Sports Trader March 2015

Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 36 No 2 • March 2015

Holiday sales better than expected Fishing industry considers legal steps Sneaker wars over trademarks and rights

Vol 36 Nr 2 March 2015 www.sportstrader.co.za

Highlights: Matching a cricket bat to a player Bladders, bottles or belts for hydration?

On the cover Kangol footwear is now also available in South Africa.

The winter range offers a wide selection of smart casual footwear for men and women.

With excellent quality from a brand you know and trust, Kangol footwear should appeal to just about everyone.

For further information, contact Crown Footwear on 031 700 1601 or sales@natalsa.co.za.

Publisher: Nicol du Toit Editor: Carin Hardisty Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Proofreader: Liz Milburn Features: Carin Hardisty, Nelle du Toit Claassen, Nicol du Toit, Rhianah Rhode, Trudi du Toit, Yamkela Mkebe Design: Carin Hardisty, Rhianah Rhode Photography: Nicol du Toit Advertising: Nicol du Toit Subscriptions: Carin Hardisty Printing: Paarl Media Paarl Distribution: Tunleys

Is trail catching up on tar running?

Which cricket bat characteristics suit which type of batsman? p42

Industry

2 4 8 10 14 22 64

People on the move

News about people in the industry

Companies on the move

News about companies in the industry

Holiday results

Selling tips: Sleeping systems Tips on selling sleeping systems.

Fishing

The fishing industry is reverting to the court for protection.

Hydration options

When is a bottle, bladder or belt the best option?

Smartphones impact on industry

Use of smartphones and -watches are among the fitness trends predicted for 2015

Brands on the move

News about brand activity in the industry

Women’s shopping habits

Retailers tell us about the women who shop in their stores

Company results

International financial results

Retailers tell us about their female shoppers p22

Sport

Contact details:

Publication information: The title and contents of Sports Trader are protected by copyright. It is a business to business publication compiled to inform, entertain and educate retailers, distributors and manufacturers of sports and outdoor equipment, footwear and clothing. It is available only to members of the sport, outdoor and activewear industries and is published bi-monthly. © Rocklands Communications.

58 60 62

Could good sales signal the beginning of a recovery?

Sports Trader is published bi-monthly

by Rocklands Communications cc.

Reg. No: 1997/057165/23.

Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit PO Box 12197 Mill Street 8010 22 Rocklands Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town 8001 Tel: 021 461 2544 Fax: 021 461 2549 Website: www.sportstrader.co.za Facebook: SportsTraderMagazine Twitter: @SASportsTrader Blog: sasportsindustry.blogspot.com Advertising: nicol@sportstrader.co.za Editorial: trudi@sportstrader.co.za Subscribe: carin@sportstrader.co.za

Outdoor

Has the interest in trail running grown the sport enough to rival road running? p32

Clothing & footwear

26 32

36 40 42 46 52

Skins and FIFA

Satirical campaign draws attention to the influence of sponsors on sporting bodies

Shop Talk

Tips from specialist retailer, The Cricket Company.

Cricket

Matching a cricket bat with a type of batsman

Cricket

New cricket ranges from cricket suppliers

Protective

How do different sports tackle the issues of protective for athletes?

Sneakers

Trade shows and events

Running

IBC

Sneaker brands go to war over trademarks and rights Is trail running catching up with road running?

Trade show news News about local and international trade and industry-related shows

p2 :: Industry

Tribute to Rob Thompson

Rob Thompson

THE SOUTH AFRICAN sports trade has lost a loyal son, one who stood by and epitomised the old sales-reps adage the rep who makes his calls, is the rep who gets the business, writes RICHARd KUSCHlICK of Unique Feet in an obituary for his friend, Rob George Jude Thompson, who passed away on 7 January.

“Rob was known by many and made friends wherever he plied his trade. He will be remembered for his excellent sense of humour, broad range of interests and gentle persona,” he writes.

“Rob was brought up in the leafy suburb of Parkview in Johannesburg and matriculated at Parktown Boys High, completed his national service, travelled Europe and then embarked on a sales career. His first permanent job (in the late 1960’s) was as a sales rep for Playtex — a job he often referred to as every man’s dream.

“He married Annie and had two daughters, Natalie and Tracey. After their divorce he spent a few years in Knysna, where he owned and ran a restaurant, Gobbles, before returning to Johannesburg in the early 1980’s.

Rob met Karen, his life partner, in 1992 and lived with her until his demise.

“His close association with the Zoo Lake Water Polo Club and Pirates Rugby Club originated many of his friendships and business opportunities. Through Pirates, Rob joined Hi-Tec and represented them loyally for a number of years.

“After enduring financial hardship Rob joined long-time associate Mike Miller in an agency business that included representing a host of sports and footwear brands. Rob worked alone for a

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

number of years, before teaming up with Graham Edgar, with whom he worked till the end.

“Though the chronological order of the following list isn’t entirely accurate and doesn’t include every company that Rob represented, it is a list of some of the companies that he represented and for whom he loyally spent many hours on the road: Playtex, Hi-Tec, Sports Laboratory, Jordan Shoes, Pabica Sport & Leisure, Strings and Things (S&T), Sportsballs, Leisure Holdings, Leisure Brands, BRM, Finns, Corpi-Kit, Crocket & Jones Apparel, Unique Feet, Wolverine, TYR, AC Activewear and Zebra Bark.

“Rob’s territory included areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria, the Vaal Triangle, Mpumalanga, Northern Province, North West, Northern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana.

“He had a number of vehicles that only he and the bravest principal would dare to travel in.

Road trips were always entertaining, whilst his relationships with the independent traders were such that he was always received with open arms, fed well and concluded business for the season to come. Many will recall their own personal experiences with Rob on the road or at trade shows where one truly got to know this shy man who only shared his experiences with those he trusted.

“His affable persona and Marlboro-man facial features leaves us with the memories of a Rep well-suited to his territory, much like Percy Fitzpatrick’s descriptions of the characters on the old trade routes between Johannesburg and (then) Lorenzo Marques.

“Rob didn’t leave many physical assets. He did, however, leave each one of us with the most vivid and entertaining memories, which we will treasure and impart to future generations of the sports and footwear trade.

“To Rob we say: Au Revior, Shalom, Auf Wiedersehen, ILAYHI RAAJIOON, Tot Siens, Hamba Kahle, Till we meet again!”

(Written by Richard Kushlick on behalf of all who knew Rob Thompson)

People on Puma adds top names to stable

Above: Kwesi Nyantakyi of the Ghana Football Association and Christian Voigt, GM of Puma. Photo: Manuel Schlueter Photography.

PUMA’S BEEN busy signing sponsorship deals.

Puma and Ghana Football Association (GFA) have extended their partnership, which is already 10 years old. Puma stays their technical supplier and official partner, and will supply playing kits, training apparel and equipment to Ghana’s national soccer teams.

Puma will also continue manufacturing and distributing official GFA replica kits and fan merchandise.

Still on the soccer front, Puma has signed Oupa Manyisa, Orlando Pirates captain and Bafana Bafana midfielder. As part of the contract, the sports brand will supply performance and lifestyle gear beyond 2017 and Manyisa wll play in their evoSpeed boots.

For their rugby side, Puma has signed Springbok fullback Willie le Roux (right) to a long term contract. As part of the partnership, the brand will supply Le Roux with performance and lifestyle footwear and apparel and accessories. He will play in their new evoSpeed boots, which Le Roux feels are ideal for an outside back as they are lightweight and will allow speed and agility, “as well as a comfortable kick in”. Le Roux, who was shortlisted for World Player of the Year in 2014, joins other Springboks Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Trevor Nyakane, Francois Louw and Adriaan Strauss as a Puma athlete.

Right: Puma’s Schalk Burger is the only African among the finalists nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards, which takes place 15 April. He was nominated in the Comeback of the Year category for his return to the Springbok team following his recovery from lifethreatening bacterial meningitis.

Oupa Manyisa

Willie le Roux

the move

Industry :: p3

Terrance will be missed at Cape Union Mart

Pieters bids Footwear Trading farewell AFTER ALMOST a decade as Footwear Trading’s group marketing manager, Werner Pieters (right) has left this multi-brand distributor to start up his very own fashion lifestyle brand building agency at the beginning of this year.

He is also working extensively as a fashion photographer and plans to do shoots for leading fashion publications and agencies.

Although taking on projects in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, Pieters is based in Johannesburg.

“The industry’s response and support has been overwhelming.

Driven by passion, I am very ex-

Lance Armstrong (above) has been hit with a record breaking $10-m sanctions award by the arbitration panel that heard his dispute with SCA Promotions, Inc. He was punished for engaging in "an unparalleled pageant of international perjury, fraud and conspiracy". It is believed to be the largest sanctions award against an individual in American judicial history.

Jeep Team’s OCR and trail running athlete, Claudia Richard, finished third in the fast-paced 25km Kinetic Adventure Race alongside racing partner Ruth Avierinos. Teams participated in a trail run, two mountain bike legs, a short kayak and an obstacle course.

cited about this new journey and look forward to building a brand that’s synonymous with creating strategic creative solutions that delivers growth,” says Pieters.

AFTER 16 years at Cape Union Mart, Evan Torrance (above) has accepted the position as MD of Yuppiechef and will be leaving Cape Union Mart at the end of March.

Torrance’s responsibilities included marketing, IT, HRD, special

projects and their ERP implementation, and he played a significant role across all of the brands.

“I really love Cape Union Mart very dearly and this has without a doubt been the toughest decision that I’ve ever had to make, but I believe that it’s a step in the right direction for me personally and it will hopefully open up doors for others within the business to grow and develop as I’ve had the opportunity to do in the past,” says Torrance.

“We know that he will be successful in the role and we wish him well. We look forward to seeing how Yuppiechef transforms itself under his leadership!” says Andre Labuschaigne, CEO of Cape Union Mart.

Gordon Stokes has joined HiTec SA to manage the Product Department. Stokes has an impressive record as product developer at Jordan & Co, where he had been especially closely involved with creating ranges for their own Olympic athletic and outdoor footwear brand for more than two decades. Adolf Stofberg, who has been looking after the product department at Hi-Tec SA, will be moving back to the position of Key Accounts Manager.

Speedo’s Danie Marais (above) won the inaugural Sanlam Cape Mile swim at the Eikenhoff Dam in Grabouw in February — a second ahead of Myles Brown and three seconds ahead of the Midmar Mile king Chad Ho. The three are among South Africa’s top openwater swimmers. Ho won his sixth successive Midmar Mile the week before, where Marais came third. Speedo, locally distributed by Brand ID, is one of the Sanlam Cape Mile Cape sponsors.

Sports Trader’s Rhianah Fredericks became Rhode when she got married early February. Rhode has been a member of Sports Trader since January 2013, fulfilling several roles including journalist and layout artist.

Right: Yamkela Mkebe, one of Rhode’s colleagues, congratulates the happy bride.

Multiple world champion Hank McGregor of Jeep Team SA claimed his third victory in the Varsity College Marine Surfski Series in Durban, which gave him a lead in the series.

Jeep Team SA’s Mikaela Jonsson had a great start to February. She won the Junior Women’s 800m at the KwaZulu Natal Track League and then hours later won her first aQuellé Mudman (700m swim, 20km mountain bike, 5km trail run) in the season-opening event. Jonsson, who turns 18 in July, is a 2020 Olympic-hopeful.

Worth $22.4-bn, Nike-founder Phil Knight tops the list of the richest people in the sporting goods industry in 2014, compiled by Sporting Goods Intelligence. At number 2 is New Balance’s Jim Davis ($3.4-bn), then GoPro-founder Nick Woodman and Mike Ashley of Sports Direct International ($3.3-bn) in joint third position.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

Companies on the move p4 :: Industry

TG Sports closed its doors ONE OF South Africa’s trailblazing soccer specialist retailers, TG Sports, closed its doors. During the last decades of the previous century Tanga Govindsamy’s store on the first floor of a building in mid-town Johannesburg was one of the country’s leading soccer stockists, despite defying all the traditional retailing rules.

Their store was not easy to access, there was little parking and they had no street-level window displays to attract customers inside. Regardless, they managed to run a successful business because their customers knew exactly where to go if they wanted to talk soccer or see the latest ranges.

The Govindsamy family’s store was not laid out like a typical sports store where products are grouped together. Instead, he had sections for the different brands.

Part of his agreement with the suppliers was they must refund a portion of his advertising cost.

In 2009 the business moved to new premises in a two-storey

New Lite Optec shareholders

Natalie Ralphs, Financial Director and Company Secretary, and Aidan Romanis, Managing Director.

building at street level. They also opened other stores in Lenasia and Gandhi Square.

The last few years, however, TG Sports battled to compete against other retailers selling goods at discounted prices and the economic downturn, which especially affected his soccer customer base.

Speedo helps raise awareness of pollution

AIDAN AND KIM Romanis, and Al Boom Marine, UAE-based leisure goods distributor and retailer, have bought a controlling interest in the Lite Optec group of companies, previously owned by Timothy Oshry, James Stott and Jan Boshoff.

Aidan Romanis has been appointed as managing director of Lite Optec and Natalie Ralphs as group financial director and company secretary for the Lite Optec group.

Kim Romanis retains her marketing position. “Apart from Aidan taking the reins, not much has changed from an operational point of view. It’s still the same great company with the same wonderful employees continually working on improving our service and our product offering to our

valued clients,” she explains.

“This alliance will have great synergy going forward in terms of joint cooperation, product development and management expertise,” explains Ralphs.

Al Boom Marine will now be the exclusive Middle East distributor of the Tonglite BBQ accessory brand. Marc Armstrong and Adel Al Sumait, Al Boom Marine owners, also have other investments in Southern Africa and are experienced in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. “We are proud to add this innovative new product to our existing stable of world class brands and are very pleased with many potential areas of cooperation going forward in our acquisition of shares in the SA Lite Optec group,” says Steven Holbrook, CEO of Al Boom Marine.

Mikasa-sponsored FIVB event in Bloem

SPEEDO, LOCALLY distributed

by Brand ID, sponsored the two extreme swimmers Andrew Chin and Toks Viviers, who this week completed a 10-day, 200km swim in the polluted Wilge River in the Free State. They swam the distance in Speedo costumes, caps and goggles to draw attention to South Africa’s deteriorating waterways.

The battered swimmers suffered from upset stomachs, nausea and vomiting, due to the contaminated water, and had cuts

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

and bruises from rapids and rocks.

During the journey downstream from Harrismith to Frankfort, they slept on the river bank and were accompanied by a small support crew. The event was organised by Rivers for Life, which raises awareness of South Africa’s polluted water crisis.

As part of the initiative, Chin will be attempting an extreme swim in a major river in every province in the country. “We hope our swims will ignite action to address these issues,” he says.

THE FINAL leg of the 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, the FIVB Manguang Open, took place in Bloemfontein during December. This was the eighth time South Africa has hosted a FIVB tournament, but the first time that it was held in the Free State.

Mikasa, locally distributed by Pat Wiltshire Sports, was the official FIVB ball.

p6 :: Industry

Brooks wins in 2014 LAST YEAR was a big year for Brooks Running international, which reached half a billion dollars in annual sales, received numerous awards and will be releasing a new performance apparel line, as well as adding two new styles to their Moving Comfort sports bra collection.

Brooks Running had a 15% increase in revenue growth (yearon-year). The 32% increase in the EMEA sales (on a local currency basis), a 13% increase in US footwear sales and Brooks Canada’s more than 37% (year-over-year) revenue growth since 2014, contributed to this.

In South Africa Brooks sales last year grew 30%, and the adoption of the brand by the retail trade has been overwhelmingly positive since SBR Agencies introduced Brooks into the SA market in July 2012, says Michelle Chowles.

To accommodate this growth, mid 2014 they moved into new premises in Germiston, Gauteng.

“We are laser focused on the future of running and are continuing to build a brand in South Africa that inspires everyone to

run and be active,” says Chowles.

They will do this by offering superior customer service, delivering ground-breaking products and developing a deeper connection with their customers, she adds.

Their core footwear styles such as the Glycerin, Ghost, Adrenaline GTS and Cascadia remain top sellers at South African Specialist Running Accounts (SRA’s), which remain core to their distribution strategy. The brand has achieved good representation through this channel.

