SmartWool LLC announced the launch of its athlete-ambassador program. Fourteen ambassadors from across the United States were selected from more than 800 applicants in the company’s inaugural ambassador program that launched in Fall 2011.
“We wanted to support people who are authentic in their sports, approachable byfans, and genuinely aligned with the SmartWool brand and products through their daily lives, sport, and community; no matter where their adventures lead them,” explained Laura Sankey, director of marketing for SmartWool. “We like to think of this group as ordinary people who happen to do extraordinary things with their lives.”
The SmartWool Athlete Ambassador Program:
Out of more than 800 submissions, sponsorship was granted to a wide range of athletes, from cyclists, runners, climbers to an Olympic mogul skier. SmartWool athlete-ambassadors will be more than athletes representing the brand; theywill be field testers for SmartWool products and storytellers. Sponsorship will last for one year.
The following athlete-ambassadors will represent the SmartWool brand in 2012:
· Sarah Uhl former pro-cyclist whose love for the outdoors began as soon as she could walk. She is still a cyclist- just more of a mountain biker now. Sarah has taken to the ultra endurance side of the sport and loves exploring the backcountry.
· Lorin Paley a member of the US Telemark team, Outdoor Nation Ambassador and college student. To Lorin, the crux of mountain adventure is pushing boundaries in the outdoors and sharing the experience with the new friends she meets through storytelling.
· Patricia Poulin an alpine climber who volunteered this past summer with Mount Rainier National Park'sAdventure CAMP program, targeted to bring children and their parents closer to nature and all that the great outdoors has to offer. Her hope is to continue volunteering and dedicating her time towards engaging youth in our natural world, “after all… they are our future.”
· Rudi Riet a cyclist who sits as the chair of the Potomac Pedalers. Rudi believes in embracing the outdoors and the “mountain life” whenever & wherever possible even in the middle of a metropolis.
· Eric Nguyen a rock climber and cyclist by passion, math teacher by day. Eric helps run his school's Outdoor Program that offers whitewater paddling, rock climbing, weekend hiking trips in the White Mountains of New Hampshire as well as climbing trips to the local crags androck gym. He works hard to encourage kids to participate, especially those who've had little experience in the outdoors.
· Bob White – a hunting & fishing artist/author who regularly contributes to Fly Rod & Reel, DucksUnlimited, Gun Dog, and Hatches magazines. He and his wife host fly fishing and wing shooting trips to Alaska, Patagonia and the Bahamas.
· Carissa Klarich primarily a cyclist and a former biking and hiking trip leader, she prefers to be outside and in the mountains where she can be found trail running, hiking, backpacking, floating, mountain biking, cyclocross-ing, traveling/exploring new places, gardening, walking the dogs, and even shoveling snow. She has even been known to dogsled in Greenland!
· Aimee Slepicka a trail runner originally from Chicago who ended up packing her life into her car and driving to the Rocky Mountains three days after graduating college. Aimee’s been in the mountains ever since, and hasn’t wasted a moment. Hiking, biking, ice climbing, sea kayaking she “can’t help but want to experience it all.”
· Joe Ballent a rock climber, triathlete, skier, and river guide who has had the supreme privilege of working with burn survivors and autistic students in youth wilderness programs. For his twenty-third birthday, he received a personal armed escort out of Madrid International Airport when his climbing gear was deemed a potential threat to Spanish national security. Joe is a writer by trade, a romantic by choice, a drummer in a band, and an outlaw in Europe.
· Heather McPhie a 2010 Olympian as a member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. Heather is found outdoors in the mountains all winter, chasing snow in the off season, jumping off the water ramp in the summer, and cross training through biking, hiking, and skate skiing in her ‘free time’.
· Patrick McGlade a 23-year-old ultramarathon runner who ran across the United States in 2010. During Patrick’s cross country run, he often stopped at schools to share with students what they can do to become more active and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
· Adrienne Schofhauser a mountain biker by summer and snowboarder by winter. Adrienne says her freedom is found in the mountains. “It's where my heart and soul thrive, whether it's 65 degrees and the rain has turned the single-track into a muddy slip-and-slide; or it's 5degrees and I'm getting sweaty hiking to a pow field at 9 in the morning.”
· Molly Killien – a gregarious idealist, who loves people, coffee, travel, exclamation points, ski days, great hikes as well as meeting new people and connecting with others via social media. Molly likes to think of herself as a hybrid of a mountain girl and city slicker. She does them both beautifully.
· Brent Hyden – For the past five years, he has worked as a bacon salesman who began running when he decided needed a healthy lifestyle change. Brent just completed his first marathon and is hooked. Living in Rural Wisconsin his mountain is flat, but he loves his lakes, rivers, and streams. “It's hard not to love my mountain after a 3-hour run surrounded by tall pines.”
SmartWool LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of VF Corporation.
