Icebreaker - Pure Merino

Congratulations to our Graphic Design team in our Wellington Head Office.  It was announced today that 3 of our designs are finalists in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2010.

Nice work guys!

Check out their stunning work here:
Icebreaker GT Technical Baselayer Packaging
Icebreaker Merino Socks Packaging
Icebreaker Office Interior Art

At our head office in Wellington today we had the 5^th annual Great Icebreaker Cake Bake Off.  We had a whopping 14 entries into the competition, comprising of carrot cakes, raspberry drenched chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, Hummingbird cakes, even a Parsnip cake.  It was spectacular.

Congratulations to the following HO staff members (as judged by the famous NZ chef Martin Bosley):

1^st - Jo Lewis and her Ginger Pocket Cake
2^nd - Tracey Davies and her Dark Chocolate and Caramel Cupcakes
3^rd - Katrina Smith and her Carrot Cake
People’s Choice Winner (as voted by HO Staff) - Jo Lewis and her Ginger Pocket Cake.
Best Presentation - Allison Jochim and her Hummingbird cake.  What an effort!

Congrats to all who entered, we can’t wait for next years comp!

Messages of support are still flooding in from the extended Icebreaker family for Team Icebreaker as they Race Across America.  This latest video is hot off the press from our Portland office, what a great bunch of cheerleaders we have amongst us!

And the Germans have sent us proof of their hard core support from Europe - they’re really with the team 24 hours that’s for sure!

Rob, Hamish, Mike, Jase and the support crew have just checked into time station 46 (out of 55) and they’ve got less than 250 miles to go!  Go team!

Follow Team Icebreaker on their Race Across America, send messages of support and WIN IcebreakerGT gear:  http://raam.icebreaker.com/

Team Icebreaker are still cycling hard in the Race Across America.  Our offices all over the globe are sending in messages of support, photos of group hugs, and today a video message to motivate them on their last few days.

Some of the staff back in the Icebreaker office are so excited they’re ready to fly to the finish line to greet the team!  We can’t wait to see them cross the finish line, only 700 miles to go guys!

Follow Team Icebreaker on their Race Across America, send messages of support and WIN IcebreakerGT gear:  http://raam.icebreaker.com/

We’re so proud of our team currently competing in the Race Across America.

Messages of support have been flooding in at the Team Icebreaker RAAM website; and today we decided we wanted to send the guys a big group hug from our Wellington Head Office.

Here’s it is guys, go hard and cycle your hearts out!  You’re over halfway now!

Follow Team Icebreaker on their Race Across America, send messages of support and WIN IcebreakerGT gear:  http://raam.icebreaker.com/

It’s all go here.  No time to do much outside riding, preparing to ride and squeezing in a limited amount of sleep.

We came together as a group on Friday, having not met everybody or done an event like this before.  by day two into the Race Across America we are a family of 12, sleeping next to each other, supporting each other and feeding each other.

We’ve had some minor teething issues with the complex navigation and the strict 50 page rule book.  A few hand slaps to date, but no time penalties so far.

The 12 of us are living out of a RV that comfortably sleeps 6.  Since we’re wearing Icebreaker and don’t stink the shower is used as a cupboard most of the time.  While the rear bedroom looks great, it turns into a mini trampoline while the RV is moving.  Some of the roads are that rough you actually get air if you are lying on it.

Life fort he support crew is just as tough as it is for us riders.  They are only getting 3 hours sleep on average too.  They are fantastic and we couldn’t do it without them.  The opportunity to do this and the jourey so far has been amazing.  Without Makuini (our Support Crew Chief) we would not have made the start, without the entire crew we would not have made the end, and without the Icebreaker gear the girls would not be smelling sweet and the blokes would not be looking like machines.

We have just pulled into time station #23 in Ulysses, KS and found the biggest Icebreaker logo in the world hanging from a crane - 8m x 6m, 10mm steel!  A big thanks to our Mac Operator from Wellington HO Jiana Benham and her family - Dad Jim, Mum Shirley and brother Kelly Wilson.  The sign was a sight for sore eyes, a really amazing welcome for the team on this long, tough journey.  They’re wonderful hosts and have welcomed us into their home for an amazing feast - they’ve recharged out batteries that’s for sure!

