reliability guaranteeing Czech customer delivery within three days. Czech retailers can look forward not only to these excellent logistical services, but also to an increase in sales due to new sales concepts that have been proven to clearly boost profit margins.
Jesse Guthrie has made an incredible name for himself around the world as a sport climbing pioneer and mountaineer who has been actively climbing since the 70s, opening up some of the worlds most demanding and difficult climbing routes. A true professional when it comes to equipment and expertise, hes also one of Vaudes longest sponsoring partners. He was the first to climb numerous 10+ routes in the USA, such as Tour de Jour, caused a sensation by first ascending 9+ routes in Frankenjura, Germany, and took part in expeditions up to 8000 metres together with famous alpinists such as Catherine Desdivel. Some of the worlds greatest climbing names belong to his closest climbing partners, international personalities such as Kurt Albert, Stefan Glowacz or Jeff Lowe. Jesse Guthrie is also well-versed in manoeuvring around the world of outdoor business. He has thorough experience in the sales and distribution of alpine equipment, having been amongst others, Vaudes distribution partner in the USA from 1987 to 1991, and, together with Anna Gabrikova, responsible for Marmot sales and distribution in the Czech Republic between 2003 and 2006. He also gained practical hands-on experience as an alpine sports salesman in Nürnberg, Germany.
His partner, Anna Gabrikova, is an active mountaineer and climber as well, with an accumulation of experience in sporting goods retail, in addition to the sales and distribution of mountain sports equipment. Albrecht von Dewitz, Vaudes CEO, affirms his opinion as to their collaboration: “Were greatly looking forward to working together with Anna Gabrikova and Jesse Guthrie. Both have already successfully established themselves on the Czech market and, with our full support, will be able to even further expand our distribution network”.
