Nike Swift Innovation Extends to USA Short Track
09 December 2005 - 2:44AM
PR Newswire (US)
The Swift Revolution Continues BEAVERTON, Ore., Dec. 8
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It's fury on ice. Short track
speedskating's intense close-quarter competition is a blaze of
human movement. The sport has undergone intense governing-body
scrutiny to address major safety concerns for personal protection.
The International Skating Union (ISU) has imposed stringent
cut-resistance standards, creating rigorous challenges for
compliance. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051208/SFTH110-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051208/SFTH110-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990818/NIKELOGO ) Nike has
integrated superior innovation and weight reduction to meet those
standards with the Nike Swift Short Track Skin, one more component
of Nike's successful Project Swift initiative, led by Nike's
Advanced Innovation Team, to develop high-performance athletic
apparel for athletes worldwide. USA Speedskating's short track
teams will compete in the Nike Swift Short Track Skin at the XX
Olympic Winter Games in 2006. Nike is a proud sponsor of the U.S.
Olympic Team and USA Speedskating. Short Track Speed Skating After
the Salt Lake City Games, the only cut-protection option for
skaters was to wear two garments -- an outer suit and an inner
cut-resistant suit. Protective, but heavier and much less
comfortable. The Nike Swift Short Track Skin is a one-suit system
utilizing lightweight cut-protective fabric (independent-laboratory
approved) in critical body zones. Anatomically specific integration
of the cut-protection material is located in critical areas
specified by the ISU. Each cut-resistant panel incorporated into
the Nike Swift Skin suit uses a particular construction technique
based on anatomical location. Behind the knee, fabric layers are
minimized to accommodate the high degree of flexion necessary
allowing the athletes to perform, unrestricted, to their highest
level. The lower torso and upper leg zones utilize a separate,
slightly larger, built-in short to accommodate the high degree of
flexion at the torso without affecting the ability of the outer
layer to conform to the body. With lighter materials, an innovative
new pattern, and total cut-suit integration, the suit meets rigid
skating requirements, and weighs half of the previous combination
of Nike Swift Skin and cut protective suits. In Position With these
tight clusters of lightning-fast skaters, there's less concern
about aerodynamics, and more focus on strategy. The Swift Skin is
smooth and fits close to the body to better combat the air
turbulence in these compact groups. The Swift Skin was designed for
two body positions. The upright position, which the athlete is more
often in when not on the ice, demands more comfort. The suit is
often worn for extended periods of time throughout a competition
day. The athlete must also relax at the starting line while in an
upright position immediately prior to taking the starting position.
Articulation gussets have been built into the suit to relieve the
tension found in those specific body zones. The use of gussets
minimizes bulk and wrinkles in areas where flexion occurs, while
still allowing for enough stretch in the extended position. Skaters
race in a bent over position. It is the most critical since the
skater's success relies on the ability to maintain race-winning
form and technique while bent over at the waist. The suit is
primarily cut with the skating position in mind. This articulated
fit provides the highest degree of unrestricted movement to the
athlete while skating. The Nike Swift Short Track Speedskating Skin
will be found on national teams from The Netherlands, China, United
States and South Korea during the 2005-2006 season, and each
features strong country color designs and iconography. Nike's
35-member worldwide Advanced Innovation Team has conducted
extensive research to produce superior apparel performance and
design, helping world-class athletes achieve 57 Olympic medals (17
in Athens alone), 17 world records, 11 Tour de France stage
victories and overall increased athletic performance in a variety
of sport disciplines since the program's inception in 2000. About
Nike, Inc. NIKE, Inc. based in Beaverton, Oregon is the world's
leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic
footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of
sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries
include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes
athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Bauer NIKE Hockey Inc.,
a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan
(R), which designs, markets, and distributes fine dress and casual
shoes and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs,
markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear,
apparel and accessories and Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs
and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail
channel. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051208/SFTH110-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051208/SFTH110-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990818/NIKELOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Nike, Inc. CONTACT: Dean
Stoyer of Nike, +1-503-532-6018 or Web site:
http://www.nikebiz.com/
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