Athlete News: Shiffrin Joins Adidas, Fujas Leaves K2
Ski stars Mikaela Shiffrin and Pep Fujas make sponsorship moves.
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Considering the current trend of ski racers—and most professional athletes in general—posting their gym workouts on social media almost more often than skiing, there is certainly plenty of opportunity for sponsorship contracts in the workout space. This is probably why the news today that Mikaela Shiffrin is joining adidas isn’t surprising, despite the fact adidas does not make skiing apparel, and, according to a press release, “adidas has no current plans to enter the ski market.”
The brand will support the 24-year-old skiing superstar in the gym, as well as during her other conditioning activities that include trail running, hiking, and yoga.
“adidas is a company that aligns with my values and beliefs so perfectly, and I’m really looking forward to kicking off this partnership,” says Shiffrin in a press release. “Off the mountain, I basically live in shorts and leggings, so it’s really important for me to partner with a global company that sees the value in combining performance, style, and comfort, and has a strong mission and vision. adidas believes that ‘through sport, we have the power to change lives,’ and they practice what they preach both in sport and in life, with initiatives like their movement against marine plastic pollution, and their movement to give more people better accessibility to being outdoors.”
The brand is known for signing high profile athletes in a number of sports, including football, soccer, and tennis. We expect to see Shiffrin play a role in the brand’s “She Breaks Barriers” campaign, as well as appear in future star-studded adidas FIFA World Cup commercials going forward.
Watch: ‘Mikaela Out of the Gate’
Pep Fujas Leaves K2 Skis
In other athlete news, freeskiing legend Pep Fujas announced via a blog post that he is leaving K2 Skis. The announcement comes as a bit of a shock considering Fujas has been at the top of the brand’s athlete roster for 17 years. Fujas has been at the forefront of designing a number of K2’s iconic skis, including the Public Enemy, Fujative, Hellbent, and, most recently, the brand’s new Mindbender line for 2019-2020.
Read More: Shop Talk – K2 Mindbender Skis
“K2 has been a loyal partner to me so it has been a real challenge to say farewell to a company that has been like family and whose employees and athletes have become longterm friends,” Fujas writes via his website. “The goodbye is certainly bittersweet, but I am forever grateful for the wonderful relationships that I have developed over the years.”
Based on an Instagram post from K2 Skis Global Marketing Lead, Fujas’ is choosing to leave the brand and doing so on better terms for both parties compared to prior athlete roster shake-ups at K2.
But the move does raise the question about what skis Fujas will be on this season and beyond. The 35-year-old Utah-based athlete is one of the most respected freeskiers in the sport and has inspired a generation of skiers to think differently about using poles, sliding on fat skis at the X-Games Slopestyle, and getting a college education. People will want to ski on whatever Fujas is skiing on for the foreseeable future.
More about Pep: Life Beyond Pro
While we wait for Fujas to announce a new ski partner, he’ll be revisiting the highlights of the last 17 years with K2 on his Instagram page. We highly recommend following along.