Globally, the company grew its market share position to 31% in performance running footwear retail dollar share for December 2013-November 2014, despite a drop in running shoe sales at specialty running account stores internationally, caused by declines in men’s and barefoot styles.

From December 2013-November 2014, Brooks’ Ghost 6 was the number one shoe in the growing neutral footwear category at specialty running stores, where 44% of the total running shoes were neutral styles. The Adrenaline GTS shoe was also the top choice for runners in its category for the

Companies

Clive and Michelle Chowles of SBR Agencies, local distributors of Brooks.

sixth consecutive year.

The brand won several awards from editors, wear-testers and industry experts: the Cascadia 9 (above) and PureGrit 3 received the Runner’s World Editor’s Choice award and the PureFlow 3 and Adrenaline GTS 15 received the Best Update award. The PureFlow 3 also received the Gear of the Year from Outside magazine; and Brooks Running received the Vendor of the Year award from the Independent Running Retailers Association.

As part of their commitment to evolve and keep up with runners, the new performance ap-

parel line has been designed with the help of runners’ insights and with their needs in mind. It features the brand’s DriLayer moisture-wicking fabrics and has a design inspired by the simplicity, minimalism and functionality of Scandinavian culture, which is associated with producing timeless pieces that are functional and also look appealing.

The new Uprise Crossback and Uplift Crossback styles in their Moving Comfort sports bra collection are lightweight and provide shape and support. They also have an appealing fashion-forward design.

Adidas SA wins Best Sponsorship awards

Above: EFC fighters Leon Mynhardt and Don Madge, with Kate Woods and Rob Lee who accepted the Best Sponsorship of a Sport Event or Competition award for adidas SA. Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images.

ADIDAS SA received two awards at the Discovery Sports Industry Awards that was held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 12 February. They walked away with Best Sponsorship of a Sport

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Event or Competition, for their #myjourney campaign with the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, and Best Sponsorship of a Sport Team or Individual for their partnership with Orlando Pirates.

on the move

Industry :: p7

New Balance moves into soccer

Datadart goes G-Force FOR THE past 20 years, W.E.T. Sports has being importing the Datadart range of darts, flights, punches and accessories from England.

“Over time the range has evolved and with the demand for a more affordable tungsten dart, the G-Force was born,” says Patrick Franck of local distributor W.E.T. Sports.

“With a tungsten content of between 80-95%, the G-Force dart has proven to be extremely popular.” Now, in response to a call for

a more durable flight from their customers, they asked Datadart to develop a stronger, faster 100 Micron thickness flight, which now forms part of the Datadart international range.

“It seemed the logical choice to name the new 100 Micron thickness flight the G-Force,” says Franck.

“May the G-Force be with you.”

Adidas sells Rockport ADIDAS HAS sold their fashion footwear brand, Rockport, to a Berkshire and New Balance partnership for a total of $280-m. New Balance’s Drydock operations will market Rockport with their brands Aravon, Dunham and Cobb Hill.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed later this year.

“Our focus is clearly on sport and operating a brand portfolio with a clear agenda to unleash the potential of athletes and inspire consumers to live active lives,” says Herbert Hainer, CEO of the adidas Group. “The brown shoe

category is not core to this strategy and the sale of Rockport will allow us to reduce complexity and pursue our target consumer more aggressively with the adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade brands.

Adidas sales grew 6% in constant currencies and by 2% in euros reaching a total of €14.8-bn for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. The brand grew by 11% on currency-neutral basis, while Reebok’s turnover was up 5%. Adidas profit is estimated to be €650-m, excluding the effect of the Rockport divestment, which is said to be into doubledigit millions of euros.

NEW BALANCE has entered the global soccer market by signing sponsorship agreements with four prominent English and European clubs — Liverpool FC, the English club that has won the most European trophies, the oldest club in the Premier League, Stoke City, FC Porto and UEFA champions Sevilla FC. They also signed ten international players.

The previous sponsor of these clubs, Warrior, owned by New Balance, will shift its focus away from soccer to concentrate on its core markets, lacrosse and ice hockey.

New Balance also signed players Aaron Ramsey, Adnan Januzai, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill, Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas, Fernando Reges and Nikica Jelavic.

Ramsey, the youngest captain of the Welch national team, plays for Arsenal, Januzai is a rising star at Manchester United, while Kompany captains Manchester

City and Belgium, with Fellaini joining him on both teams. Other Manchester City players who will be wearing New Balance are Nasri, Navas and Reges. Negredo is contracted to Valencia, Jelavic to Hull City and Cahill to the New York Red Bulls.

New Balance and Liverpool FC agreed on a record breaking multi-year kit manufacturer deal.

Liverpool merchandise will also be sold through New Balance retail stores worldwide.

“We believe this global portfolio of clubs is an incredibly strong line-up for New Balance’s entry into football market,” says Richard Wright, general manager of New Balance Football. “We have four clubs all with distinctive, exciting identities, and which will play a key role in taking New Balance Football to a truly global audience. This is an exciting, unprecedented start and we look forward to working with these clubs for many years to come.”

WHY SETTLE FOR TURBO CHARGED WHEN YOU CAN EXPERIENCE G-FORCE?

New G-Force Extra Strong 100 Micron Thickness Flights G-Force 80% Tungsten Darts Available in 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 grams Range of Darts, Dart Punches, Dartboards, Flights and Accessories available

Datadart and G-Force only available from W.E.T. Sports in South Africa.

For trade enquiries, please contact us at Tel: (021) 948 8150, Fax: (021) 948 8084, Email: wetsports@wirelessza.co.za

2015 January :: Sports Trader

p8 :: Industry

It was indeed a

Merry Xmas!

More customers visited stores to buy higher priced luxury items before Christmas 2014 than the previous years, retailers who responded to our annual Holiday Sales survey report.

Could this signal the beginning of a recovery for the industry?

C

ould we be emerging from the blanket of gloom that hung over South African sport, outdoor and lifestyle retailing the past few years? The feedback we got from retailers in our annual Holiday Sales Survey certainly seems to indicate that. The retailers who responded were remarkably positive about trading conditions over the Christmas holiday and January sales period.

For example, 61% said their pre-Christmas sales were better than what they expected ... over the previous three years (2011-2013) an average of 25% respondents said their pre-Christmas sales were better than expected. What’s more, over the past three years about 30% (on average) respondents said their pre-Christmas sales were worse than expected ... but only 11% said they were disappointed this time.

When it came to actual sales, 82% respondents reported that their December sales were higher than the previous year — 39% of them reporting sales increases of more than 20%.

In comparison, over the past two years 50% (2013) and 43% (2012) reported higher Christmas sales than the previous years, and only 15% and 10% reported sales increases of more than 20%.

Only 7% of the respondents this year reported a drop in pre-Christmas sales, compared to 35% the year before and 37% the year before that (2012).

While respondents were not quite as upbeat about the improvement in their January sales as in December, they were certainly much more positive than the previous two years: 54% reported year on year sales growth for January 2015, compared to 32% (2014) and 34% (2013) the previous two years.

There were also fewer retailers who report-

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

ed a drop in comparable sales than the previous two years, namely 20% in January 2015, compared to 37% (2014) and 40% (2013).

This year’s holiday sales responses are more in line with December-January 2011-2012 when retailers 62% of retailers reported year on year sales growth in December, and only 16% said that sales were lower than the preChristmas season the previous year. In 2012, more than half (51%) of respondents reported higher sales in January than the year before, and only 14% said their sales dropped compared to the same month a year before.

Most retailers report that functional, higher priced items like footwear and clothing were the most popular sales items over the period.

This year as many as 71% of the respondents said they had more customers in their stores over Christmas than the previous year, compared to 25% who last year reported they had more Christmas shoppers. In 2013 nearly half (45%) of the respondents said they had fewer customers in their stores than the year before, but last year (2014) only 14% had fewer Christmas shoppers than the previous year.

Not only did more feet enter stores, they also bought up and spent more money in store over this holiday season. This time around many more retailers reported that their customers bought higher priced, luxury items for Christmas, namely 41%, compared to 15%, 13% and 11% the previous three years. On the other hand, 11% said their customers this year

mostly bought lower priced items, compared to 20-27% the previous three years.

Most retailers, however, report that functional, yet higher priced items like footwear and clothing, were the most popular sales items over the period. This year 63% reported that their customers mainly bought this category of merchandise before Christmas, compared to 45% (2013), 53% (2012) and 51% (2011).

This Christmas fewer retailers report that they sold more mid-price items (44%) than the previous three years: 75% in 2013, 63% in 2012 and 59% in 2011.

But, despite the positive reports on the Christmas festive season, most retail respondents still regard the economy, which results in fewer customers spending less money, as the biggest challenge they face. Since the 2012 survey 39-40% of the respondents have identified this as their main challenge.

This is followed by respondents identifying growing competition from other retailers as the biggest challenge they face: 25% this year identified this as a threat, compared to 30% last year and 19% the year before.

The third biggest challenge identified by 1415% respondents is distributors selling directly to their customers. “Other than competing against our suppliers, the economy has also contributed to affect sales over the last season, but the biggest challenge is direct selling,” commented Dale Hermanson of Sports Horizons.

“Finding a way of reaching the general market instead of just our own niche customers,” is the biggest challenge for a respondents who chose to remain anonymous.

Interestingly, relatively few respondents regard online trading as a threat to their stores

Industry :: p9 The chart right shows why retailers have reason to start the new year with optimism: in the 2014/15 preChristmas period customers bought much more luxury and functional, yet high-priced (e.g. clothing and footwear) than previous years. Customers also bought fewer low-priced items. This contributed to retailers’ sales expectations for December being exceeded (see below).

This good news continued into January 2015, with most (35%) of respondents reporting sales growth of more than 20% and only 12% reporting a more than 20% drop in sales compared to last year.

What customers bought

Edgars wants store-in-store

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Luxury items

December expectations

Func onal

2014/15

2013/14

Mid-price

2012/13

lower price

2011/12

2015 January sales growth %

70

35 60

30

50

25

40

20

30

15

20

10

10

5

0

Be er than expect

2014/15

What expect

2013/14

Worse than expect

2012/13

(7% now, 5% last year and 11% the year before).

And the growing number of discount stores, often Chinese? Hardly a blimp for the retail respondents — the previous two years none of the respondents regarded this as a threat, this year only 4% regarded this as a challenge.

For 10-11% of the respondents the fact that top brands refuse to supply them is a major challenge to trading. Coupled to this is the problem of wholesalers not always having stock available, says Christo Kriek of Highland Outdoor. To succeed, a retailer must always have new brands available, explains Omarjee Shabbir of Omarjee Sports.

When looking at the Rand value of sporting goods imported during the third quarter (Q3) of 2014, it would appear that the industry was not anticipating this positive consumer response. The Rand value of imported sporting goods in this period was only 5% higher than the corresponding period in 2013.

A large number of sporting goods are pre-ordered and many distributors reported that retailers had been ordering stock very cautiously during the year, as they were scared of being caught with unsold stock. Suppliers couldn’t increase their stock orders without retail support as nobody could predict whether the buyshy consumers were saving up to splash out over Christmas, or not.

In comparison, Q3 imports in 2013 were 18% higher than the year before and in 2012 the import value was 24% higher. Q3 2011 the sporting goods imported were, however, 1% lower than the corresponding period in the World Cup year.

Retail results The interim results published by the listed retail chains at the end of 2014 for the first six

0

>20% higher

<20% higher

Same

>20% lower

<20% lower

months of the current financial year indicate that the suppliers’ caution was justified. Sales growth, especially comparable (like-for-like) store sales, were modest when compared to the double-digit growth of a few years ago.

The Holdsport group grew sales 7.3% to R677.1-m, with retail sales growing 8.1%.

Like-for-like store sales grew 6.4%. Sportsmans Warehouse contributed sales of R499-m, which is 8.9% (8.1% like-for-like) higher than the same period the year before. Outdoor Warehouse sales grew 5.3% (1% like-for-like) to R149.5-m.

Sales in their Performance Brands wholesale division (First Ascent, Capestorm, etc) grew 1.1% — but sales to external customers dropped 7.3% to R28.6-m, while sales to stores in the group grew 4.8%.

There are 35 Sportsmans Warehouse and 20 Outdoor warehouse stores. During the period they closed the Sportsmans Warehouse in Amanzimtoti and expanded the Sportsmans stores in Cresta, East Rand and Tokai and reduced the Sportsmans store in Bloemfontein.

In the second half of the financial year they relocated four stores — the Sportsmans Warehouses in Klerksdorp and Windhoek and Outdoor Warehouse stores in Fourways and Bloemfontein. A 2 558m2 combined Sportsmans and Outdoor Warehouse store opened in Windhoek in November 2014. They have already signed leases to open new Sportsmans Warehouse stores in George and Hillcrest.

The economy is negatively affecting higher price points in accessories and equipment, Mr Price Sport pointed out in their interim report. While their total retail sales grew 15.3% to R497-m for the 6 months period MarchSeptember 2014, comparable sales grew only 3.4%, and unit sales grew 5.2%.

Edgars has caused a flurry among footwear suppliers in the industry with their offer to accept goods on consignment/ SBT (Scan Based Trading) basis, which would result in suppliers only being paid once a sale had been made.

They also indicated that they are planning on reducing pre-ordered stock. “Edcon will be most focused this year on stock efficiency,” they explained in an email to suppliers.

“Stocks will run tighter and not on the generous forward covers as in the past. This is definitely going to impact on the OTB (Opento-Buy), therefore limiting the width of the ranges.”

Edcon is therefore encouraging suppliers to enter into an agreement whereby the brands get a negotiated space in-store to stock and manage themselves, with the retailer reimbursing them for the stock they sell.

A benefit of the store-in-store concept is that the brands can determine their own stock levels, as well as the shoe models and styles they want to sell in a specific store. The downside is that they lose the benefit of being able to plan their ranges and orders from international, based on the forward orders placed by a major customer.

“While topline growth remains important we anticipate market weakness to persist and will continue to focus on cost control and working capital management to drive improved profitability,” Edcon CEO Jürgen Schreiber cautioned in a November 2014 press release about the Edcon second quarter results for the 2015 financial year.

Compared to the same period in 2014, Edcon retail sales grew 2.9% to R6.2-bn, but same store sales declined 1%.

The Edgars division grew retail sales a modest 3% during the quarter, but same-store sales were 1.7% lower compared to the same quarter in 2014.

During this period they opened 6 new stores and launched mrpsport.com online in August 2014. They have 70 sport stores in South Africa.

Mr Price Sport contributed 6.3% to the Mr Price Group sales of R4 582-m and 6.7% to the group’s 19.7% sales growth for the period. Sport sales, in two cross-border stores, comprise 1% of the group’s non-South African sales.

The group expects trading conditions to remain challenging well into the new year.

The Foschini Group (TFG) however, did not give separate results for the Sports Division in their 6-monthly Interim results. The group grew retail sales 9.7% to R7.3-bn, with cash sales now representing 44.2% of turnover.

During the past financial year ending 28 December 2014, Massmart grew sales 10.4% to R78.2-bn, but the reporting period was a week shorter than the previous year. Comparable store sales grew 7.5%. Massdiscounters (Game and DionWired) sales increased 10.2% (4.8% comparable) and Masswarehouse (Makro) sales grew 11.9% (10.7% comparable). Massmart’s full reviewed financial results were only available after we had gone to print.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p10 :: Industry

Retail trends:

How smartphones and apps change the industry Smartphone and smartwatch enabled devices like fitness apps, wearable fitness tracking technologies, the use of cellphones for shopping, and innovative uses of electronic devices in sport and outdoor, are among the trends that are predicted to dominate in 2015, reports RHIANAH RHODE

S

martphones are contributing to the growth of fitness-related products and changing consumers’ lifestyle and shopping habits.

People are constantly connected and the one item that is common among the majority of consumers is the cellphone.

Companies have caught on to this and are developing more and more products that work with smartphones to assist the consumer with achieving their fitness goals … and to make it easier for consumers to part with their money.