We will hit halfway tonight!  Bring on Annapolis.

- Jason Brown, New Zealand GM and Team Icebreaker RAAM cyclist

Follow Team Icebreaker on their Race Across America, send messages of support and WIN IcebreakerGT gear:  http://raam.icebreaker.com/

Team Icebreaker are currently racing in an epic non-stop bike race across America.  Race Across America has begun and currently the team are at time station number 16 (out of 55) in Pagosa Springs, CO.

We know the team are looking forward to arriving at time station number 23 - Ulysses, KS; just check out the local Icebreaker family support!  Jiana Benham, one of our Mac Operator’s in our Wellington Head Office, is from Ulysses and her parents have made this huge sign of encouragement for when the team ride through.  Awesome!  We know the team will love the support, thanks Jiana’s family!

You can send through messages of support and follow the team on their challenge at http://raam.icebreaker.com/ And WIN daily prizes of Icebreaker gear and entries to the Speight’s Coast 2 Coast at our RAAM Competition page.

Go team!

Jim and Shirley Wilson

Four of our staff members - Rob Achten, Hamish Allan, Jason Brown and Mike Stepanek are currently competing in the Race Across America - one of the world’s toughest endurance races, an epic non-stop bike race across the US from June 12-20.

You can follow their progress on our specially designed RAAM website here:  http://raam.icebreaker.com/

Please send in messages of support via Twitter and Facebook.  We’re also giving away daily prizes of Icebreaker gear and four Speight’s Coast 2 Coast entry tickets on the RAAM Competition page.

Thanks to the tremendous support crew made up of Icebreaker staff - they’re doing a great job ensuring the team in well looked after on the race!

Go hard guys!

One of the best things about Icebreaker is our relationships with our merino wool growers.  Last weekend I was lucky enough to get invited to spend  some time at Cluden Station with Anna (our New Zealand Corporate Account Manager) and her partner Sam.  We started off by having dinner with some farmers from a neighbouring station.  Incredible company, a  great roast meal and some wine made for a fun night.

Although it rained the entire time I was there, when we made it up to the high country (via a very bumpy and exciting ride in a ute), I saw one of the most incredible sights ever.  It was snowing all around me and when I looked down the mountain it was completely green.  For many people who live near or experience the mountains on a regular basis, this may not be a big deal, but for a “townie” like me it was pretty special.

Lucky for me my IcebreakerGT Base Layer 200 Crew paired with a Superfine LS Hood and topped off with Real Fleece kept me toasty warm in the snow at the top of the mountain.  Sam was kind enough to stop the ute a few times so I could take photos.  I was totally a tourist and very much appreciated the patience of my hosts.

In the high country, the merino sheep were a bit difficult to spot, but thanks to some very skilled and lovable dogs, I was able to see two merino running down the mountain.  It was awesome to see the source of the merino that was keeping me warm in all that snow.

Overall it was a great trip where I learned heaps about what life in the country is like here in New Zealand, and  I was lucky enough to experience some spectacular scenery and hospitality.

- Swave Szymczyk, Global In-Store Marketing Manager

A team from Icebreaker’s head office in Wellington is about to take on one of the world’s toughest endurance events - Race Across America, an epic, non-stop bike race across the US.

Mad, huh?  We think so, but our team is committed to putting our gear to the test, taking it to the limit and getting back to nature.

Last weekend, the team - Rob, Hamish, Maureen and Jason - completed a test run, cycling from Wellington to Taupo in some of the worst weather we’ve seen in a while.  They battled the elements in preparation for the race, rocking out their IcebreakerGT gear and showing us what they’re made of.  The pictures speak a thousand words - see for yourself.  Shot by Fred l’Ami our Identity Design Director, he’ll also be covering the Race Across America.

The team and support crew will be wearing Icebreaker for the duration of the event.  We’re looking forward to putting our gear to the test during this 8 day non-stop epic Race Across America.

You can watch the progress of the team, send messages of support, ask questions, enter to win Icebreaker gear and entries to the Speight’s Coast to Coast via the following website:  http://raam.icebreaker.com

We’d love you to join in and support our guys - highlight June 12 in your diaries for the start of the race!