CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, August 2, 2012 – 2XU, a leading high performance sports apparel brand, has signed an eight year partnership to be the Official Compression Supplier of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA); the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding. This marks a pivotal step for 2XU as it continues its foothold into North America’s elite sporting circles.

Under the new 2XU sponsorship, U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing athletes will wear 2XU Compression for athletic training and recovery.

“The partnership really represents the perfect performance marriage between the world’s most technical winter sports compression brand and the best snow athletes in the world,” said Johnny West, Director of Brand and Sports Marketing for 2XU North America.

"The Center of Excellence, USSA's world-class training and educational facility located in Park City, Utah, is home to the best winter sports athletes in the world. With the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics just around the corner, this multi-year partnership couldn't have come at a more opportune time,” said West.

“The alliance will also present new opportunities for retailers to enhance their in-store ranges by offering their customers precisely the same 2XU Compression garments utilized by the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing athletes.”

Athletes will wear 2XU Thermal Compression throughout the season for travel, recovery and training sessions.  Additionally, an exclusive line of USSA licensed 2XU Compression will be launched during the 2013-2014 season.

"2XU Compression apparel is a vital component for the recovery and training of our athletes," said USSA High Performance Director, Troy Flanagan. "The technology employed in the product will allow athletes the ability to recover faster, thus taking more advantage of training time to better prepare for competition. 2XU Compression is also a great asset to aid recovery and circulation during long travel times, which our athletes often face."  

Beyond the partnership with the USSA, 2XU will also be recognized as the Official Compression and Performance Apparel Partner for the Center of Excellence –All staff on the Center Of Excellence athletic training floor will wear 2XU Compression and 2XU casual fitness apparel.

"We always strive to find Partners that share our core values of developing athletes to reach their full potential.  We have a great history with 2XU in doing this both on the snow and in the lab which makes this partnership a truly great one for both parties," said Michael Jaquet, USSA Chief Marketing Officer. "We look forward to continuing a great working relationship with 2XU and our athletes and staff as we prepare our march to Sochi 2014."
Aidan Clarke, 2XU’s Sales and Marketing Director, is equally proud of the brand’s latest endeavor. "We’re thrilled to partner with USSA in its relentless pursuit of U.S. alpine, snowboarding and freeskiing excellence. The physical demands for Olympic ski and snowboard hopefuls require the best in preparation, performance and recovery, and we’re honored to aid this need,” said Clarke.

To learn more about the partnership, members of the 2XU team will be on-site at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, August 2-5, 2012 (Booth #36-168). The 2XU team will be happy to answer any questions relating to this partnership as well as discuss compression not only as a baselayer, but a product that is ideal for any and all outdoor activities from trail running to cycling.

For more information on 2XU and 2XU Compression including updates on its growing list of Official Partners, visit www.2xu.com.