Revenue generated from electronic health and fitness devices is expected to reach $1.8-bn this year, reports the US Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts report from the Consumer Electronics Association.

Worldwide sales of wearable devices to active people are expected to reach 30.9m and generate $5.1-bn in revenue. These include activity bands, other health and fitness devices, smart eyewear, as well as smart watches, which are expected to sell 10.8-m units and generate $3.1-bn in revenue.

Consumers are even expecting digital devices such as smartphones and wearable technologies to help them lose weight in 2015, reveals a survey by Instant.ly (a consumer insights platform). Almost a quarter (21%) of respondents are already using a wearable fitness band or application to help track weight loss, while more than 20% of respondents indicated that they intend to start using a digital device to track their weight in the near future.

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Wearable technology is also becoming a growing trend in sport and fitness, with new fitness technologies designed to improve athlete performance. This product category was making headlines at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) recently held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Smartphones form part of everyday activities and it has become easier to incorporate fitness technologies Among the innovative products on show was Nixie, a wrist-controlled drone, which can be steered from the wrist like a digital falcon to take pictures. Sony is taking on GoPro and hoping to achieve a similar success with their 4Action Camera. The Zepp racket sensor allows tennis players to monitor their drive speed, sweet spot, hit accuracy and serve speed. This sensor is also available for baseball and golf players.

Wearable technologies often rely on smartphones to convey data to the user — because smartphones tend to form part of everyday activities it has become easier to incorporate fitness technologies such as, for example, activity trackers into everyday life.

The Mobile Health & Fitness trend has also been identified by leading trade shows such as ISPO Munich, which had a dedicated Health & Fitness hall this year. Lectures and discussions on topics such as the use of

wearables in performance sports and the use of social health programs were presented in February at this year’s ISPO in Germany.

The Wearable Technologies (WT) Conference took place in Munich just before ISPO, on 2 February. During the conference, the winners of the WT World Cup were announced. Over 500 entries were received.

The Stretch Sensing Technology StretchSense, was the winner of the Sports & Fitness category this year. The lightweight, heavy duty fabric sensors can be sewn, glued or clipped into clothing and are used to provide accurate body motion measurement during sport movement. Information is sent to a mobile app via Bluetooth.

Among the finalists in this category were Heddoko, a sports garment with embedded sensors that monitor the user’s body movements during activity to ensure that he is moving correctly. The app suggests how he can adjust his movements to optimise performance and prevent injury.

The Mio FUSE wristband, a heart rate activity tracker, can help the wearer reach his fitness goals without the need for a chest strap. Mio FUSE can be synced with various devices, and has already won the PC Mag’s Editor’s Choice Award.

Myovolt is a soft, pliable, wearable module that sends targeted vibration energy to muscles and soft tissue to help improve sports performance. It increases muscle power and offers other physiological benefits.

Notch is a chip that captures motion in 3D,

Industry :: p11

1) Notch — a chip that captures motion in 3D. 2) Heddoko — a sports garment with embedded sensors that monitor body movements on an app during activity.

3) Stretchsense — lightweight, heavy duty fabric sensors that can be sewn, glued or clipped into clothing to measure body motion.

4) Mio FUSE wristband — a heart rate activity tracker.

5) Myovolt — a soft and pliable module that uses targeted vibration energy to help improve sports performance.

which is analysed via an app on the user’s smartphone. Notch is designed to easily attach to mounts or clothing, with options for any body type or activity.

The WT Conference also presented a special prize in the Smart Clothing category to Sensoria Fitness Socks, which gives runners real-time audio and visual feedback on how fast, how far, and how well they run.

Each sock has three textile-based pressure sensors underneath the plantar area of the foot, which detect activity type and impact forces. A detachable anklet connects to the sock and data is transmitted to a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Mobile online shopping on the rise In 2014 mobile usage in the US was dominated by shopping apps, according to a study conducted by Flurry Analytics. The use of cellphones in the Lifestyle & Shopping category grew 174% in 2014, compared to the previous year (when messaging dominated), the report revealed.

On Android alone, the category grew by 220%. The Health & Fitness app category grew by 89% and the Sports app category by 74%.

The busiest app usage time is between 09:00-12:00 and again late at night around 20:00, the report reveals. For more information, visit Flurry Analytics (www.flurry. com).

Over the festive season almost 60% of the Amazon.com customers purchased items via mobile devices, which increased as the season progressed. This season the online retailer had 10 times more same-day deliv-

eries than in 2013 and delivered products to more than 180 countries. The sales made via the Amazon app also doubled over the period.

Asics, Columbia and Timberland were among the best-selling apparel and footwear brands sold through Amazon.com over the holiday season.

Columbia’s Steens Mountain full zip 2.0

Mobile will not only be the means of shopping in 2015, but will also become the primary way of accessing the internet in established markets. fleece jacket and Levi’s 501 Original Fit jean were popular men’s apparel products while Clarks’ Bushacre 2 Desert boots, Asics’ GELKayano 20 running shoes and Timberland’s White Ledge waterproof boots were popular footwear purchases.

In the women’s apparel category, Columbia’s Benton Springs full-zip fleece jacket and Playtex’s 18-Hour Original ComfortStrap bra #4693 sold well. Popular women’s shoes purchases included Dr. Martens’ 1460 Originals Eight-Eye lace-up boots, Minnetonka’s Cally faux fur slippers and Asics’ GEL-Kayano 20 running shoes.

The Lifestraw Personal Water Filter was rated the best-selling outdoor product for the online retailer, which sold more than 1.3-m.

Some of their top selling sporting goods included the SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop and Mini Hoop XL, Spalding NBA Street Basketballs and Wilson NFL MVP Footballs.

Mobile taking over Mobile will not only be the means of shopping in 2015, but will also become the primary way of accessing the internet in established markets, says fashion trend predictor WGSN. According to Flurry Analytics, time spent on mobile devices by the average US consumer increased by 9.3% (from two hours and 42 minutes to two hours and 57 minutes) in the first nine months of last year.

This closely follows time spent watching television, which remained flat at two hours and 48 minutes daily, according to data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics.

Mobile payments are becoming mainstream due to digital wallets such as payment-enabling banking technologies. Restaurants and stores, for example, are adding digital options for customers to pay for their products and services.

Not only do consumers want to use their phones to pay for things — they also want to use it to make sure their friends contribute their share. Almost half (45%) of young adults in the US and UK want to use their mobiles as a means of splitting restaurant bills with friends, it was revealed in a study

by JWT Intelligence. The digital wallet app Venmo, that allows one to pay and request money from friends, has had a 50% ($700m) increase in payment volume from AprilSeptember 2014.

2015 March:: Sports Trader

Brands on the move

p14 :: Industry

Anton Fabi outfits Mr SA NOT ONLY is Anton Fabi a proudly South African product. It is also proud of its association with Mr South Africa. The brand shoed the twelve finalists of the Mr South Africa event, which took place in January, and winner Armand du Plessis (right) is the new Anton Fabi brand ambassador for 2015.

Contestants wore Anton Fabi’s suede Pinto (below right) in the Casual category and the Filani (below left) in oily pull-up leather for the Formal category. “This proves that Anton Fabi is versatile in its product offering,” Henry points out. “Our tagline

adidas StellaSport for the young

detail makes the man is exactly that. Footwear has become a major detail for men when putting an outfit together.”

Bronx Men focuses on its brand identity “DURING THE 2014 fiscal year we decided to reposition the Bronx Men’s brand,” says Brian Pollock of Jordan Shoes. “Rightly or wrongly, in the past whatever was fashionable had to be covered in the Bronx range. This philosophy has now changed and chasing volume and fashion at the expense of the brand is over. Brand identity has now become very important and we will not deviate from this. This necessitates a much more focused range, which is true to the Bronx brand identity.”

The first step is to focus on the materials. “With the exception of kiddies, we will not Busta be using PU in any of our ranges, but will stick to leather,” says Pollock. “A great amount of emphasis will be placed on own manufacture, with quality and quick response top of the agenda.”

The retail Arizona price points have also been tiered, starting at R599 up to R1 399.

“Under the present maket Sheriff conditions, we have

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

realised that retail is under pressure and we must assist,” says Pollock. “We therefore decided that on a number of lines that retail at R999-R1 399, we would assist the retailer by allowing him to order fill-ins, by, for example, ordering one pair of a particular size and receiving a guarantee of a 48 hour ex-factory service. An additional road transport charge would apply, but the retailer would not have to outlay R6 000R8 000 for a 12 pair lot. Trial on this new system will commence from April onwards.”

“Over the year the Bronx brand has been one of the dominating brands in the leather boot market,” says Pollock. “Winter 2015 will be no different, with boots dominating the Bronx Men’s range.”

New additions in the range include the Busta Biker boot, Arizona Cowboy Boot in three colours (black, brown and beige) and the Sheriff Cowboy Boot, which are all in full-grain leathers and will retail in the higher price tier.

“On their own manufacturing side, the Sasso and Hunter styles still remain our top sellers,” says Pollock. “The stitch down boot Jagter is the “Rolls Royce” of vellies and is a new release for winter.”

The winter campaign will be backed by an online and media advertising campaign, together with in-store display material.

THE NEW adidas StellaSport range, which is aimed at a younger audience and designed by Stella McCartney, was launched in South Africa in January. The range combines sport and style with bold branding, explosive colours and fresh prints. It redefines sportswear with a brand new approach for the targeted age group.

The range is designed for the action girl and comprises of apparel, footwear and accessories that can be worn from the gym to the city streets whilst introducing sports performance technologies. It also includes kit bag essentials and silhouettes and more.

“The adidas StellaSport girl is young, current and vibrant, looking to make a statement and stand out. We wanted to bring that to life within the collection and fuse performance with style to create

performance pop,” says McCartney, adidas StellaSport Creative Director.

"Adidas StellaSport is a real game changer that will enable young women to participate in their sports without compromising on style," says Gugu Ntuli of adidas SA. The range includes unexpected colour blocking features in sporty tanks, bras and tights. These are all designed with fast drying climalite fabric providing comfort, is everyday wearable and is punctuated with modern signature prints and statement silhouettes.

Footwear in the range has open mesh uppers for ventilation and built in sock liners for comfortable fit. A selection of sporty accessories including logo trucker caps and pop colour backpacks completes the range.

Power and speed in Puma’s boots PUMA HAS launched two new soccer boots: the evoPower 1.2 FG is built for power and accuracy and the evoSpeed 1.3 for speed.

The evoPower 1.2 FG features the lightweight and soft Adaptlite microfibre upper material, which stretches longitudinally to allow freedom of movement while maintaining support. The Gradual Stability Frame outsole technology enables the foot to move as if barefoot while the lightweight AccuFoam lining in the boot’s upper provides a clean kicking surface, which improves passing and shooting accuracy.

The evoSpeed 1.3 boot features a soft, thin microfibre upper and a flexible material composition that improves manoeuvrability. Its external midfoot cage wraps around

the outer and enhances stability, and an optimised footbed ensures a snug fit that increases comfort.

The new bright plasma, white and peacoat design will ensure the boot is noticed.

Both the boots feature GripTex print on their uppers, which increases grip in both wet and dry conditions and helps improve players’ control.

A range of training apparel, accessories, shin pads and balls, colour coordinated to go with the evoPower 1.2 FG and evoSpeed 1.3 boots, is also available.

evoPower 1.2 FG

Genuine Leather

Ano 4 White

Gaddo

Plum/Oxblood

Fiano Grey

Lorenti Choc

Balado Black

Anton Fabi MILANO

Detail makes the Man

Go to www.antonfabi.co.za contact your Fabi agent or or call 021 590 7025 for agent details follow us on acebook

Brands on the move

p16 :: Industry

BRT, the team wear solution BRT SPORTS PERFORMANCE — trade-only supplier of on-field and off-field sports apparel and equipment across five wellknown, reputable sports brands — is constantly evolving in terms of their goal to provide the ultimate team wear solution for multiple markets including corporate South Africa.

In 2014, BRT Sports Performance became the official sponsor to the Pumas, the Griquas and Platinum Stars FC, and launched a brand new trophy collection, which promises added durability and an enhanced look through its marble base, but offers similar pricing to competitors in the market.

2015 promises to be even more exciting with a number of new developments to the brand and product range. The new BRT Sports Performance Summer Catalogue launches mid-April and will introduce a number of exciting new products.

A decade of Bronx Woman BRONX WOMAN celeberates its 10 year birthday in March. In the past decade, the brand has managed to entrench itself in the hearts of its female fans.

The Bronx Woman brand is well known and loved for its winter ranges. With the new ranges, they have concentrated on the basics and also updated some of the favourites.

Westee The cowboy look has done especially well for the brand, says Wayne Roos, Bronx Woman designer for Jordan Shoes.

Both the Westee and Cassidy boots do very well.

Bronx Woman has also introduced more shoes into its winter range due to popular demand.

They have also introduced more leather into the winter range.

“Many more customers are interested in leather products and we are ideally positioned to collaborate with Watson, which is now in our group,” says Roos.

With summer products, where the brand is less well-known, there are a lot of established competing brands, Roos found. He responded by creating a unique-to-Bronx summer range — not a line direct from the manufacturers that just any brand might have. The summer range is also split into three price tiers.

“We have seen a good reaction so far,” he says. “There are completely new styles, as well as some

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

favourite elements such as diamante sparkles that we have reintroduced on new sandal styles.”

Inspired by the catwalks of Europe and streets of New York, Bronx Woman’s summer and winter collections are characterised by signature styling and a distinguished flair. Not only do the products boast uniquely fashion forward trends, but also styles that can benefit the wearer’s wellbeing and biomechanics.

The wedge, which is incorporated into anything from a shoe to a boot, is defined by its triangular platform that, believe it or not, has been around since the 1930’s. Due to its wider sole and lower angle of inclination the wedge provides increased stability and ankle support in contrast to a regular stiletto heel. The wedge, which is available in a plethora of colours and styles, is the perfect addition to a vivacious statement look, says Roos.

For your lady customers who don’t want to go the stiletto route, but who would like to add height to their footwear choice, the wedge heel is most definitely the way to go, he says. Sexy yet casual, these shoes can jazz up an outfit while being still being friendly to your feet.

Their versatility makes it possible to wear a wedge heel, pump or boot with anything in the wardrobe. The wedge almost sells itself, making the retailer’s job so much easier.

There are exciting times ahead for Bronx Woman and look forward to see what the brand has in-store for the next 10 years.

Walking just got better

Sonia and Alexandre Poussin

HI-TEC IS supporting those who use walking to improve lives. The brand has teamed up with walkers Rob Candy and the Poussin family to support them on their journeys.

Candy, accompanied by his friend Joss Smale, is walking the 3 000km length of New Zealand’s Te Araroa trail in pursuit of social change. He is aiming to raise NZ $30 000 for two charities, through which he hopes to improve the lives of 30 young people in Kenya and Tanzania.

During the trip, which skirts the Pacific Ring of Fire, Candy and Smale are putting Hi-Tec’s Altitude Pro RGS walking shoes through their paces.

The Poussin’s are no strangers to the Hi-Tec brand. Their love affair started during a previous long-distance walking project of husband-and-wife team, Alexandre and Sonia Poussin (AfricaTrek in 2001). The three-year walk retraced the passage of early man and took them from Cape Town to the Sea of Gallilee. But they hadn’t left South African borders yet when their shoes broke, and a local introduced them to Hi-Tec. They haven’t looked back.

This time, the Poussins have included their two children (ages 6 and 9) in the adventure of walking the length of Madagascar for 16 months. They aim to unveil the enigma why the country is home to

such poor people.

Alexandre wears the V-Lite Sphike Nijmegen Low i, Quest Hike WP, VLite Sphike LO WP and the Oakhurst Trail Low WP. Sonia wears the women’s V-LITE Sphike Nijmegen Low i, V-Lite Trail Leather i WP, V-Lite Sphike Mid WP and the Breathe WP. Their children both wear the Tucano WP. A tough walk demands an even tougher boot. Whether walking up stream or down hill, Hi-Tec’s Altitude boot, with its OrthoLite footbed cushioning and leather upper, makes tackling any terrain a breeze.

