Spy Optic ( Spy+ )
CARLSBAD, Calif.-SPY® today announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with four-time Ironman Champion Chris “Big Sexy” McDonald. He will inaugurate his relationship with the Southern California-based eyewear brand-known for its technical, functional and fashion-forward frames (including proprietary Scoop® anti-fog venting), durability, and lens technology-at the Oceanside 70.3 in Oceanside, Calif., March 31, 2012.
“Signing Chris marks an important milestone for SPY,” says Victor Sheldon, SPY marketing manager. “With the great success of our Performance technical eyewear program at the highest levels of cycling, progression into multisport world is a natural next step-after all, it’s a place we originally thrived in. Big Sexy is The Man-one of the most dominant triathletes Australia has ever produced-and he fits the SPY mold as a guy who kicks-ass, but is cool, has fun doing what he does, and doesn’t sweat the bullshit.”
With a recent repeat win at Ironman Louisville, four years after his first victory, McDonald is the first professional Ironman racer to sign with SPY since the brand’s resurgence as a player in the Performance category. He joins a roster of endurance athletes that includes reigning USA National Pro Road Race Champion and RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Team Member Matthew Busche; three-time Elite Men’s National Cyclocross Champion Jonathan Page; Women’s Masters Cyclocross National Champion and two-time Women’s Elite Cyclocross Colorado State Champion Nicole Duke; three-time UCI Downhill MTB Elite Men’s World Champion Sam Hill; and reigning UCI Downhill MTB Junior Men’s World Champion Troy Brosnan.
“SPY is an awesome brand with a long history and real interest in endurance sports as racers and enthusiasts alike,” says McDonald. “They’re athletes themselves and they make incredible products for racing-super technical, incredibly comfortable and light, durable and really good-looking. It’s a tight-knit group over there, their glasses are simply the best around, and I’m looking forward to working with them and the quality time we’ll have hanging and riding with the crew when I’m in San Diego.”
For more information about SPY Optic, log-on at www.spyoptic.com/performance/l/600_viewall andwww.facebook.com/spyperformance.
About SPY Since we were founded in 1994, we’ve believed that the best way to develop eyewear for cyclists and multisport athletes is to race and ride our bikes, on the road and in the dirt, and have fun doing it. We’re lucky to be based in San Diego, but the testing, development, and style we put into our eyewear allows us to create eyewear that work in any cycling environment on earth. And if you’re into what we’re into-riding and racing bikes-we exist to share our culture every time you put on a pair of shades. SPY is the choice of some pretty incredible riders, including 2011 U.S. National Pro Road Race Champion and Team RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Member Matthew Busche; multiple U.S. National Cyclo-cross Champion Jonathan Page; National and State Champion Nicole Duke; and World Champion Mountain Bikers Sam Hill and Troy Brosnan. There are many more hammerers and daredevils on the list, but that’s a good start. We are the official sponsor of USA Cycling and are also the title sponsor the So Cal Cross Prestige Series, the largest and most significant ‘cross series around, and SPY is a major supporter of local events and organizations, including the Swami’s, Monster Media, Big Orange, and SPY Blue teams, and an array of college clubs. We’re proud to make the best eyewear around, and even happier that we can help riders enjoy cycling, feel good, and look way cooler doing what we love to do.
Follow Chris on twitter @bigsexymcdonald