Otter African Trail Run announce new presenting sponsor.
Knysna. Otter African Trail Run race director Mark Collins announced on Monday that Salomon will join energy nutritionists Gu as presenting sponsor of the annual event. Collins described the signing of Salomon as a milestone in the history of the race. “Salomon are the undisputed leaders when it comes to mountain sports progression and product development and thus we are very excited to have Salomon presenting the Otter.” “Our relationship with the brand goes back to more than fifteen years and it is a relationship defined by trust and passion.” The event will now be titled The Otter African Trail Run Presented by Salomon and Gu.
The Otter African Trail Run, a trail run on South Africa’s world renowned Otter Trail, has grown to become an iconic event on the international trail running calendar and regarded as South Africa’s flagship marathon distance trail event. Part of the allure of the race is that Otter Trail itself is off limits to trail runners outside of the event and the opportunity to run on the spectacular and pristine course and has seen participants dub it as the “Grail of Trail”. Typically it draws an exceptionally competitive field of trail runners from across the globe attracting some of the superstars of the sport and this year’s event looks to be no different. The 440 entries made available for the 2013 race were snapped up in just eleven minutes.
For many participants The Otter’s balance trail course and defined distance make it a yardstick against which they test themselves but for most it is possibly the resonation with the environmental ethos of the event that first attracts them to the race. Event organisers Magnetic South were recognised for their management of this event by host SANParks in the National Kudu Award in the category of “Best Business Partner 2012.” According to National Brand Manager Lee Besnard this was one of the deciding factors in gaining Salomon’s support of the event. “Respect for the environment is at the core of trail running. Sustainability in this sport is everything and this event not only ticks all the boxes but leads in that regard.”
Further synergy for Salomon in the Otter lies in that the men’s record for the East West Course is held by non-other than Salomon’s sponsored Ryan Sandes who set the benchmark at a blitzing 04:40:15 in 2011.
No comments yet.