With its stylish design , grippy and supportive soles, and i-shield water and dirt repellent coating, Rio is the ideal shoe for summer.

The Walk-Lite Collection features stylish looks, comfort, breathable and durable materials, and lightweight RGS midsoles.

The men’s range in the Walk-Lite set combines V-Lite technology with a Vibram rubber sole, lightweight RGS midsole and a contoured footbed to cover the wearer for all the perfomance that urban pavements and pathways demand.

Hi-Tec’s Rugged collection of boots are equally at home roaming all types of jungles, both the urban and in nature. It features moisturewicking, waterproofing, dirt resistance, insulation and comfort.

Skins partners with ATP SKINS, LOCALLY distributed by Brand ID, is the new official compression garment of the ATP World Tour as of 1 January 2015 through to 2019.

The deal is in response to requests from ATP’s physiotherapists and doctors to have compression

wear available to aid recovery for players who are continually training, playing and travelling throughout the season. The ATP is the governing body of the men’s professional tennis circuits including the ATP World Tour, the ATP Challenger Tour and the ATP Champions Tour.

Navada 3 Brown & Navy

Caleb 2

Drake

Brown

Brown

Caleb 2

Drake

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Navy

agents details: DILESH DAJEE - GPC/GP - 0825666607 / FRANK ROSENBURG - FS - 0834578229 CHRIS KOENIG - KZN - 0833035893 / BRENNON POLLOCK - CT - 0826774098 CLIVE CHRISTIAN - WC - 0832656264 / WAYNE STANFORD - EC/NAM - 0836476091

www.jordanshoes.co.za Jordan-Tshisa-Style

p18 :: Industry

Solemates is not just a shoe!

YOUR FESTIVE season trade is behind you, you have marked down your surplus stock and now it's time to focus on the winter season ahead. This is a crucial time for any retailer who has to weigh up his/her options among the many brands on offer, says Jody Henry of Jordan Shoes.

This winter sees the launch of Solemates, a comfort range of product at an affordable price that is distributed by Jordan shoes. “Not every black or brown shoe you buy is a comfort

shoe,” reminds Henry. “Solemates has invested in offering you a product that not only matches what you are already buying in terms of design and price, but also that added bonus of a comfortable removable sock. Those retailers who bought into our Boulevard range for many years will be accustomed to this formfit sock feature and Solemates is no different.”

The launch in October last year was very successful and they are excited to expand their range for summer 2015. “Our first batch of stock arrived in January and orders are already being dispatched,” says Henry. “Due to early orders received preChristmas, we were able to increase our orders to meet increased demand.

We have limited stock with our next bulk scheduled to arrive in May.”

Olympic looks to the future THE OLYMPIC brand, distributed

by Jordan Shoes, is refocusing its image to be top of the list for everyday consumers, for anyone in the active family from 7-60 years of age. The aim is to become the leader in the functional introductory level footwear market, says brand manager Miles O'Brien.

With every other brand trying to outdo each other in the race to be the top end leader, Olympic realised that the functional intoductory level is wide open for the taking. They want to target the younger wearer (kids and youth) and get them to grow up with the brand, creating a brand loyalty from the start that will continue with the wearer right through into adulthood.

To support this goal, they embarked on a national back-toschool campaign earlier this year and they are driving to increase brand awareness amongst sports clubs.

But this doesn’t mean that they’ll be skimping on their products!

The brand’s foot-

Ace

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

wear features some of the latest European colour trends, such as bright eye-catching colours paired with more neutral or softer tones.

And in line with their focus on gaining the interest of the younger crowd, Olympic also features youngsters’ styles in their offroad, sandals and running shoe ranges.

Olympic is getting stronger in the individual categories available in its footwear range, especially in hiking. Their quality shoes have a more accessible feel to the everyday person than some of the more expensive brands.

They have also introduced new products to their hiking footwear range and now offer hi-ankle boots and lo’s, suede uppers and EVA midsoles and rubber outsoles.

Also popular in their outdoor range, are their trailwalkers, which are lightweight and also available in the junior sizes.

Their biggest growth, however, has been in running. The reaction from buyers and agents alike to the new running shoes has been very positive, with people commenting on how attractive the designs are.

There has been a surge in running, says O'Brien. Especially in

Brands on Skechers GOwalk 3 evolves athletic walking THE NEXT evolution of athletic walking comes in the form of the Skechers GOwalk 3, says Yusuf Vadi of local distributor Footwear Trading. “Ever felt the high-rebound cushioning of a yoga mat?

Ever experienced the comfort of memory foam? The Skechers GOwalk 3 features a combination of a GOga Mat insole and Skechers Memory Form Fit along the heel, making this innovative walking shoe one of the most comfortable on the market!”

“The adaptive GOga Pillars underfoot create the softest stride you

could ever imagine,” he continues. “GOga Pillars are there to energize your every step with ultimate comfort and cushion.”

The Skechers GOwalk 3 was designed with Skechers Performance technology, specifically for athletic walking. It features a structured yet breathable mesh upper and quick fit portal for easy on, easy off convenience.

“Innovation has never felt this good!”

park runs — and this is where the majority of their growth in this category is coming from. Olympic has targeted itself at the person who wants a good shoe for their Sunday fun run.

Their new court shoes have also attracted attention. “We’ve had a good reaction from players, especially regarding Ace,” says O’Brien. Ace is their new men’s tennis shoe, which offers great comfort and fit.

Both Ace and Blast, the ladies tennis shoe, feature EVA midsoles, rubber outsoles, nylon PU uppers and removable socks.

They are predominantly white, but each features its own bright colour accents. “The reaction to the colours has been frenzy terrific,” says O'Brien.

Despite its name, Rally, a court and outdoors shoe, features calmer colours (white with black accents). It’s a very popular shoe in the Olympic range.

Olympic’s squash shoe, Speed, will be immediately noticeable on the court, with its colourful blue and green gradient accents. It features a high-grip gum outsole, EVA midsole and stability bar, a mesh and PU upper and a removable insole.

“The reaction to the court range has been beyond our expectations, especially among

younger players,” says O’Brien.

“The school market has taken to it well.”

With an eye on the excitement and country-wide focus on rugby later this year around the IRB World Cup, Olympic has brought out a new eight stud rugby boot, which was launched in February.

Several of their team boots feature bright colours. The players love the colours, says O’Brien, but the schools are a bit more reserved and want their kids to wear black boots.

Olympic will continue with the current well established cycling shoe range covering both road and off-road (MTB) footwear and will continue to play a dominant role in this arena.Olympic not only supplies footwear. The brand also offers two pack options, both made of lightweight nylon and PU and available in black or navy.

Their backpack is ideal for day hiking or travelling, he says.

The tog bag is very popular, with all its pockets and storage space.

“It has a pocket for you to store everything in, from your shoes right up to your mouthguard,” says O’Brien.

Power

the move Puma’s summer Ferrari collection

Kangol footwear in SA KANGOL FOOTWEAR has launched in South Africa and is now locally distributed by Crown Footwear.

They offer a wide selection of smart casual footwear for both men and women.

PUMA’S SS15 Ferrari Lifestyle & Fanwear collection launch celebrates their 10 year partnership with Scuderia Ferrari.

The accessories, apparel and footwear in the collection are inspired by the Scuderia Ferrari team and each product features the team’s crest as well as a 10 year anniversary logo.

The range includes a leather shoe and sneaker-wedge, backpack and cotton polo.

New Puma Golf shoes PUMA GOLF has launched two new golf shoes: the sleek fullgrain leather Titantour and the lightweight and comfortable Titanlite.

The Titantour features an eyecatching shape that offers comfort as well as style. The PowerFrame technology — a very thin TPU frame that covers the EVA midsole — offers lightweight strength, durability, flexibility as well as good traction. The added external TPU heel support also improves stability and ground

contact for additional force and power during swings.

Titanlite’s microfibre leather upper creates lightweight durability and comfort. Its molded EVA sockliner offers long-lasting comfort while a carbon rubber outsole improves its support and durability.

Both the Titantour and Titanlite feature Outlast technology, which helps manage heat and controls the production of moisture, in the sockliner.

New adidas Messi kids range LEO MESSI and adidas have collaborated again to produce a new apparel range for kids. The new adidas Messi kids range is targeting the star’s youngest fans. The range is inspired by Messi’s upbringing in Rosaria, Argentina, just like his soccer boot range.

The design reflects this inspiration: the orange colour in the range signifies the player’s first club while the green highlights his first club’s rivals who he scored four goals against as young kid.

The range is part of adidas’ campaign to tell Messi’s story through retail, online, digital and via social media.

Industry :: p19

p20 :: Industry

Brands on

Jeep has footwear for everyone

“THE JEEP footwear brand stands for quality, lifestyle and outdoor fashion.

Our ranges are designed with specific target markets in mind and we use only the best materials,” says Lynton Picker of local distributor Footwear Trading.

“Our pricing is very competitive and is in line with the Jeep aspiration and value-for-money equation.”

Jeep’s technical, camouflage, outdoor and hunting comfort footwear collection, which was launched in March, has been well received into specialist hunting and general outdoor stores, says Picker. The range — which includes Serengeti, Kalahari and Karoo — consists of a high and mid-cut boot, a shoe and an all-terrain sandal.

The footwear features lightweight, flexible, camouflage mid soles with soil shedding rubber outsoles for durability, water resistant African Bush camouflage uppers with high grade leather trims and support components, breathable moisture management linings for sweat control, cushioned inner socks for exceptional comfort, and a Bello tongue, which prevents stones and thorns from entering the footwear and creating discomfort.

Jeep‘s fashion collection is worn by cool dudes and gals who would be driving a Jeep car and hanging out at the hippest, trending hotspots and shebeens around the country, explains Picker.

The fashion range has been expanded into the independent retail trade, “where fashion is understood. To complement this range we will introduce five new hip hop styles for the second half of winter,” says Picker. “Watch this space.”

“Our Jeep fashion statement product consists of the extremely popular, top quality authentic nubuck, Gecko style,” he continues.

“This style is cross-cultural and is worn with skinny jeans by fashionistas, and hip hop cool trendy consumers.”

“We have expanded the Gecko to feature four new seasonal men’s colours, in nubucks and crazy horse oily leathers,” says Picker.

“To complement the men’s range, we have launched the Gecko for ladies in a high, a mid and a canvas nubuck combo. There are some exciting seasonal fashion colours in this range, in blue and soft pink.”

Jeep’s gusset-type boots (Colorado, Canyon and Trail) are also very popular. “The Jeep brand is well- known and has also established a loyal following among consumers who prefer to wear hard-wearing and durable gusset type boots,” says Picker.

Gecko

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

“These consumers are farmers and outdoor people as well as casual Sunday, Harley Davidson motorcyclists, and church goers who want a boot to wear Gecko with their Chinos.“ Their Colorado, Canyon and Trail styles are available in an assortment of top A-grade leather uppers and multiple colours. Selected styles are available up to size UK 14.

Their classic Columbia mid-cut boot forms part of their Classic Nubuck Collection. It’s available in five different seasonal colours in nubucks and crazy horse leather uppers.

“The Columbia style lives side by side with the Gecko collection, and is one of those must haves for the season. It’s hot, so don’t miss out,” says Picker.

Jeep has done very well with their ladies boots, with the range experiencing double digit growth over the past season. Their Willow, for example, attracted not only women consumers, but did well in the youth market as well.

“The ladies Jeep winter range offers a variety of boots to fit each woman’s needs. From short ankle boots to knee high boots we have it all,” he adds.

They will be introducing three new colours into the range with fashion pop laces.

“Our western boots are back and looking better than ever,” says Picker. “With its double buckle, stacked heel and animal print lining, the girls who wear this will both feel feminine as well as ready for the rodeo.”

The trendy fur lined Vulture boot sold extremely well last winter, and has been reintroduced and upgraded with some unique uppers.

The Rider boot targets the everyday woman.

“This is the perfect boot for winter as it has suede lining to prevent the cold from creeping in and a look that will go with any outfit,” explains Picker.

Triumph wins SAUCONY’S TRIUMPH ISO has been named the Editor’s Choice in the Runner’s World US 2015 Spring Shoe Guide.

The neutral running shoe’s new ISOFIT upper consists of an inner mesh wrap and an outer frame that adapts to the foot and gives a snug fit. More cushioning, a low heel-to-toe-drop and light weight makes the shoe appealing to a variety of runners.

This is the fourth Editor’s Choice for the brand, which is locally distributed

by Omni Sport.

the move

Industry :: p21

Protect shoes with Crep CREP PROTECT, locally distributed by Superga, has been specifically designed to repel liquids and thus prevent stains from forming on and spoiling footwear, no matter if the shoes are leather, suede, nubuck or canvas.

Once sprayed on, the product forms an invisible protective barrier over the shoes, allowing liquids to bead on the barrier — in-

stead of the shoe’s material.

It also makes cleaning easier, with dirt simply wiping off with a damp cloth.

The quick-drying treatment can last approximately two weeks, depending on how it’s used.

Internationally, entertainment stars such as Rizzle Kicks, Wiley and Reggie Yates are among those championing the product.

Offical UEFA ball released

THE ADIDAS Finale Berlin, the Official Match Ball for the UEFA Champions League, was launched 16 February, the day before the tournament kicked off.

The design takes inspiration from the dynamic, young and hip scene of Berlin and the top star features the Brandenburg Gate in front of the Olympiastadion Berlin, the venue for the final that takes place on 6 June.

The vibrant colours are typical

of the expressive, artistic and free spirited German capital. Another key Berlin symbol, the bear, also features on the stars.

The adidas Finale Berlin ball features an outer coating texture designed to provide optimal grip at the point of impact, and a thermally bonded star panel design that is based on the design of the UEFA Champions League logo and provides a seamless surface.

Pierre Cardin’s new Hot Scotch sneakers FOLLOWING ON the success of the quilted casual canvas shoes in summer, Pierre Cardin has developed an extensive lace-up range of quilted canvas sneakers in different silhouettes and fabrics known as Hot Scotch.

The range offers a variety of styles, from the regular lo-top lace-up to the hi-cut ankle boot, in canvas and patent. The footwear is

available in an array of colours and styles.

Pierre Cardin, locally distributed by Intershu Distributors, is proud that it always ensures that the product is well-priced. Not only is the brand good for the wallet, it is also good for the feet – Pierre Cardin considers comfort of prime importance.

Their women's sneakers epitomize the Pierre Cardin style, which their loyal customers have come to expect from the brand.

Supporting the launch of the new range will be an extensive media campaign as well as point of sale for retailers.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p22 :: Industry

Women play an important role in shopping decisions. They not only buy for themselves … they often buy for their entire household.

CARIN HARDISTY asked our retail readers to provide information about their female customers

I

Female shoppers’ habits

n the US, women are responsible for making 85% of all consumer purchases, a study by The Nielsen Company and She-Conomy found. US women spend 80% of all sport apparel dollars and control 60% of all money spent on men’s clothing, another She-Conomy study found.

What is the situation here at home? Are your female customers more likely to buy for themselves or for other people? we asked our retail readers.

They buy for themselves, the majority (62.5%) responded.

When they buy for themselves, women are most likely to buy performance apparel and footwear 29.2% of respondents indicated, or leisure clothing (25% of respondents).

When looking at lifestyle stores specifically, where you might expect to see the same clothing popularity, women are most likely to buy footwear for themselves, all the respondents indicated. Only a third of lifestyle fashion clothing and footwear store respondents indicated that their female customers are more likely to buy leisure clothing for themselves than footwear.

All of the lifestyle fashion clothing and footwear store respondents indicated that their customers will usually buy for themselves —

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Women are now also shopping in the traditional male domain of fishing tackle stores and not for other people.

Buy for others More than a third (37.5%) of all our retail respondents, however, indicated that their female customers are more likely to buy something for someone else in their stores than for themselves.

A quarter of all respondents indicated that in this scenario leisure clothing is the most popular purchase choice, with performance footwear (20.8% of respondents) and then performance apparel and equipment (16.7% of respondents) the next most likely purchase for someone.

Women shopping in outdoor stores are the most likely to buy for someone else, our survey revealed. More than half (57.1%) of outdoor respondents and two thirds of sport and outdoor respondents indicated that their female customers are more likely to shop for

someone else at their stores than they are to shop for themselves.

