Swedish swimrun apparel firm ARK Sports has announced the establishment of its US subsidiary ARK Sports Inc. According to the company, establishing a US operation will enable ARK Sports to focus on the US market and it’s growing number of casual and professional athletes.
Since its foundation in 2017, ARK Sports has had a focus on the Swedish invented sport of swimrun. The sport is mostly known through the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World series, which is running its first event on Catalina Island, California, at the end of February.
”Swimrun is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and to be the first company focused on this sport is a great advantage,” said Helen Wikmar, Head of Operations at ARK Sports. “As we’ve focused on swimrun from the very get-go, and quickly grown our brand awareness in Europe, we can now start looking outside swimrun and grow our portfolio within triathlon, obstacle course racing, swimming as well as lifestyle products.”
ARK Sports launched its first product in 2017, the swimrun wetsuit ARK Swimrun ‘Ornö’. This was billed as ‘the world’s fastest swimrun suit’. Since then, the company has expanded its product portfolio.
Since its foundation, ARK Sports adds that it has had a strong focus on environmental awareness, constantly optimizing its production processes and evaluating new materials. The company today works exclusively with limestone-based neoprene, which is claimed to be a more environmentally friendly material than traditional oil-based neoprene.
Other products are made from recycled plastic and are manufactured in Sweden. The company argues that it is a ‘pioneer within endurance sports – offering a rental program on numerous events, with the goal to reuse wetsuits to a greater extent.’
“I’ve established companies in the United States previously, as I set up video games developer Avalanche Studios in New York City in 2011 which we grew from three to over a hundred employees in less than two years.” commented Christofer Sundberg, CEO and founder of ARK Sports.
He continued, “As a Swedish company, to be present in the world’s largest economy is a foundation to succeed globally; and our focus will be on the US market. We are confident that our products will be well received in the United States and we also aim to help grow the sport of swimrun together with our partners and athletes.”
ARK Sports is currently registered in San Francisco with its head office in Stockholm, Sweden.
