ROKA and IRONMAN have announced that ROKA Sports will be the exclusive swim partner and swim course sponsor for all US IRONMAN events, including the IRONMAN World Championship beginning in 2015.
As part of the partnership, IRONMAN will carry an assortment of ROKA co-branded products, including swim skins, wetsuits, caps, goggles and other swimwear beginning in March 2015.
ROKA Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Rob Canales said, “IRONMAN and its community inspire us. For the dynamic, growing team at ROKA, this partnership is an amazing opportunity to connect directly with an incredible group of people who believe that ‘Anything is Possible’. We look forward to working closely with IRONMAN and IRONMAN athletes to elevate their experience over the next several years through ground-breaking products, support and initiatives.”
“We are thrilled to partner with ROKA – as their innovative team and products are well-respected by IRONMAN athletes,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of IRONMAN. “We look forward to working with ROKA to enhance the athlete experience through our shared commitment to and passion for the sport of triathlon.”
“For many athletes, completing an IRONMAN triathlon represents the ultimate challenge,” added Ryan Dolan, ROKA Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “For others who race multiple times a year or have done many races over an extended period, IRONMAN is a way of life. For all athletes, IRONMAN is more than a race. We are honoured to support the incredible dedication, perseverance and endurance that defines this community and organization.”
ROKA’s growing team of partner coaches and sponsored athletes includes:
- Current and 4x ITU World Champion & 2012 Olympic Silver Medallist Javier Gómez;
- ITU World Champion Gwen Jorgensen;
- Six-time Hawaii Ironman World Champion, coach, award-winning author, motivational speaker and ESPN’s ‘Greatest Endurance Athlete of All-Time’ Mark Allen and Mark Allen Coaching;
- 2x Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack;
- Siri Lindley and Team Sirius;
- Mat Steinmetz and 51 Speed Shop;
- 2x ITU World Champion and Olympic Bronze Medallist Emma Moffatt;
- 2x Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Hauschildt;
- IM 70.3 World Champion & 3x XTERRA World Champion Julie Dibens
- 2013 Kona Runner-up & Challenge Roth winner Rachel Joyce and others.
ROKA was founded in 2011 by two former All-American swimmers from Stanford University, who, after being frustrated by the offering on the market, set out to make the fastest wetsuits on the planet. After two years of intense R&D, and testing by athletes of all abilities, ROKA launched its patent-pending Maverick wetsuit, Viper swimskin and SIM short training line.
ROKA products were immediately sought out by elite and developing swimmers alike. Over the past two years, professional athletes in ROKA finished ‘First Out of the Water’ at back-to-back Ironman World Championships, Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and ITU WTS Grand Finals, as well as many other races around the world.
In 2014, ROKA athletes Javier Gómez and Gwen Jorgensen won three World Championship titles. ROKA is based in Dallas, Texas with employees in Southern California, Boulder, Colorado and athletes around the world.
www.rokasports.com
www.ironman.com