What is it then that women are most likely to buy for others at these stores?

Gadgets, say the respondents.

Men’s domain Women are also shopping in the traditional male domain of fishing tackle stores, where they predominantly buy fishing tackle for others. Women comprise between 11-25% of their customers, report tackle traders, and respondents indicated that all of their female customers buy for others instead of themselves. Retailers stocking fishing products will therefore do well to take into account that while fishing is perhaps a male-dominated hobby, the wives, girlfriends, daughters, etc. do also buy items as presents for their male loved ones. Stocking a selection of items that might catch the lady’s eye as well, such as a selection of ladies’ clothing items, could potentially lead to even further sales when women enter the store with the idea of actually buying for someone else.

The majority of the female customers who visit the respondents’ stores are of an age to have their own families — they fall within the 30-40 year old age group, most To p24

p24 :: Industry

How women shop cont from p22 (62.5%) of our retail respondents indicated. A fifth of our retail respondents indicated that the majority of their customers are under the age of 30 years old, and only 16.7% of respondents indicated that the majority of their lady shoppers are slightly older (40-50 years old).

Our sport store respondents have more youthful female customers. All sport store respondents indicated that the majority of their female customers fall between the ages of 20-40 — with two thirds of these respondents indicating that the majority of their female shoppers are 30-40 years of age.

“The vast majority (70%) of our female shoppers are around 40-55 years old and are either divorced, widowers or have found their kids have all left the house,” says Leni Hamilton of Hikers Paradise in Centurion. “These women feel that their lives are almost over and they haven’t done anything with it, and decide to embark on an outdoor adventure to either rediscover themselves or prove to themselves that they can do it.”

“The Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain (a multi-day pilgrimage walk) is a popular option for these ladies,” she adds. The majority of their ladies want to experience new adventures. “They see it as a journey and an opportunity to focus on themselves.”

But do not expect them to rough it! She still wants some of her comforts, such as to be able to sleep in a guest house, for example, at the end of the day’s walk, adds Hamilton.

This kind of trip won’t be undertaken with other family members, says Hamilton. “It’s something she is doing for herself. She might invite one or two female friends in a similar situation she is in.”

An important common factor among them all is that they have money and they are also usually not people who have prior experience of

outdoor activities. This means that they usually have to buy all their gear from scratch, which allows the retailer to expertly guide the customer to the most appropriate products.

They do not worry about brands, she adds.

“As long as it’s the correct product, the woman is happy. These ladies are very open to listening to advice.”

The ladies who shop at Dirt Road Traders in Richards Bay, however, are more outdoorsy people. “The female customers who visit our store mostly know the product they need.

They know the quality and price and shop accordingly,” says Henry Rowles of Dirt Road Traders.

Another trend that Hamilton has noticed

Women shopping in outdoor stores are the most likely to buy for someone else, our survey revealed. among her customers is that adult boys will take their mothers on an outdoors trip to hike Kilimanjaro, for example, and often for a milestone birthday such as her 50th. The father is usually very keen to support this mother-son bonding and will support them as well, says Hamilton. But from home.

Age affects habits Just as there are differences in habits between men and women, there are also different habits among different ages within the same gender.

Younger female shoppers are more brand conscious, a respondent who wishes to remain anonymous commented. The majority of the

ladies who shop at his lifestyle fashion store are 20 years old or younger.

Younger shoppers also tend to be more price sensitive than older shoppers, according to South African research company WhyFive’s 2013 Fashion Shopper’s consumer report.

“What is interesting, however, is that apart from Mr Price and Pick n Pay Clothing, none of the top six stores chosen [by their respondents] are known for offering the best prices — fair prices, but not the best prices. So the rational side of the consumer’s brain is telling them they need to find the best price, but the emotional side is still leading them to buy the things they really want to buy,” the report found.

Female clothing shoppers are also more likely to buy at stores that offer them a variety of styles and options, 39% of consumer respondents in WhyFive’s report indicated.

Those shoppers in the younger age group are also the most likely to be concerned about the location of the store, their report revealed. A convenient store location is important to 34% of young respondents — and almost half (48%) of 16-24 year old respondents indicated it is important to them. “The consumer simply really doesn’t want to waste too much money driving across town to shop for clothes. This has important implications for the notion of stores marketing themselves better within a footprint: local marketing as opposed to (or in addition to) a national effort.”

Also, young people often have to rely on others for transport. The closer the store, the more convenient it is for the person giving the lift — and the more likely the young person will be to get to the store.

Unfortunately it is difficult to discern a shopping trend for younger customers from responses received in our survey, because the stores vary in type (lifestyle, sport, outdoor) and so do the purchases.

Judging from our survey, the older customer (40-50 year old) is more likely to shop at an outdoors-related store. She wants to buy performance clothing and footwear and either shops for a run or an outdoor activity such as camping or fishing, respondents indicated.

Not the shopping masses Despite the stereotype of women as the shopping gender, based on responses it seems like the majority of shoppers at our participating retailers are still men. Only a fifth of respondents indicated that the majority (more than half) of their customers are female, while the majority of respondents (79.2%) indicated that women account for half or fewer of their customers.

Interestingly, lifestyle fashion clothing and footwear store respondents were also among those who indicated that female customers make up less than half of their customers.

The majority of sport retailers (83.3%) indicated that female customers account for between a quarter and half of their customers.

Women shoppers account for between 1125% of most (42.9%) of outdoor respondents’ customers.

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

p26 :: Apparel & Footwear

Sneaker Wars

on trademarks & rights Converse caused a stir locally by warning the trade against supporting copies, and by a US lawsuit against 31 brands they accuse of copying. TRUDI DU TOIT looks at the implications for the South African market

T

owards the end of last year the South African distributors of Converse, Skye Distribution, caused a stir when they warned local retailers and the trade press about supporting counterfeit and copy product.

Many retailers received letters warning them against stocking products similar to Chuck Taylor All Star and Jack Purcell, with some reps even making veiled threats.

This was around the time when Converse filed 22 lawsuits against 31 brands in New York, claiming that they infringed the Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker trademark. Among the brands accused of copying the sneaker designs are Ralph Lauren, Skechers, Fila, Iconix Brand Group (representing about 30 brands) as well as major retailer like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.

Apart from seeking a monetary settlement, Converse said they want to stop the sale of the products that they claim are infringing on trademarks that cover the look of their sneakers — e.g. the rubber toe topper, toe bumper and black stripes, as well as the diamond pattern on the bottom of the sole. They therefore filed a separate complaint with the International Trade Commission to try and stop any shoes they consider to be counterfeit from entering the US. One would expect the footwear industry to rally behind a brand globally defending its

trademark and designs against unscrupulous copiers and counterfeiters. But, the Converse case is not as clear-cut as it may seem on the surface, especially in South Africa, where certain unique factors come into play.

The owner of a trade mark in the US may not be able to enforce its rights in South Africa South African situation When the South African Converse distributors, Skye Distribution, asked retailers to cease and desist selling counterfeit and copies of Converse, many were confused: some of the Mille and Dickies styles, supplied by Skye, were remarkably similar to Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star (see images overleaf).

What’s more, when Sports Trader asked South African retail footwear buyers to identify ten sneaker styles with the branding removed, the Mille sneaker, distributed by Skye Distribution, was the only one that a buyer confused with Converse (see quiz below).

A prominent retailer from a major chain (who wishes to remain anonymous) pointed

out that the Dickies Supa Dupa, also distributed by Skye Distribution, is considered by many role players as a cheaper version of Converse. “In our business Dickies has legitimacy because we measure the brand’s worth and identity by its history in America and not by how it’s positioned locally. We have a varied client base with different needs around different price points, fashion trends, etc. and therefore every supplier has a different function for us, even though it might appear to the uninitiated eye that they overlap.”

Trade publications Sports Trader and Shoes & Views were also told to stop accepting adverts from JFK Trading for counterfeit and copy products of Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star or Jack Purcell — or lose all advertising support from Skye Distribution.

They unfortunately declined Sports Trader’s request for a meeting to discuss the issue.

South African trademarks Again, Skye’s request to decline adverts for what they termed copy and counterfeit products, was not without unique local features.

JFK Trading has had a South African trademark registered since 1992 for the advertised A1 STAR sneaker (registration number 92/9995), which Converse unsuccessfully tried to challenge in court 23 years ago.

“We have been distributing our brand across

Our sneaker quizz — name the sneakers sold in South African stores below (answers on p28) 1

2 Sports Trader :: 2015 March

3

4

Apparel & Footwear :: p27 Below: the iconic Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.

Left: Sneakers are the mainstay of most South African footwear stores.

Far left Converse, Superga and Klevas sold next to each other, followed

by Soviet, K Star 7, and Dickies.

South Africa since the 1970’s, and disagree with any infringement claims against our brand. These styles in question are common in the market with all major brands and chain stores developing similar looking products in their ranges,” says Vimal Ambaram.

The South African registration of an international trademark or brand name is nothing new — and dates from the isolation years when most brands withdrew from South Africa due to international boycotts against Apartheid.

This was why Polo SA, owned by Skye Distribution, was able to register the Polo trademark locally — without the Ralph Lauren and with the horse running to the right, as opposed to the international Polo by Ralph Lauren with a horse running to the left.

“Despite living in a modern global village, the owner of a trade mark in the US may not be able to enforce its rights in South Africa,” lawyers Norton Rose Fulbright caution in a 2012 internet article titled Appropriation or misappropriation — can you nick someone else’s trade mark?

What’s more, South African courts seem to favour the territorial rights of a trademark registered locally over international registrations of well-known brands. The article specifically referred to the successful attempt — all the way to the Appeal Court — by the late Abdullah Mohamed Dajee to prevent New

Balance from marketing their internationally known and owned PF Flyers in South Africa.

Dajee had registered POSTURE FOUNDATION – PF as a trademark in South Africa in 1996.

In 2012 they went to court to prevent New Balance from using the trademarks P-F Flyers and P-F in South Africa, which he claimed infringed his trademark. This effectively stopped New Balance from selling and marketing one of the world’s original iconic sneaker brands in South Africa.

The lawyers quote another Appeals Court trademark decision from 1990 (Edgars’ adoption of the Victoria’s Secret brand name): “the fact that a trade mark is registered and has been used, even extensively used, by one person in a foreign country does not in itself constitute a bar to its adoption and registration by some other person in South Africa.”

“It appears that the owners of the Converse brand filed applications in South Africa in 2009 to register the pattern and ornamentation featured on the sole of their Chuck Taylor series, as well as the use of a front cut in the toe bumper of footwear providing a smile-like look,” says Jeremy Spires of trademark attorneys Spoor and Fischer.

“These applications have not yet been registered and are apparently under opposition by a third party. As a result, they are not yet enforceable in South Africa,” he says. “The

owners also have various other registrations for, amongst others, their star device.”

South Africa is, however, a member of the Paris Convention, which is an international treaty requiring member countries to protect well-known trademarks in their jurisdictions, even where those trademarks have not been registered, adds Spires.

The Federal Patent Court in Munich, however, recently ruled that an old technology that has been in use for decades, no longer enjoys protection. The court ruled against Nike in a long-lasting trademark dispute with adidas over their Primeknit technology, which Nike claimed infringed on their Flyknit technology.

The court agreed with adidas, who argued that the technology dates from the 1940’s and is therefore no longer innovative and ruled that Nike’s European patent become obsolete.

Converse trademarks Converse gave the sneaker world a warning about their willingness to litigate to protect their designs and trademarks in 2013 when they sued Autonomie, US distributors of Ethletic, an organic sweatshop-free and vegan sneaker brand developed by Fair Trade in the UK, for infringing on the designs of their Chuck Taylor All Star shoes.

The case never went to trial as Autonomie went out of business, but in To p28

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5 6

8

9 2015 March :: Sports Trader

p28 :: Apparel & Footwear

What’s in a (trademarked) sole?

The sneaker soles to the left were photographed in South African retailers.

Far left: the Converse Chuck Taylor with the trademarked diamond pattern sole is below a Dickies sneaker with a similar sole.

Middle: Dickies and Mille sneakers with soft soles.

Left: The Converse Jack Purcell with the soft sole.

Sneaker Wars cont from p27 the court papers Converse spelled out which trademarked trade dress features they intend to protect, for example, the two stripes on a midsole, the design of a toe cap, the design of a multi-layered toe bumper featuring diamonds and line patterns, and the relative position of these elements to each other.

In addition, Converse claim federal trade dress rights under US Trademark Registration numbers 1 588 960 (filed in 1990) and 3 258 103 (2007) referring to the outsole pattern and 4 062 112 (2011) for the Chuck Taylor Low Design and 4 065 482 (2011) for the Chuck Taylor High Design.

Furthermore, said Converse, they had spent millions — more than $93-m between 20092013 — to promote the Converse Trade Dress in the US. This Converse Trade Dress has a distinctive appearance using unique and non-functional designs, they claim, which has become a famous and well-known indicator of the origin and quality of Converse footwear.

They said they had served about 180 cease and desist letters to retailers and wholesalers since 2008 to prevent them from selling copies.

The Converse Chuck Taylor style certainly has certain distinct features such as a red stripe and Diamond Foxing that are synonymous with that particular style, says David Abramsohn of Superga Footwear.

“There is no doubt that Chuck Taylors have a specific look! Most brands copy this style exactly and just change the branding. There is no doubt that they are trading on the success of the Converse look,” says Abramsohn.

“In terms of the South African Trade Marks

Quiz answers

Did you identify the sneakers in our quiz on the page 26 correctly? These are the correct brand names, with the % of footwear buyers who got them right — 100% identified the unbranded Converse All Star model we showed, correctly.

1. A1 Star 22% 2. Dickies Supa Dupa 44% 4. Le Coq Sportif 67% 4. Superga 89% 5. Levi’s 22% 6. Nike Capri 56% 7. Vans Off the Wall 44.% 8. PF Flyers 67% 9. Mille 0%

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Act, if the owners of the Converse brand can show that their design is well-known in South Africa and that a third party is trading in footwear that bears a design that constitutes a reproduction, or imitation of their design, and that the public is likely to be confused, or deceived, between the products as a result, they could potentially restrain that third party from trading in those goods — despite the fact that they don’t have any registered rights here,” says Spires.

New Balance filed a counter-lawsuit, asking the court to rule that Converse does not have the exclusive right to use a toe bumper, toe cap and striped midsole in connection with athletic footwear Design features Product features like shape, pattern, configuration and ornamentation can be registered as trademarks, in much the same way that more conventional identifying features like brand names and logos can be registered, Waldo Steyn wrote in an article titled A Converse decision on the law firm ENSafrica’s website.

But, trade mark registrations for product features like shape and pattern are still relatively rare, and cases involving such registrations are never easy, he continues.

He does, however, refer to the local case adidas won against Pepkor for their use of four stripes, which the Supreme Court of Appeal agreed was confusingly similar to adidas’ three-stripe trademark.

A case will have a better chance of succeeding if the design features are indicators of source — in other words, if a consumer will look at a shoe and declare That is a Chuck Taylor/ adidas/ Puma! etc. without looking at the logo. If the features are functional, they won’t enjoy protection, points out Steyn.

We tested this by asking South African footwear buyers to identify sneakers from ten different brands — all with some similar features — with the names/logos removed. The images can be seen on the previous pages, except for the Converse All Star at the top.

All the buyers identified the Converse All Star correctly ... the only brand identified correctly by all the buyers (see Quiz answers box). One could therefore say that the Converse design features are indicators of source.

Original sneakers Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star has been hailed as the original American sneaker since its first three high top styles were introduced in 1917. By the time the first white All Star toe guard, laces and outer wraps were introduced in 1949, other brands, including PF Flyers in the US, Lacoste in France and Superga in Italy, were also popularising canvas shoes with rubber soles, which we now know as the popular footwear category sneakers.

“In my opinion there are only really a handful of Original canvas sneaker brands with rich histories dating back as follows: Converse to 1908, Superga to 1911, Lacoste to 1933, PF

What did Converse trademark?

