New Balance has congratulated Team New Balance triathletes Sebastian Kienle and Mirinda Carfrae who were crowned 2014 Ironman World Champions in Kona this month. The company notes that the ‘focus for New Balance Triathlon is signing the fastest runners and best all-around athletes in the world.’
New Balance has worked with Sebastian Kienle for several years and in 2014 added Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae, American Lukas Verzbicas and Britain’s Non Stanford to its athlete roster.
At the 2014 Kona Ironman World Championships, on Saturday 11 October, Sebastian Kienle took the lead on the bike and held that lead during his run, not giving up much to his competitors to take first place with a marathon time of 2:54:37. Sebastian (‘Sebi’) wore the New Balance 1500 shoes, which will launch in January 2015 with a suggested retail price of US$110.
After working with Sebi for several years, New Balance wanted to create a shoe that spoke to his specific needs and the demands of his sport. Therefore the New Balance 1500 was built on a Revlite platform with a dual density post and Tbeam for light stability, a soft but supportive upper and a pull ring on the back of the shoe to help Sebi get the shoe on quickly and save precious time in the transition area.
Mirinda Carfrae was down 14 minutes from the lead female when starting the final run portion at Kona. Setting a blistering run pace, Mirinda (‘Rinny’) made up those minutes during her run to take the title with a marathon time of 2:50:26. With this win at Kona, Rinny took her third Ironman World Championship title and became only the fourth woman in history to do so, while breaking her own record in the female run portion of the race.
During Rinny’s impressive run she wore the New Balance 1600v2, which launched in July 2014 with the suggested retail price of US$110. New Balance launched the 1600 series to be ‘one of the best-in-class marathon racing shoes’ with a lightweight, secure fit and a responsive sole. The 1600v2 continues with Revlite RC cushioning in the faceted midsole, giving medial and lateral support without compromising cushioning.
New Balance notes that it… ‘Takes great pride in the collaborative process between designers and Team New Balance athletes. The performances by Sebi and Rinny in Kona are shining examples of how this process helps New Balance create the best in innovative footwear and therefore helps Team New Balance athletes achieve excellence.’
