Outdoor: Did You Hear?…

>> Adventure Sports, a new magazine for the adventure racing enthusiast, debuted at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. The premiere March issue, published by Atlanta-based RFA Media Inc., looked very slick with glossy full color. Brian Metzler, former editor of Trail Runner and now editor-in-chief for Adventure Sports, told us the magazine will be published nine times in 2003, every month March through November and 10 times a year starting in 2004. All aspects of multi-sport training, racing and lifestyle will be covered in the magazine, including all types of adventure races, off-road triathlons, endurance mountain biking and kayaking, fast packing, peak bagging and active adventure travel. In addition to Metzler, the editorial team includes Lisa Jhung as senior editor, and three-time Eco-Challenge champion Ian Adamson as senior contributing editor and featured columnist. The premiere issue will be distributed to more than 12,000 adventure racers and will be sold at major newsstands, outdoor shops, and running and bike retailers throughout North America.

>> Deckers has appointed Connie Rishwain as president of the Ugg and Simple divisions and Bob Orlando as president of the Teva division. Rishwain has been vice president, brand manager for Simple since 2001 and for Ugg since 1999. She has led the geographical expansion and continuing growth of Ugg, and the repositioning of Simple. She has also worked for Impo International Shoe Co. and Nine West. Orlando has been vice president, brand manager for Teva since 2000 and has headed up the redesign of the Teva sport sandal, as well as Teva’s expansion into hikers, trail runners and closed-toe shoes. He has held positions at Adidas Salomon North America and Newport Outfitters.

>> Katadyn of Canada is now operating, in-stock, and shipping orders, SNEWS has been told. Doug McKenzie, Katadyn of Canada’s general manager, said the company is now shipping from a central Canadian warehouse and invoicing in Canadian currency with bilingual packaging. Katadyn of Canada can be reached at 877-962-1919 or via the website at www.katadyn.ca.

>> The North Face has restructured its footwear department. Jon Austen, the company’s former footwear director, and Dave Alvarez, the company’s former footwear developer, have left TNF. As part of the restructuring, TNF has solidified its relationship with One Step Ahead Enterprises and its principals, Rodney Gumringer and Todd Jennings. One Step Ahead will oversee the design and development of The North Face footwear line and work in conjunction with footwear design director Jake Rivas and the San Leandro footwear team. Mike Egeck, president of TNF, told SNEWS that the restructuring will streamline the footwear management and design process, and will help meet the company’s strategic goals within the footwear division.

>> Dagger is launching its 2003 “Wherever There’s Water” print ad campaign which emphasizes the company’s message of passion and performance. Designed by its agency, Brian’s on Fire, the ads are intended to inspire the desire to get out and kayak featuring everyday scenes of water, including a puddle, toddler pool and washing machine. “There are paddlers and then there are Dagger paddlers,” said Mike Steck, marketing manager at Dagger. “We didn’t want our ads to follow the norm and scream, ‘buy me, buy me.’ We realize that if a person is ‘true,’ they are also informed and don’t want or need advertising to push them around. Our kayaks are built to perform, but what really means something to our consumers is how it makes them feel. This is why the simplicity of these images drives our message home.” The ads will run throughout 2003 in Canoe & Kayak, Paddler, American Whitewater Journal, Rapid, Kayak Session and other industry magazines.

>> Cascade Designs has promoted Carol Blaydento manager of the newly created marketing services department. Blayden is responsible for developing and managing a new global marketing services department to help the company’s outdoor, military and medical divisions establish strong branding through PR, point-of-sale materials, advertising, events and trade shows. The new global marketing department will spin off from the current outdoor marketing department. A team of five product group managers will continue to be led by Michael Glavin. Dale Karacostas has been named to the new position of key accounts sales manager. Karacostas will manage the company’s top sales accounts. He will work closely with the company’s other sales managers and the marketing, IT, purchasing and production departments to maximize sales opportunities and increase efficiency between Cascade Designs and key accounts.

>> Petzl has appointed Michel Goulet as its work and rescue division manager. In his new position, he’ll be responsible for the management and training of Petzl’s work and rescue sales force, market research and product development, and sales management of the division’s product line. Additionally, Goulet’s focus will be on developing innovative sales and marketing programs to serve the rope access and professional markets, supporting Petzl’s long-term plans for growth. Goulet has worked with Multi-Trek Safety and Rescue Ltd. in Quebec, a safety and rescue training company, as chief instructor and equipment sales manager. He’s also trained fire department firefighters in Ontario and written several training manuals on technical rescue.

>> Columbia once again served as the official apparel sponsor for the ESPN Winter X Games. The event took place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at Aspen/Snowmass and was televised on ABC, as well as all of ESPN’s channels.

>> Larry Burke, chairman and editor-in-chief of Outside magazine, has promoted Angelo Gaziano from vice president of finance and administration to chief operating officer of Outside and parent company Mariah Media.