Left are Converse Chuck Taylor ‘trade dress’ identifiers on the uppers: white double stitching that surrounds the eyelets and comes together in a square near the toe cap; toe-guard with criss-cross diamond patters, vulcanized toe cap, distinctive white rubber foxing, thin strips of rubber piping around the perimeter of the shoe, a second piping strip on the rubber foxing between the toe guard and the heel patch. the rectangular heel patch and double stitching on the heel.

Apparel & Footwear :: p29

Skye Distribution’s response Towards The end of last year Skye Distribution declined Sports Trader’s invitation to meet with us to discuss what they termed our decision to feature copy product, even though we said we wanted to do an article about it. Sports Trader sent them a copy of this article prior to publication, inviting them to comment. In a subsequent telephone conversation we asked them to point out any inaccuracies so that we may rectify them. As a response, they sent the Press Release we publish unedited below: Skye Distribution (Pty) Ltd is the owner or authorised licensee, manufacturer and distributor of international and local clothing and footwear brands.

We honour our obligations to our international partners and to intellectual property rights and laws. We recognise and value our retail partners and our customers who trust and support our brands. We cannot comment on the contents of this article in terms of our license, contractual and other obligations. As your readers will know, the article contains several factual inaccuracies. We were not approached before the article was written nor were we interviewed. As in our normal course of business, our customers contact us directly if they have concerns or queries. Skye’s mission is to make branded fashion accessible at good quality and prices to the people of South and sub-Saharan Africa and we remain committed to our mission.

All of our rights remain reserved.

Flyer to 1937 and Vans to 1966,” says Abramsohn.

“As is evident from the dates above, it is safe to assume that the majority of the current contemporary canvas sneaker brands are in some ways a copy of one of these brands,” he adds.

During the 1950’s and ‘60’s sneakers became the footwear dress code of teenagers across the world and millions of branded and unbranded sneakers were sold.

Due to the many other competing sneakers on the market, Converse was losing money and market share by the 1970’s. Before it was sold to Nike in 2003, the brand had filed for bankruptcy numerous times.

Nike, however, grew Converse back into a dominant position and expanded its footprint worldwide. It also expanded the trademarks.

Converse All Star and Jack Purcell were introduced into South Africa more than 40 years ago, were it has been sold alongside other sneakers that sported many of the same design features.

“Many millions of pairs of copies have been sold in South Africa over the years and millions of pairs of so called copies are currently available nationally from independent stores to mini-chains and department stores in South Africa and neighbouring countries (see illustration pictures) — yet nobody had been prosecuted for passing off,” says Laurence Slotsky of Footwear Trading, the South African distributor of, among others, Skechers and Fila.

PF Flyers counter-sues The fact that Converse was happy to trade alongside their PF Flyers for 75 years, even though they share some of the same design features Converse now claims to be their trademark, is one of the arguments New Balance is using in support of their lawsuit in a Boston federal court to protect their PF Flyer sneakers against what they allege are overly aggressive trademark claims by Converse.

Although PF Flyers is not among the 31 brands and companies sued by Converse, they claim the broad terms of the application by Converse to the International Trade Commission to assert trademarks on classic canvas shoes with rubber toes and other familiar features will improperly affect PF Flyers' ability to compete with Converse.

The problem they identified was the fact that Converse is claiming trademark protection for a vulcanized rubber toe bumper, toe cap and striped midsole ... features to be found on PF Flyers, as well as millions of pairs of sneakers across the globe, including in South Africa. Many people would argue that these are the features that would identify a shoe as a sneaker.

PF Flyers have been using these features on their sneakers since 1940, they claim, but when New Balance asked Converse to carve out their brand from future litigation, Converse threatened to amend the lawsuit to include PF Flyers. Unable to reach an agreement, New Balance filed a counter-lawsuit, asking the court to rule that Converse does not have the exclusive right to use a toe bumper, toe cap and striped midsole in connection with athletic footwear.

They also want the court to cancel Converse's latest federal trademark registration for the toe bumper, toe cap and striped To p30

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p30 :: Apparel & Footwear

Other brands also copied THE CLASSIC Superga 2750 style (left) was developed as a tennis shoe in 1925, explains David Abrahamson of Superga Footwear.

Like the Converse Chuck Taylor, the Superga 2750 has a very distinctive and recognisable look. “The shoe is distinguished by its natural rubber calendar sole, thick gauge canvas, and special binding on all seams,” explains Abrahamson.

This style style has been copied in the past and most recently Superga Italy won a court case against Fila Italy for distributing a lookalike.

Counterfeiting is much more serious than copying, as this does huge damage to the original brand and the consumer is badly cheated, says Abrahamson.

“Most importantly, the supply chain involved in counterfeiting pays no duties, no tax, no VAT etc.

— this is a criminal institution.”

Copies still do some damage to the original brand, especially when there are multiple copies around, he says.

Counterfeits carry the brand’s original name and markings, but is not manufactured with the brand owner’s permission, explains Abrahamson. A Copy carries the brand’s original look and markings but bears a different brand name.

The internationally recognised waffle sole is a major identifying feature of Vans sneakers, say local distributor Chappers Sports Direct. “The upper comprises of no 10 duck and 220 drill canvas back together and sewn with nylon stitching for strength and an extra toe cap with a vulcanised waffle outsole made of 100% pure crepe rubber.”

Like other international brands, Vans have also been plagued by copying, which continues to be a cause for concern. The international principles are very active on this front and “we have conducted several local raids and ceased counterfeit product, followed by criminal proceedings,” they say.

“Currently there are certain possible copyright infringements that we are investigating.”

Sneakers from p29 midsole — US Reg. No. 4 398 753 — granted in 2013 because the claimed features are either ornamental or functional, and cannot serve as a source identifier.

According to papers filed by New Balance, PF Flyers and Converse have both been advertising, marketing and selling millions of pairs of sneakers with a toe bumper, toe cap and striped midsole since the 1940’s without complaint from any of the two brands.

Other brands have also been advertising and selling athletic footwear with a canvas upper, combined with a toe cap, toe bumper and striped midsole for many decades.

In other words, if Converse had accepted the right of other brands to sell sneakers with these features for about 75 years, why complain now?

Legal vs ethics Although many brands have been copying the

originals for so long that they can prove usage for many years, Abramsohn strongly disagrees that certain features become common property through usage “since a copy is still a copy regardless of how old the copy is!

“The majority of the brands that copy Converse will always use the following position to defend their copy: The consumer knows the difference and our price point is much lower!” he says.

“While there might be some truth in that statement, there is no denying the fact that they are trading off years of marketing and brand building from the original. This is surely not ethical?”

He believes this problem will escalate as the exchange rate weakens and the gap between the retail price of the original and the copy grows wider. “The consumer is under pressure to afford the original and therefore selects to purchase a lookalike.”

The sneaker market in South Africa is even more competitive than most countries in the world, says Abramsohn.”We have a market filled with very experienced operators who are super quick to spot a trend and source a look.

“I believe Converse are in their right to try and enforce their trademarks — but in the South African context it will be nearly impossible to enforce.”

He believes the best option for original brands to protect themselves is to spend more on marketing and brand awareness.

The Converse lawsuits in the US will not have an impact in South Africa at this time, agrees Slotsky. “Until judgement is made in the US, the retailers and wholesalers being sued will continue to sell the affected brands, as many legal commentators in the US doubt that Converse will win this complicated lawsuit of passing off. It is a typical case of US litigation, which is different to the laws in South Africa.”

Levi’s footwear winter range THE LEVI’S Footwear Winter 2015 range is built around a simple yet essential question: Can it be worn with my favourite pair of jeans? The range includes tried and tested classics with innovative tweaks to update the aesthetic appeal, as well as men’s and ladies’ fashion styles, which incorporate the hottest urban trends.

The Levi’s Dunk 2 Commuter high and low is an adaptation of the Levi’s Dunk and has been designed to complement the established Levi’s Commuter range.

In 2012 the Levi’s brand introduced Commuter by Levi’s — clothing designed and epitomised specifically for the needs of the urban commuter. Commuter products integrate an array of features that address performance, convenience, safety, mobility and protection needs, while maintaining the durability and classic styling that people expect from the Levi’s brand.

The Levi’s Dunk 2 Commuter sneakers will not only give commuters instant street cred, but will enhance visibility through techni-

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

cally positioned 3M reflective strips on each shoe. The laces feature inter-woven reflective thread, which enhances visibility from the front.

The Levi’s Dunk 2 Commuter high and low is available in navy, making it a highly versatile option for today’s fashion conscious commuter.

The skinny jeans and drop crotch trend contributed to the rise of statement high top sneakers.

The Levi’s Funk is their legendary Dunk style refined. It has a traditional high top silhouette with extra padding around the ankle and a Dring lacing system.

The oversized tongue and cushioned top is on trend, and demands attention when paired with skinny or drop crotch jeans.

The Levi’s Funk is not only available in durable nylon, but has also been reintroduced in classic man-made material, due to popular demand. The rich colour ways of red, black and navy inevitably kicks street style up with a notch or two.

Levi’s Funk red.

Levi’s Dunk 2 Commuter Low

Levi’s Dunk 2 Commuter High

Apparel & Footwear :: p31

The touching Dunk D.C. story

By LAURENCE SLOTSKY of the local Levi’s footwear distributor Footwear Trading IN JUNE of 2013, my 17 year-old nephew, Daniel Copans, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

After several unsuccessful treatments in South Africa, Daniel and his family in February 2014 relocated for nine weeks to New York, where he received 3rd line chemotherapy treatment at the Sloane Kettering Cancer centre.

The incredible professional medical care, combined with the love and support of family and friends, was the only way forward.

After a few months of brutal chemotherapy Daniel received the bad news that the cancer had spread. The chemotherapy was not working. Daniel’s family refused to give up hope and they decided to go and try out key hole radiation therapy in India. Unfortunately, this did not work, as the cancer had already spread too far.

Daniel and his family moved back to South Africa where Daniel was surrounded by the love of his family and friends.

Towards the end of September, I asked Daniel

to meet me for some quality time together in Sandton City, and do some store visits.

On visiting our Levi’s flagship store in Sandton, Daniel noted one particular shoe and wanted a pair for himself. Unfortunately, we did not have his size.

OK, he said, why don’t you take the fabric upper of that shoe and put it on a Dunk — with a couple of other changes?

I immediately replied, “cool, Daniel! You tell me what to do and I will order the samples asap.” I sent the specs there and then to the factory to make up samples.

Unfortunately, during that week Daniel’s health deteriorated and he got progressively worse, making him housebound.

Two weeks later on a Friday afternoon, the sample had arrived at Footwear Trading. Daniel’s medical condition was at an all time low.

He woke up on the Monday morning and asked, “Where is the shoe I designed with Laurence?”

I got the call and immediately went to his house to show him the sample. When he saw the shoe, he had this huge smile on his face for the first time in days.

He said “the shoe looks great, I am a good designer. But, the lace colour is terrible — change it to black.”

I immediately sent an email to the factory to

change the lace colour, and once I had Daniel’s approval, we placed an order on the style.

Daniel’s face portrayed pure happiness and fulfilment. An expression that the family will always remember.

I left the house that evening with the feeling that it was the last time I would see Daniel lucid and smiling.

Two days later Daniel sadly passed away at the tender age of 18.

In memory of this courageous young man, I decided to launch and sell this unique style of Levi’s Dunk D.C. (Daniel Copans) and donate a percentage of all sales to a children’s cancer organisation.

The Limited Edition of this shoe and boot has been an absolute sales success, and we have repeated the initial order quantity.

On the outsole of the Dunk D.C. there is a unique yellow plug, representing all those suffering with sarcomas.

Can track catch up with tar?

p32 :: Apparel & Footwear

Runners participating in the Voet van Afrika Marathon, an event consisting of road and trail running in the same route.

Picture courtesy of Jan Greyling from Agri Mega.

T

Trail and road running numbers are on the rise and suppliers and event organisers are experiencing a boom both in footwear sales and participation numbers.

What is driving this popularity and will trail running be able to catch up with road? NELLE DU TOIT CLAASSEN spoke to industry members to find out

he attraction of the trail is continuing to gain popularity, with many South African runners following the tracks of trail pathfinders Bruce Arnett, Ryan Sandes, Ian John DonWauchope and Andre Gie, to name a few.

Trail running event organisers and footwear suppliers alike agree that over the past 3-5 years demand for trail running events and equipment has been on the rise.

But can the demand for trail overrun the road?

And, although they stem from similar roots, can the two disciplines be compared with each other? People in the industry don’t think so.

“Although the athlete is running, that is where the similarities end,” says Nikki Andrew, marketing manager of the Impi Challenge. “The terrain is different, the demands on the body and concentration are different and the feeling is different. I would say a true trail runner will prefer the trail and choose it over road, wherever possible, while a roadie would still run trail.”

Andrew continues.

One of the main differences between the two running disciplines is that they appeal to very different consumers — who would also be more likely to shop in different kinds of stores. The road runner will look for gear in sport or specialist running stores, while the trail runner will also visit outdoor stores for purchases.

“Trail and road running are two totally different markets,” says Rowyn James, race director of Comrades Marathon. “Trail running appeals to

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Road running has shown a growth over the past few seasons, especially amongst ladies participating, as well as an increase in participation over the shorter distances. a higher Living Standards Measure (LSM) market through much higher entry fee prices and remote locations and so becomes inaccessible to the masses and lower LSM bracket found in road running events.”

“Your lower income bracket runner simply can’t afford to enter more premium trail events, or even have transport to these exciting, yet in some cases reclusive, venues,” Paul Copson of Brand-Identity, local Mizuno supplier, explains.

“Then there are also the equipment costs — there are a lot of trail running specific equipment the experienced trail runner knows he has to have to keep himself safe on the trails.”

“Trail running also has a lot more land ownership and safety issues to deal with, hence the high cost and safety gear needed,” says adventure racer Graham Bird from the Mountain Runner events company.

For some it may be two completely different running styles and different markets. For others, however, trail and road running do, at

times, overlap.

“We experience a cross-over of participation in both disciplines,” says Jan Greyling from Agri Mega, organizers of the Voet van Afrika marathon. “We believe that there is a definite overlap of interest within the two disciplines, which does make road running a winner in terms of mass participation. It seems that runners increasingly call for single trail and road combinations to get an occasional break from tarred and broad gravel surfaces.”

Road gets the numbers When asked whether trail running could ever outperform road running in terms of participation and interest, the industry responded with a resounding no.

“Trail running has become more popular over the past few years, but road running will continue to be the front runner so to speak, as it is more convenient than trail running,” says James Mullen from PUMA SA. “Roads offer a convenient location for your outdoor runs as you have the option of running on roads near your home, work, or school, by simply stepping out the door.” He believes the remote location of many trails makes getting there a challenge.

“Road running has a longer history as the original form of exercise and due to more people living in big cities around the world, road running is far more accessible,” adds Gugu Ntuli from adidas SA. Trail event participation is furthermore limited because conservation To p34

Advertorial :: p33

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p34 :: Apparel & Footwear

Trail and road running cont from p34 areas will never issue permits for the large number of entrants in road events — for example, 15 000 in the Two Oceans Marathon and 40 000 in the Berlin Marathon, she says.

“Access to our beautiful trails is capped in terms of event participation numbers, therefore we won’t see thousands of trail runner participants in a single event,” Copson says.

This is done because too many runners can spoil the trail event for everybody. “The inclusion of technical trail sections and obstacles in events that have a high participant flow (number of participants passing a certain point in a certain time) very quickly results in bottlenecking and queues and downgrades the experience for the participant,” says Mark Collins of Magnetic South.

Trail organisers saw series stage events and competitions as a solution to the limited runners admitted, but again the majority of the runners are the same people running these series, Copson explains.

“Many athletes may aspire to getting out of the city and into the mountains, but road appeals to a broader segment of the population when you consider financial outlay, convenience and accessibility,” adds Jackie Moore of Salomon SA.

Safety issues Safety is, however, one of the biggest concerns for trail runners and organisers hosting the races. “Trails present a number of technical difficulties, hence there are big safety issues to consider in staging trail events,” Copson says.

