Vasque Trail Team is Revved Up for another Successful Season

After a long winter of training on dirt, in the gym and in lots of snow, the Vasque Trail Team begins the season with supreme confidence and a renewed enthusiasm to race strong and hard. Coming off a successful 2009, which earned them a slew of podium finishes and several course records, the 2010 team, including Krissy Moehl, Duncan Callahan, Keri Nelson, Bryan Dayton, Debbie Livingston, Shiloh Mielke, Dan Dehlin, and Brian Rusiecki, has high aspirations and big plans for the year.

“We are extremely proud to have such an amazing group of elite and inspirational athletes representing the brand,” claims Vasque Marketing Director, Mark Dinndorf. “With a powerful athlete roster and a new collection of light-weight, technical trail running shoes, we are excited to showcase the talents of both the team and the new spring collection.”

Krissy Moehl from Seattle, WA, began her season last month with a first place finish at the renowned Black Mountain Challenge, a 50k race that leaves runners scrambling up the highest peak in the east, Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. Moehl had a spectacular 2009 year with several top finishes including a win and course record at the grueling Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc. This year she is hoping for top performances at the World 100k competition and the MiWok 100. Moehl will also represent Team Vasque at the 4th annual Gore-Tex Transrockies Run (GTTR) in Colorado. Duncan Callahan, of Gunnison, CO has his sights set on multiple 100 mile races this year, including the Big Horn 100 mile, the Grand Teton 100 mile and possibly an international venue. The 2008 Leadville Trail 100 champion will also return to Leadville this year for another go at a first place finish.

Vasque team newcomer and elite snowshoer, Keri Nelson of Gunnison, CO, is honing her skills to dominate the trail marathon competition and plans to enter every event her schedule allows. Nelson will also be at the starting line of the Leadville marathon to defend her 2008 title. Bryan Dayton, of Boulder, CO, will take care of some unfinished business at Pike’s Peak marathon and is partnering with teammate Krissy Moehl at the GTTR, to charge the co-ed competitive division. Debbie Livingston of Bolton, CT is back for another season after recently giving birth to her second child and has her sights set on a top finish at the Vermont 50.

Shiloh Mielke, of Asheville, NC, has planned a full slate of short, fast trail races for the season, including his signature race, the Shut-In Challenge on Mount Pisgah outside of Asheville. Additionally, Mielke is pursuing a slot on the U.S. Mountain Running team and will test his athleticism this year by entering Xterra triathlons. Recovered from knee surgery and running strong, Vasque sales representative and elite athlete, Dan Dehlin, of Marquette, MI, is back to defend his Keweenaw title and go for his first finish at the Leadville 100. A stand out up and comer on the trail running scene, Brian Rusiecki from Westfield, MA, is new to the roster and is a runner to watch. Rusiecki has the full gamut of New England trail races planned for the season, which includes the WMAC series, Pineland Farm and the Vermont 50 & 100.

Vasque is also proud to have product developer, Brian Hall, out on the trails and competing this season. In 2009, Hall successfully completed his first ultra with a sub 30 hour finish at the Leadville 100. He is currently training for the 2010 Wasatch 100-miler.

The Team runs in their choice of Vasque trail runners, and the newly released Transistor FS has been a popular selection and tester favorite. The Transistor FS trail shoes are super light, ideal for logging long, fast miles, and feature the Vasque FootSync Fit System for maximum fit and performance on uncertain terrain. Vasque Mindbenders, Moehl’s shoe of choice, are a stable ride offering a wider toe box to ensure is your foot is comfortable while trekking mile after long mile.

For more information about the domestic Trail Team, international trail athletes, as well as supported events that are part of the Vasque PROJECT, please visit www.vasque.com.

About Vasque
For over 40 years, Vasque has crafted high-quality, performance-driven footwear for the outdoor market with a line that includes specialized footwear for trail running, multisport, hiking, backpacking, and kids. With an unyielding commitment to innovation, Vasque focuses on fit and world-class performance as the core pillars in every product they produce. Company product-testing takes place through a team of exceptional athletes who report directly from trails all over the world, resulting in product that withstands the test of time and the hardest conditions and wear. To illustrate the “Vasque Fit” story, the company has brought on the Master of Fit™ to narrate, in a series of videos, exactly what it takes to become an award-winning footwear manufacturer.

To view the Master of Fit in action visit www.youtube.com/user/vasquefootwear.

For more information on all Vasque products, go to www.vasque.com.