Icebreaker - Pure Merino

Due to the success of ‘Team Ariki in the 2010 edition of the Hood to Coast relay race, we are back running this weekend for our second attempt at claiming glory.  Last year we were the third placed team overall so gained automatic entry into a race that often has to turn away close to 1,000 teams.  If Bob Foote the founder of Hood to Coast is to be believed, the secret of our success last year was the Portland beer and girls.

The Hood to Coast is a 197 mile running relay race with over a thousand teams competing.  The race is based around the city and surrounding areas of Portland in the United States.  The race starts half way up Mount Hood and finishes on the coast at Seaside.  Each team has 12 runners and these runners complete 3 legs each.  The relay see us run over a variety of terrains, weather conditions and times of day, which will once again test us both mentally and physically.

Our team is made up of runners who specialise in variety of distances ranging from 800m to marathons.  Most of us have run for the Ariki Club which is based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (close to the birth place of Icebreaker) during our running careers. Due to us being a New Zealand team, Icebreaker felt it was only right that we wear their merino.  Team Ariki is honoured to be supplied by Icebreaker, there is a compelling logic to this combination/partnership as Icebreaker will be represented at the worlds largest relay by a group of first class runners from the same region, equally hardy and resilient as the raw materials from Icebreaker’s products.  We are determined to perform well for both Icebreaker and our supporters back home.

- Alastair Chisnall, Team Ariki Captain

Following a fantastic bake off in our head office in Wellington last year, yesterday we held the 6^th annual Great Icebreaker Cake Bake Off.

This years competition was our biggest event yet with 15 cakes entered, and the standard of the entries were truly scrumptious.  Entrants had gone to huge lengths to take out this years title and trophy (a wooden rolling pin with winners names engraved on it).  Cakes were baked just prior to submitting so they were warm; there were beautiful cake stands, decorations and name cards designed; and one entrant even spent half of his Sunday testing and getting his cake ‘just right’ for judging!

Congratulations to the following Wellington staff members (as judged by the famous NZ chef Ruth Pretty):

1st PLACE – Rebecca Toomer and her Lemon Drizzle Cake
2nd PLACE – Heidi Anderson and her Schwarzwälder Torte
3rd PLACE – Tracey Davies and her Caramel Apple Cupcakes
BEST PRESENTATION – Christina Stanley and her Magpie Meringue Cake
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Di Clapperton and her Sticky Date Cake

Congrats to all who entered, bring on next years comp!

Hi Icebreaker followers, this is my first blog for Icebreaker after recently teaming up with them to provide some quality endurance sportswear. Very excited about putting it to the test in the New Zealand elements.

Earlier this year I claimed victory at Challenge Wanaka in just my second time competing over the Ironman distance triathlon. I am now looking forward to a big year of racing on the professional triathlon circuits around the world.

I will keep you guys posted on how the racing goes and more importantly how the Icebreaker product is performing in training!

My international season got underway at the Bussleton 70.3 Ironman, Western Australia with a 5^th place. I now have seven podium (top 5) finishes from my last seven starts on the international 70.3 Ironman circuit.

Be sure to follow the build up on www.facebook.com/jamiewhyte.triathlete or check out my website at www.jamiewhyte.co.nz

- Jamie Whyte, Icebreaker sponsored athlete

Enjoying the moment up the finish chute in 1st at Challenge Wanaka.