“Events that traverse remote wilderness areas simply cannot be managed in a similar way to a road running event, particularly when it comes to defining the course, managing the course and event safety,” Collins points out. “For example, people from emergency services that may be exceptionally efficient and effective when accessing patients with an emergency vehicle on a road, may be completely ineffective in accessing patients in the wilderness, to the point of being a liability to the event team, unless they are experienced and conditioned enough to be highly mobile on foot.”

“A well organised trail run event can be great fun and some organisers are working really hard at opening or finding new venues,” says Lehan Bornman of Traverse Outdoor Gear, a recent entrant into the trail running market with their Boreal trail shoes. “But, there are often lots of restrictions and access issues, which make sourcing these venues difficult and very costly.”

Safety is, however, not only a concern during trail events. “If you run in the mountain you need to run in numbers for safety,” says Farrer. “While running on the road, one is more visible on the road by motorists. I would therefore say better policing of trail paths will help the sport grow.”

Bad publicity of trail runners being mugged, for example, on Table Mountain, does the sport no favours, Miles O’Brien, Olympic brand manager at Jordan & Co. points out.

Trail is growing On the bright side, there are lots of new trail events popping up and runners are migrating to trail as a new challenge, says Dawid Visser, Promotions & Training Specialist for Asics SA.

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Trail running participation is growing, agrees Mike Farrer of Hi-Tec SA, and it is fuelled by the desire to escape the city and be part of nature.

“It is also technically more challenging than road running and some trail runners believe you are less likely to get injured than in road running.”

“The fast pace of city living has resulted in people aspiring to get out of the cities on weekends and back into nature to enjoy the simple pleasures of life,” Moore explains. “Trail also provides a more exciting running option, with the freedom to explore endless new routes on varied terrain in a beautiful environment.”

Trail appeals to the youth, as we’ve seen many younger people running and wanting to have more excitement while running, Andrew explains. “Trail offers adventure and a constantly changing environment.”

Many athletes may aspire to getting out of the city and into the mountains, but road appeals to a broader segment of the population when you consider financial outlay, convenience and accessibility Although many believe trail running will not outrun road running, some event organisers are so positive that they believe there is a chance that it may one day become as big as road running.

“I believe trail running will become as big as road running, as many young runners who have been road running want to try new things — and then get hooked,” says Andrew. “We see the growth more in Cape Town than in Gauteng.”

Puma introduces IGNITE PUMA HAS launched IGNITE — a performance running shoe featuring innovative foam technology that maximises energy return to keep a runner running longer.

This responsive, comfortable and durable shoe is worn by the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt.

The shoe, designed for a wide range of runners, features strategically placed ForEverFoam in the heel. This new material, a compound developed for the motor industry, offers a good energy return and longlasting durability. The shoe features directinject tooling, which is a first for Puma, to create a responsive foam.

“I start out with a running shoe to warm up before going into a spike, and I need a shoe that is comfortable and keeps my energy up,” says Bolt. “I love IGNITE for that, and can feel it makes a real difference. It’s a pretty good looking shoe as well.”

The shoe will be available in men’s and women’s styles from March 2015. Later, additional styles will be introduced and the shoe’s line will grow within the running and training categories.

“In 2010 I introduced two trail races to the basket of Two Oceans events (21km and 56km events and fun runs) after I noticed the incredible popularity of trail running in the greater Cape Town area,” says James, who was the race director for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon prior to becoming the Comrades race director.

The Otter Trail Run, referred to as “The Grail of the Trail”, sold out in 3 minutes for the 2015 race as opposed to 9 minutes for the 2014 event and 12 minutes for the 2013 event. “We have noted similar trends across all our trail events,” remarks Collins.

A few years ago Hout Bay’s Hedgie (Ryan Sandes) started breaking international records at the 4 Desert Race in 2008 and then went on to break a few more records whilst simultaneously changing South Africa’s perception of what breaking point in off-road running really means. This, combined with edgy sponsorships and branding deals, contributed to make trail running a very attractive discipline, especially for younger athletes in the Cape area.

Today, runners such as AJ Calitz, Stuart Marais, Landie Greyling and Kane Reilley dominate the tracks and are becoming as well-known as road champions.

Both growing The growing running appeal, however, is not solely seen on the trail. Road running has been enjoying a renewed interest, and some compare it to the global running boom experienced in the late 70’s to early 80’s.

“Literally every weekend there is a road race around the country, showing year on year growth of entrants,” says James. This year’s Comrades Marathon attracted an entry field of 22 453 runners — a 10.6% increase from the previous year’s 20 301 entrants. “2015 will have the second biggest entry field in the Comrades’ illustrious 90-year history.”

While the growth in trail running To p37

p36 :: Sport

Can Skins help change FIFA? Skins’ Jamie Fuller at the I Play Fair Sports Law Conference held in Cape Town last year.

FIFA has become a laughing stock, says the British MP behind a campaign for change in the world’s soccer governing body. Skins chairman Jaimie Fuller has taken this a step further with a satirical Official Non-Sponsorship campaign to draw attention to the influence of sponsors on the behaviour of sporting bodies. YAMKELA MKEBE reports

S

kins chairman Jamie Fuller has launched a satirical Official NonSponsorship (ONS) campaign, making fun of the overly commercialised FIFA business model. This is a tongue-incheek show of support for the #NewFIFANow campaign and an invitation to join the debate around the growing call for serious, long-term reform of the way FIFA governs football.

The ONS campaign follows the recent Brussels summit, organised by UK and European parliamentarians and attended by high-profile football administrators and politicians who support the #NewFIFANow campaign aimed at bringing about a change in the way world football is being run by Sepp Blatter and Co. Fuller believes that FIFA is a discredited organisation and says that many people outside FIFA and few inside FIFA are gunning for change.

The Skins campaign pokes fun at the way in which FIFA has commercialised football and the allegations of corruption that surrounds the organisation. There are, for example, brand guidelines for the use of the non-FIFA logo, an Ebay auction to buy FIFA silence, and a nonexistent range of transparent Skins branded merchandise proclaiming non-support for FIFA. They have also made a demanding football back video, reflecting FIFA’s fondness for portraying poor children from disadvantaged communities playing on dirt fields — with the dif-

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

“People have had enough.

It has reached a stage where FIFA is a laughing stock.” ference that these children ask a menacing FIFA official to please give football back to them.

In another film clip Fuller explains the reason for the non-sponsorship campaign. “I’m delighted this ongoing non-deal highlights all the values we don’t share with FIFA. It is an exciting non-association, which will shine a light on the organisation’s un-progressive stance, discredited values and all round non-integrity,” says Fuller. “One of the aims of our Official NonSponsor campaign is for the real sponsors of FIFA to appreciate the privileged position they occupy and understand that their money continues to enable those at FIFA and their actions.”

Recently sponsors Castrol, Continental Tyres and Johnson & Johnson announced they are not renewing their sponsorship agreements with FIFA. Sony and Emirates had previously declined to renew sponsorship contracts.

Fuller previously influenced change in the International Cycling Union (UCI) through the Change Cycling Now Campaign, which also started with a summit. Skins then cheekily sued the international cycling body because the UCI and

its president Patrick McQuaid “turned a blind eye to doping practices, and by doing so tarnished sponsor brands and hurt sales”. He also supported British Cycling President Brian Cookson’s winning bid to replace McQuaid.

The subsequent Skins PureSport campaign introduced a rallying call for sponsors to use their commercial power to ensure fair play in sport, and support anti-doping efforts. Fuller has been invited to address conferences on this issue across the globe — including the Sports Law conference in Cape Town in 2013.

NewFIFANow campaign The Brussels summit, organised by European parliamentarians Emma McClarkin and Ivo Belet in conjunction with British MP Damian Collins and the former Director of Public Affairs for Australia’s World Cup Bid, Bonita Mersiades, was the first meeting of the #NewFIFANow movement. It attracted speakers from across the world, who spoke out against the discredited FIFA management. “I presented the ethical case for greater demands of better governance by sponsors,” says Fuller.

Andrew Jennings, an investigative journalist whose book Foul! exposed corruption and mismanagement in FIFA, could not attend the summit because of prior commitments, but submitted a paper on how FIFA will become more accountable if all federations are held to Freedom

Sport :: p37 of Information (FOI) principles.

“I urge everybody to demand that their own National Associations adopt FOI voluntarily. If they won’t, our politicians must legislate to enforce it. I know fans would welcome this — many in public service already work with this essential part of modern democracy. Associations adopting FOI should encourage others to follow. Any refusing would be seen as anti-democratic and unwelcome in the football family,” says Jennings.

Other recommendations by Jennings include disclosure of financial matters, salaries, fees, bonuses, hospitality and expenses claims of senior staff and Executive Committee members of FIFA. He demands that all ExCo and committee meetings be open to the public through live streaming. “We would discover what Sepp Blatter pays himself and the cost of his charter jets, imperial lifestyle and secret payments to con-

sultants,” he says.

At the summit players, fans and corporations came together to share their vision for change. Among them were the former chairman of the England Bid and the English FA, Baron David Triesman and FIFA Presidential hopefuls Jerome Champagne and Harold Mayne-Nicholls.

Replacing Blatter?

One of the visions is to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in the May elections ... but most players know that it is a lost cause. For now.

Champagne and former French player David Ginola withdrew their candidacies for president after they failed to secure the required minimum of five nominations from football associations. The former head of the FIFA technical inspection committee and Chilean national, Harold Mayne-Nicholls, also withdrew his candidacy, claiming that he didn’t have the necessary credentials.

Three candidates remain in FIFA’s presidential

Trail and road running cont from p34 can be linked to the lure of nature, O’Brien believes the greater interest in road running is due to a desire to keep fit and stay healthier. “It’s obviously easier to just go for a run, than plan which trail routes to follow,” he says.

“There is growth in both markets,” says Ntuli.

“Road due to the increased popularity — especially amongst women and the younger population — which is seen in more people running in races. The trail scene has steadily increased each year, with more race options from single events to multi day/stage races. People enjoy being outdoors and running in scenic areas. Often these routes are exclusive and not open to the general public.”

Globally, road running still dominates, “due to the bucket list marathons and the ability for roads to cope with the sheer number of participants,” says Farrer. But, trail running has seen excellent growth, even though the very nature of running on protected tracks, which can only handle a limited number of foot traffic, will reduce the participant numbers.

He believes that the growth in “social fun races and events, such as the colour run and Impi Challenge, which attracts the more urban audience, corporate groups and average runner/ entry level run walkers who don’t feel intimidated”, contributed to the popularity of running overall. These races are not aimed at the competitive athlete, but they have gained a huge following, he says.

“Road running has shown a growth over the past few seasons, especially amongst ladies participating, as well as an increase in participation over the shorter distances, like the 5km, 10km

and 21km races,” says Mullen. In terms of trail running, he believes “the state of the sport is on the right track at the moment and fairly healthy.”

Selling shoes This running boom has been good news for road and trail running gear suppliers and retailers.

The majority of footwear suppliers, however, say that their sales figures indicate that road running still far outsells trail running shoes.

“Commercially there is a vast difference in volume of road shoes sold vs trail,” says Ntuli.

Apart from the much higher race participation numbers, she also believes people buy more road running shoes for other activities, for example, going to the gym.

But, Hi-Tec says their customers purchase trail, as well as road running footwear, for casual wear as well as running.

“There is definitely an increase in overall trail shoe sales and we even had to introduce newer models into the market,” says Visser.

They have experienced consistent growth in road as well as trail running shoe sales over the past three years, says O’Brien. He ascribes this to the desire to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Although South Africa has long attracted international trail runners to our tracks with events like the Otter and PUFfer, to name a few, when it comes to a recognised national sport with a governing body, trail running is still an embrio.

In February 2013, Athletics South Africa (ASA) gave the nod for the first ever national trail running championship, but suppliers believe

race to challenge Blatter: former Portuguese player Luis Figo, Netherlands FA president Michael van Praag and Asian vice-president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan. Figo joined the race very close to the deadline and the Asian Football Confederation said they will support Blatter instead of their vice-presidential candidate.

The many years of dissatisfaction with the way Blatter and his supporters have been running world football came to a head over the surprising and controversial announcements of Russia and Qatar as the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup host countries. Published allegations of bribery and corruption forced FIFA to institute an investigation — but when FIFA’s ethics committee judge Hans-Joachim Eckert cleared Russia and Qatar of any wrongdoings in their bids, the independent ethics chief investigator, Michael Garcia, resigned in protest. His findings, which had previously been leaked to the press, had been covered up by FIFA, Garcia claimed.

“Like the decisions surrounding Russia and Qatar, the farce surrounding the Garcia report is symptomatic of a governing body where democracy, transparency and accountability were long ago forsaken in place of corruption, mismanagement and self-interest,” Collins explains the necessity for the #NewFIFANow campaign.

He believes “people have had enough. It has reached a stage where FIFA is a laughing stock.”

Skechers’ launches at marathons SKECHERS WAS the official apparel and footwear sponsor of the Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Half Marathon, both held in Houston, Texas, last week. The brand specially released a limited edition apparel and footwear collection for these events, which is available in US retailers.

The collection features the iconic red, white and blue associated with the Chevron Houston Marathon, and the blue and green associated with the Aramco Half Marathon, as well as customised logos.

The Skechers GOrun 4, GOmeb Speed 3, GOrun Ultra 2 and GOrun Ride 4 running shoes form part of the collection. this has had no impact on trail shoe sales.

The national sport status also did not affect participation numbers as the events only affects the top 10% of participants, explains Owen Middleton of the Wildrunner event organiser. “It has, however, increased the attention from the media and sponsors.”

With national sport status the next step will be to introduce a regulatory body. “Trail running does need some form of regulation, but without the politics sadly prevalent in road running,” says James. “Trail running events will also need to conform to the Events Act promulgated in 2010.”

The sport will have to be careful that it is not seen as a quick money making scheme, he cautions.

“I would like to see local council and the National Parks boards help continue to create more safer marked trail routes with improved security,” Copson adds.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

Sport

p38 :: Sport

New Medalist balls and hockey DE WET SPORTS has introduced new team balls and hockey products to their Medalist brand for 2015.

The Jazz netball ball is available in two designs of different colour patterns. It is a moulded rubber ball with pimple grip and is available in size 4 and 5.

The revised rugby ball, Super Grip, features a rubberised grip and is ideal for training. It is available in sizes 3, 4 and 5.

Also new, is the Pro Spike volleyball ball. The ball features quality PU material that ensures durability and a comfortable

Top 10 fitness trends for 2015 FITNESS EQUIPMENT that will be much in demand in 2015 include equipment used for strength training, yoga and functional fitness (affiliated clubs and authorised suppliers use the name CrossFit).

This is according to the annual fitness trend forecast published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), based on a survey completed by more than 3 400 health and fitness professionals across the wold.

Apart from the above three trends, they predict that the following types of exercise

hitting surface. The ball is both handstitched and waterproof and is available in the official size and weight.

They have introduced three new composite hockey sticks. The Rogue stick has a full composite shaft featuring 20% carbon fibre. It has a midi head and 24mm bow and is available in four weights/sizes: 36.5” Light, 36.5” Medium, 37.5” Light and 37.5” Medium.

The Fenix stick is available in two colours in sizes 33”, 34” and 35. The stick features a full composite shaft with 10% carbon fibre, a midi head and junior bow.

The Talon stick also has a full composite shaft

with 10% carbon fibre and has a midi head. Its bow is 21mm and it comes in four different weights/ sizes: 36.5” Light, 36.5 Medium”, 37.5” Light and 37.5” Medium.

The new Rebel hockey set includes a wooden junior stick, shin guards, a smooth practice ball and stick bag. The set comes in three different sizes 28”, 30” and 32” and it is available in two assorted colours.

will be the top fitness trends: body weight training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), exercise for weight loss and fitness programmes for older adults.

The fitness professionals also believe that there will be a growing demand for personal trainers — and due to challenging economic times many of them will offer personal training for small groups.

The health professionals predict that selecting educated and experienced fitness professionals as trainers will be the third most important fitness trend for 2015.

