Pineland Farms, New Gloucester, ME, May 17. Sponsorships with two of the US Biathlon Team’s major equipment sponsors, adidas and Lapua, were renewed last week in meetings with company representatives.

Both companies, which provide essential products for both training and competition, have agreed to continue their sponsorship of the US Biathlon Team. These sponsorships will run through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games as does that of US Biathlon title sponsor, TD Banknorth. 

            The extension of the adidas sponsorship means that the US Biathlon Team will be outfitted in “the brand with 3-stripes” for all competitions including the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. With this long-term commitment, adidas will continue to be the official outfitter of the US Biathlon Team, providing training and competition apparel, eyewear, shoes and accessories.

The team benefits from adidas’ cutting-edge performance technologies help to improve and enhance performance. During the Torino Olympic Winter Games, several US Biathletes, including Jay Hakkinen in his record setting 10th place finish in the 20K Individual, used the ClimaTechFit™  competition suit. This suit uses Powerweb™ construction, TPU bands across strategic muscle groups, which add support and explosiveness, thus diminishing fatigue and improving performance. Hakkinen is among the featured athletes in the company’s marketing campaign for this technology.

US Biathletes will sport a new look for the 2006-07 World Cup season. This customized  collection of competition and training apparel, in new navy and collegiate red, is based on the designs and fabrics using new ClimaWarm™ and ClimaProof™ fabrics introduced in Torino.  The logo of US Biathlon title sponsor, TD Banknorth will appear prominently on all of the new apparel.

Hans Hobi, Global Winter Sports Manager, commented on the new agreement, "On behalf of Adidas AG, I am pleased that the US Biathlon Team will be a part of the adidas family through the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in 2010. The US Biathlon program has provided excellent marketing support for our brand and its products over the past four years in both the US and European markets. We hope that the US Biathlon Team can reach its dual goals of podium results and championship medals in the coming seasons, which will strengthen the sport in the USA."

Like adidas, Lapua ammunition extended its sponsorship of the US Biathlon Team for an additional four years. The company, is based in Lapua, Finland and is known for its high quality, supremely accurate competition ammunition.  It has produced high-accuracy ammunition since the 1920’s. Closely involved with biathlon for over 20 years, Lapua Polar Biathlon .22 caliber is considered “the standard for accuracy in competitive shooting.”

Erkki Seikkula, Lapua Export Coordinator stated, “Quality, precision and accuracy are at the center of the bull’s eye - Lapua lives from those 3 factors and the shooters can rely on it. We never lose focus of this with any of our products.”

US Biathletes have benefited with Lapua’s dedication to quality over the past several seasons. Each season, several US Biathletes have shot clean in World Cup competitions, which propelled them to personal best-ever results. James Upham, US Biathlon Development Coach, praises Lapua ammunition, the official ammunition of the US Biathlon Team, stating “Even the inexpensive Lapua used for training is better than the race ammunition from most other companies. Lapua never misfires and the groups are consistently awesome.”

According to Seikkula, the company will continue to enhance its already well-known reputation for accuracy with new products over the next several seasons.

Max Cobb of US Biathlon commented on the renewal of the Lapua and adidas sponsorships, “We are pleased to have such excellent corporate partners as Lapua and adidas with us for the next four years. Their commitment to excellence in the products and services they provide to our sport and its athletes is extraordinary. We appreciate the confidence they have shown in our program as we continue to build towards the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.”

The United States Biathlon Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of Biathlon in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Biathlon Union. The US Biathlon Association supports the US Biathlon Team and development of the sport on all levels within the United States.