Posted: February 10, 2004

Triathlon: ASICS Signs World Champion Triathletes Lori Bowden and Simon Lessing

ASICS has signed endorsement deals with two-time Ironman World Champion Lori Bowden (Victoria, BC) and five-time ITU World Champion Simon Lessing (Boulder, CO).

Bowden, who won her second Ironman Hawaii title this past October, has been one of the most consistent performers in the history of Ironman events. Since 1997, Bowden has finished no worse than third in Kona, including four runner-up finishes and two wins. In her 19 overall Ironman starts, she has been nearly unbeatable, having won 12 times and finishing second five times. Bowden has won Ironman Canada four times and Ironman Australia three times. She'll be back on the 'Big Island' in October to defend her World Championship.

Lessing, who will make his Ironman debut in Kona this October, may also find his way to the start line in Athens for the Summer Olympics. He has compiled an impressive record with five World Championships, three European Championships and two Goodwill Games gold medals over a span of 10 years. His ability to dominate the international and long distances is unmatched in the sport of triathlon.

ASICS Marketing Manager for Athletes, Shawn Frack stated, "Simon and Lori are two of the best triathletes in the world, and have been for a number of years. They are true icons who transcend the sport and ASICS is proud to be associated with them, not only their athletic endeavors, but their community involvement as well."

Joining Bowden and Lessing for the 2004 season will be Team Kinesys, US Pro Championship runner-up Brian Fleischmann (Colorado Springs, CO), top-ranked duathlete Desiree Ficker (Potomac, MD), 2002 ITU Age Group World Champions Michael Boehmer (Madison, WI) and Amanda Stevens (Enid, OK), 2002 ITU Overall Age Group World Champion Julie Swail (Irvine, CA) and top-ranked ITU pro Jessi Stensland (Carmel Valley, CA).

ASICS, with more than 50 years of footwear manufacturing experience, offers a full line of performance-driven athletic shoes, technical active sports apparel and accessories. ASICS® shoe line includes cutting-edge, technical footwear for running, racing, track and field, fitness walking, training, court, wrestling and volleyball. ASICS® apparel line utilizes the latest in technical fabrications and design and includes styles for running, walking, training, and teams. ASICS also offers a wide variety of sport accessories, including athletic bags, hydration systems, hats, socks and kneepads, as well as causal apparel and footwear from the SportStyle and Onituska Tiger® collections.

ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger are registered trademarks of ASICS Corporation (Japan).

Ironman Triathlon is a registered trademark of the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC).

The Stripe Design logo and the stripe design used on the side of ASICS® shoes are registered trademarks of ASICS Corporation (Japan).

www.asicsamerica.com.