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adidas, Grete Waitz and the Active Against Cancer foundation join forces to make a difference one stride at a time
BERLIN, August 15th, 2009 – To celebrate a long standing relationship with Norwegian running legend Grete Waitz, the first-ever World Champion and nine-time winner of the New York Marathon, adidas launches a long-term partnership to raise funds and awareness for the Norway-based foundation Active Against Cancer. Grete took part in a launch event today to announce the partnership publically with adidas at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
Active Against Cancer was founded in 2007 by Grete Waitz and Helle Aanesen, with the purpose of promoting physical activity as a way to prevent and aid in the recovery of cancer and other diseases. To support the foundation, adidas has created the ‘Grete Aktiv Range’ of running apparel, the proceeds from which will be donated to Active Against Cancer. All pieces in the collection feature the Active Against Cancer logo, colours and design elements and will be sold for the first time during the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin 2009.
“I’ve had the pleasure of being in the adidas family since 1977 and it’s amazing that we’re now working together to support Active Against Cancer’s work,” says Waitz, who started undergoing cancer treatment herself in 2005. “adidas and Active Against Cancer are both working to get people into better physical shape, so it’s a great match. I’m really excited to be part of the launch of the new product range that will give cancer patients a better future.”
In 2010, adidas will expand the support for Active Against Cancer with the Modern Classic Marathon ’10 collection of apparel and footwear, which brings the classic looks from 1983 (the year Grete became the first IAAF World Champion in Helsinki), together with adidas technologies of today. adidas will also donate a percentage of every piece of women’s Marathon ’10 footwear and apparel sold to the Active Against Cancer charity.
“adidas is proud to partner with such an accomplished an inspirational athletic icon as Grete Waitz, who has been an integral part of the adidas brand for over 30 years.” said Adrian Leek, VP adidas Running. “She is a wonderful brand ambassador who truly embodies the Impossible is Nothing spirit, we’re thrilled to be working with her and the Active Against Cancer foundation.”
The Grete Aktiv Range of products will be sold starting August 15th at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, the opening day for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, followed by the Berlin Marathon, New York Marathon and upcoming athletic events at which Active Against Cancer teams will participate.
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For more information about Active Against Cancer, please contact:
Helle Aanesen
COO of Active Against Cancer
+47932 70707
For more information about adidas please visit www.press.adidas.com or contact:
Linda Murphy Evan Wiener
Global PR Manager Global PR Manager
+49 160 8842651 +49 160 884 6644