Ski Team Honors Volkl, Marker, Tecnica
LAS VEGAS (Jan. 29) - SnowSports Industries America (SIA) and the U.S. Ski Team recognized leading ski racing suppliers Volkl, Marker and Tecnica for their innovation in featuring U.S. Ski Team athletes in a unique national promotional campaign. The companies were named as recipients of the fifth annual Doc DesRoches Award, recognizing an SIA member and U.S. Ski Team supplier for a marketing campaign featuring the Team's athletes and brand.
The award was presented to the companies on Thursday, Jan. 30 at the SIA.08 SnowSports Trade Show in Las Vegas.
"Volkl, Marker and Tecnica have supported our athletes in achieving their goals for many years," said U.S. Ski Team President and CEO Bill Marolt. "This poster was a stunning example of how partners can create a great image around our exciting, young U.S. Ski Team athletes."
The campaign was centered around a poster featuring U.S. Ski Team women looking like faux "bad girls" as they strutted down the street in Government Camp, OR. It's not exactly the Sharks vs. the Jets face-off from "West Side Story," but the popular poster was a real hit in autograph sessions and in print ads.
With Tecnica ski boots draped over their right shoulder, the "bad girls" look like they're spoiling for a fight, perhaps on some World Cup ski hill. Wearing rugby style shirts and jeans, each athlete is in dark sunglasses and has a solemn, determined look on her face. Members of the men's Team watch the proceedings, some hanging out of a mini-school bus repainted with Volkl on the side while others watch from a sidewalk.
The ad has been running in ski publications, including Ski Racing Magazine, with the poster available in leading ski shops.
"The investment in racing and, more importantly, into the U.S. Ski Team and its athletes is quite significant," said SIA President David Ingemie. "The Doc ResRoches Award is one small way SIA and the Team can say thank you to suppliers like Tecnica, Volkl and
Marker for their support."
"This award is a great acknowledgement for what our brands have done to support athletes at all levels," said Volkl/Marker President Mike Noonan. "We wanted to make a statement that we had really penetrated the ranks of the U.S. Ski Team with athletes using our products. We support USSA athletes at every level and many of these racers have come up through our grassroots efforts -- it's part of our culture!"
"Tecnica is proud to support the U.S. Ski Team athletes with equipment on the hill as well as with creative initiatives like the poster," said Peter Weaver, CEO of Tecnica. "Racing support runs deep in Tecnica's veins and represents a heritage that is important to us - for products, for athletes and for our personnel. We congratulate all the U.S. Ski Team athletes for every great effort on the hill and especially for every trip to the podium."
The award is named in honor of Doc DesRoches, who died in 2003 after an illustrious career as a pioneer in forming SIA - and leading it for nearly two decades. He also played a key role in developing the U.S. Ski Team's early fundraising efforts and was a relentlessly strong supporter of the Team. The award was begun in 2004 and presented annually in recognition of marketing efforts by a supplier around the U.S. Ski Team brand and athletes.
Doc DesRoches Award Winners
2004 - Rossignol
2005 - Atomic
2006 - All U.S. Ski Team suppliers
2007- Spyder Active Sports
2008 - Volkl, Marker, Tecnica
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Ski Team Honors Volkl, Marker, Tecnica