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Club Rugby Ball Size 4 and 5

Supreme Volleyball

De Luxe Ash Pool Cues

Provincial Netball

Referee Warning Cards

Captain Armbands Various Colours

Pool Ball Sets

For a full colour catalogue of all our products, please contact us at Tel: (021) 948 8150, Fax: (021) 948 8084, Email: wetsports@wirelessza.co.za

news LP Support meets neoprene demands TO COINCIDE with the growing demand for Neoprene supports at the start of the winter season, a shipment of LP Supports has arrived, says Patrick Franck of local distributor W.E.T. Sports. “From the specialised 787 ankle supports for netball players and the state of the art X-tremus range, to the everyday shoulder, knee, ankle, elbow, thigh and wrist supports, LP has you protected this winter.”

Due to the higher demand, W.E.T. Sports has increased stock levels of the LP kinesiology Maxtaping, which is available in four colours. “The LP Maxtaping is ideal for use while playing sport and it doesn’t lose its effectiveness when it gets wet,” says Franck.

Sport :: p39

Star winter range W.E.T. SPORTS’ Star range offers equipment and accessories for a wide range of sporting codes. “We have consolidated all of our soccer, rugby, netball and volleyball balls, hockey sticks, shin pads and accessories under the Star label,” says Patrick Franck.

Within the range, they have introduced new cosmetics on a number of items and have given their best-selling Matrix 32 panel soccer ball a new look. On the shin guard front, the Legend Junior replaces the Crystal Junior with a softer, more flexible, finish.

Netball retailers will be pleased to hear that W.E.T. Sports’ ever-popular three-ply Provincial and Tournament match balls with sure grip is available again, as is their three tone netball nets.

W.E.T. Sports has noticed an increased demand for hockey balls for astro turf games.

Their aptly named Astrostar hockey ball is sure to meet your customers’ needs.

Their hockey range also features a new well-priced Dimple match ball and a Glitter ball.

“Your rugby playing customers can look forward to more colour options on the

Standard and Telescopic kicking tees,” says Franck. Their rugby balls in the Schools, Club and Provincial ranges are available at a range of price points and have also been given a colour make-over.

“Our top-of-the-range Supreme volleyball ball has also been given a facelift,” says Franck. They also other have good news for retailers: the value-for-money volleyball nets are back in stock.

They have expanded on their training accessories range, and now offer speed skipping ropes and speed ladders, which are ideal for pre-season training.

Winter accessories from W.E.T. Sports include captain’s armbands, pumps, needle adaptors, referee warning cards, whistles, lanyards, innersoles, a range of mouthguards, plastic cones, water bottle carriers, laces and studs.

For all your winter sports requirements

631 Tan Knee Wrap 634 Tan Ankle Wrap Tan Wraps also available for Elbow, Wrist and Shin.

739 Wrist Wrap (One Size Fits All) Full Support that allows Dexterity of Fingers.

LP Aerobic Band.

Available in Light, Medium and Heavy

670 Maxtaping Skin Lifting Design Reduces Pain and Inflammation. Increased Circulation and Range of Movement. You can Shower or Swim with it on.

170XT X-TREMUS (S, M, L, XL) Patella Tilting 3D Strain Preventing Knee Brace.

3-Dimension Knitting Mode combined with 3-Density Knitting Levels for Excellent Performance.

LP X-TREMUS Products Provide Comprehensive Protection with the help of Cutting Edge Technology that enhanced Athletic Performance and Joint Stability. Also available in 110XT Ankle and 130XT Wrist Supports.

alk T op h S

- 40 -

Above from left: The Alberton shop, Brooklyn store and Supersport Park store.

Below: Bat boutique.

Below middle: Wayne Vincent’s passion grew into three specialist cricket stores Below right: The hockey display to cater for .

Why cricket specialist works

W

We have maintained for many years that some of the most obvious business opportunities for sports retailers lie in establishing specialist sports shops in urban areas such as Gauteng. Now The Cricket Company has proven us right, reports NICOL DU TOIT

ayne Vincent has been passionate about cricket ever since he started to play as a youngster at school. He never really cracked the big league, but he at least played a few matches for Cornwall first team in his time.

In 2004 he decided to visit South Africa and started playing for Alberton, where he became good friends with Juan Le Maitre, the club captain at the time. After Vincent returned to England Le Maitre visited him and convinced him that they should open a cricket shop at the Alberton clubhouse. Vincent thought it might be a now, or never opportunity, and decided to give it a go.

In January 2005 they opened the shop in a small room in the Alberton Cricket Club building. They gradually managed to get more space in the clubhouse and started what they called a Bat Boutique in the original room.

In February 2013 a third partner, Marius Delport, joined them when they decided to open a cricket shop at the Centurion cricket ground and towards the end of last year they purchased In2Sport in Brooklyn, Pretoria. Apart from the shops they also run a coaching academy in Melrose. They therefore have a very good footprint across Gauteng.

Understanding the game They are trading under the name The Cricket Company in Alberton and as The Centurion Cricket Company in the two northern shops.

Having secured good and affordable locations is only the first step in being a successful retailer. What else does Vincent think contributed to their apparent success?

“It is vital that you have a good understanding of the game, which you only get by playing it

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

for a long time at a senior level,” he says. “You need to understand the subtle, and not so subtle, differences in the equipment to enable you to advise newcomers and experienced players.”

Thirdly, he suggests, you need not only a passion for the game, but also a passion for the business of the game, which will encourage you to try new and innovative changes to the business model.

He admits to being a worrier. “If it gets quiet in the shop I become worried and immediately start thinking about ideas to generate more business”, he says. For instance, four years ago one of these worrying sessions led to them deciding to make a wide selection of equipment one of the cornerstones of their business model, and they decided to start the Bat Boutique.

Biggest bat selection The Bat Boutique certainly has the biggest variety of bats we have ever seen in a shop anywhere and they have repeated the concept in the other two stores as well. Vincent believes that to draw customers you have to offer the widest choice possible. He is unsure how many they have, but estimates in excess of 300 models and sizes from more than 16 brands - from the most sophisticated handmade bats specially imported from England, to the most basic entry level models.

This contributes to establishing them as a destination store and people come to them from far-out areas such as Bloemfontein, Witbank and Rustenburg, to get the variety and advice for which they have become famous.

Vincent believes that cricket in South Africa has grown tremendously over the last ten years.

The popularity in the Twenty20 format has boosted spectatorship and drawn different people from the traditional game. Mothers now join

their families to go and watch Twenty20games and it has become family entertainment.

The spinoff has been an increase in participation, especially at school level. Some schools, admittedly the larger ones, now have 10 or more sides in certain age groups. The increase in participation obviously leads to an increase in turnover. “There are therefore much greater and many more opportunities than we have even begun to exploit!” he says.

Vincent states that the buying function is of critical importance. When you trade on having the widest variety and best advice, it is crucial to determine the correct quantities of each size and model to order. “You have to be experienced to recognise and predict trends,” he says.

“Supplementing the buying function is your relationships with suppliers,” says Vincent. It is crucial to maintain good relationships as they are part of the team and can give good guidance and advice. He believes you have to treat them with respect and an important part of that is to pay them on time.

This slots in with his philosophy that you should not focus on taking money out of the business. “Your focus should be on developing the business and that often means that you have to plough money back into the business for a long time before reaping any personal benefit.

It is critically important to do that when a new business or branch is established,” he says.

Reasons for their success • An understanding of the game is vital to understand the equipment • They secured good and affordable locations for their stores.

• They not only have a passion for the sport, but also have a passion for business

p42 :: Sport

Matching a cricket bat to a player The shape of a cricket bat plays an important role in how it might perform. How should a retailer match a bat shape to the individual style of a batsman?

CARIN HARDISTY asked some experts to explain.

Photos: NICOL DU TOIT

I

nspired by the tree-trunk sized bats used by some international players, especially in the Twenty20’s, young cricketers often think that the bigger the better when selecting a bat. It is the retailer’s task to persuade him that a big bat might not improve his batting average — nor that the lightest bat on the market will improve the length of time he’ll stay at the crease.

Cricket bat models have different characteristics for a very good reason: batsmen each have their own style of play, which should be matched to the bat that will complement that style.

Some batsmen like to lean in towards the ball and bowler, others back … some are big hitters, while others are more controlled and reserved.

The batsman’s batting style plays a large role in the characteristics of the cricket bat he should use.

“Players who play predominantly off the front foot have a tendency to hit the ball lower down the bat, whereas back foot players tend to hit the ball higher up the blade,” explains Peter Wright, MD of Gunn & Moore international, which is locally distributed by Opal Sports. It is therefore recommended that a front foot player use a bat with the middle (or sweet spot) towards the bottom of the blade.

It’s also advisable to recommend a heavier bat for a front foot player, with the majority of the weight in the middle area of the bat, says Evert Ferreira of Brand-ID, local distributor of Slazenger. A heavier bat provides the player with more power to the shot, which means the ball is likely to go further, even if the batsman doesn’t

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Not only does the batsman’s playing style impact on his bat choice, his playing level will also play a role in what characteristics he should look for in his bat hit the ball in the middle of the bat. The extra weight, however, will likely also result in a slightly slower reaction speed.

Wright suggests that retailers recommend a thick edged bat for a front foot player, such as Gunn & Moore’s Octane and Mogul bats. The Octane features large contoured edges and a low middle and the Mogul (used by Sri Lanka’s Prasanna Jayawadene and Australia’s Shane Watson) features substantial contoured edges, a big swell and extended sweet spot.

The more wood there is towards the sides of the bat, the larger the sweet spot becomes.

Playing on the back foot A batsman who plays more on his back foot, on the other hand, would do well with a bat with a higher middle, because the bat is more likely to hit the ball higher along the blade.

A retailer should also suggest a lighter bat for a back foot player. A lighter bat allows for a faster bat speed, makes the bat more manoeuvrable than a heavier one and allows for the batsman to have more control.

Overall, “we would suggest a back footed batsman choose a lighter bat, with a better pick-up and higher middle,” says Nicola Ludlow of JRT Crampton, the local Kookaburra distributor.

For a backfoot player who likes to play square of the wicket, retailers should recommend a bat with a high swell.

The Slazenger V100 is ideal for players who demand an ultra-lightweight bat and supreme balance, says Steve Gallienne of Brand ID. “It has a concave crafted spine, which ensures maximum edge thickness and side profiling for destructive precision.”

Ludlow recommends their Kookaburra Kahuna (AB de Villiers’ choice) or Verve for a back foot player. “The Kahuna DNA has a middle sweet spot (215-235mm from the toe). The Kahuna Profile is Big Edge Square with edges between 36-40mm and the face of the bat is flat Power Plus, with a Super Spine of between 62-67mm.”

Gunn & Moore’s Icon (for all-round power hitting) and Six6 (for all-round stroke play) bats both feature substantial contoured edges. The Icon has a light pick-up and a high swell position, while the Six6 — used by Joe Root (England) and Joe Burns (Australia) — has an elongated swell height, Powerarc bow and reduced toe and shoulders.

The Six6 bat can also be recommended for a touch player, who prefers to make full use of the pace of the ball.

Batting temperament A player with a controlled batting style will do better with a light bat. Recommend a bat to him

Sport :: p43

A stylish stroke player like Hashim Amla can score off the front as well as back foot with his premium Player Profile English Willow BAS bat with big edges and 11 straight visible grains.

with a higher sweet spot. The higher sweet spot means that the weight distribution is also higher up the blade — and the bat speed is faster. This type of bat tends to suit a controlled player who likes to cut, hook and pull. If the player tends to play the ball late and prefers cut shots, a bat with a thick blade will suit him.

An aggressive and attacking stroke player would favour a heavier bat with a lower middle.

A lower middle can affect the pick-up, because the weight is also nearer to the toe. This type of bat suits a player who likes driving the ball.

“For the Dominating Stroke player, the V800 fits the profile,” says Gallienne. The V800 is used by Jacques Kallis, who recently used it in his Australian appearance.

For the big hitting player who prefers to hit boundaries, Kookaburra recommends their Onyx and Bubble bats. “Both bats have despicably big edges, huge super spines, and are uniquely designed and sculpted for genuine heavy hitting performances,” says Ludlow. South African cricketers Rilee Rossouw and Dean Elgar play with the Onyx and Bubble respectively.

Gunn & Moore’s Octane, with its thick edges and low middle, will also suit this power player, as will Slazenger’s V1200 with its Hex Handle system.

Player’s position A top order batsman will want a lighter bat as well as one with a good grain count. “Recommend a bat with a count of 10-15 grains,” suggests Ferreira.

Slazenger offers variable grains across the V100, V800 and V1200 series of bats.

The more grains the bat has, the better it will perform from the start. A bat with a narrow grain (higher number of grains) will perform better from earlier on, but its life will be shorter than that of a wide grain (6 grains or less) bat. Wider grain wood is not as old, which means it’s stronger than the narrow grain wood and is more likely to stand up to the beating of cheaper quality cricket balls. A bat with a wider grain will eventually play as well as one with a narrow grain, but it will take more time.

The grain count can also give an indication of the bat’s life and have an impact on the vibration. The grain width depends on how fast the tree has grown and each grain represents a year’s growth. If the tree was cut after about 18 years the wood will have a wider grain, while a tree cut after 25 years or more will have a narrower grain.

The new ball usually asks for a faster bat speed from an opening batsman. It’s best to recommend this player uses a lighter bat which he can swing faster. The bat therefore helps to contribute to an increased reaction time. A bat with a higher sweet spot would suit an opening batsman, a player who prefers playing short pitched bowling, and one who plays off the back foot.

The ball should have lost some of its edge by the time players three and four in the line-up get to the crease, which means they should have a bit more time to react and make their shots — allowing them the option of using a slightly heavier bat than their opening team mates.

Similarly, the ball should be softer by the time the middle order batsman faces it, Ferreira

points out. “Therefore the player needs a bit more weight in the bat.”

Tail-enders tend to prefer the heavier bats.

With the extra weight of the bat behind his shot, the batsman doesn’t have to precisely hit the sweet spot to make a good shot.

Level of player Not only does the batsman’s playing style impact on his bat choice, his playing level will also play a role in what characteristics he should look for in his bat.

If a player is still in primary or junior high school, the most important aspect is to select the right size bat, says Ferreira. See Sports Trader April 2012 p39 for tips on fitting a bat.

“Primary school players should choose a bat with the lightest possible weight, in a range that they can afford,” adds Ludlow.

Once the player gets into a senior high school team, he can start to look at which weight he prefers, recommends Ferreira.

Another point to remember is that the higher the level of player, the more frequently he will be using the bat during practice and matches, and the higher the quality of bat he’ll need. This is especially true for players beyond the school system, who might play for a club or province, for example.

Pitch impact Even the pitch that the player will be batting on can affect the type of bat he chooses. A low bounce wicket, for example, may suit a bat with a lower bow and lower middle, To p44

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p44 :: Sport

Left handed top-order batsman Dean Elgar plays with the Kookaburra Onyx bat, ideal for big-hitters.

Matching bats to players cont from p43 while a harder, bouncier wicket would suit a bat with a higher middle.

“With cricket being such a global game now, players will have different bats for different countries,” says Ferreira. “For example, with South Africa and Australia having bouncy wickets, bats used here will be light with the sweet spot higher up the bat. Sub-continent bats are slightly heavier with sweet spots lower down the bat, because of the lower bounce on the wickets.”

Twenty20 spawns new bats Because of the nature of the game, a Twenty20 cricket bat is usually designed for bigger hitting.

“The Twenty20 revolution has evolved the game and range of shots at awesome speed,” says Ludlow. “Not all players, however, employ the same style. The most important factor when choosing a bat is to ensure that its profile, technical design and weight suits your customer.”

She adds that, in order for a player to maximise his potential, it is important that he thinks carefully of what he wants from the bat and how he plays the game.

“If outright performance is vital, your customer should always select a bat with a greater white to red wood ratio,” Ludlow advises. This is because the more red in the wood, the harder and less responsive the bat will be.

“Everyone wants a bigger bat, but with a lighter weight,” adds Richard Gray of Grays International, owners of the Gray-Nicolls cricket brand that is locally distributed by Leisure Holdings.

A bat with a higher middle tends to pick-up lighter, because the middle is closer to the hands.

The bat’s bow size can impact the pick-up, with an increased bow often resulting in a heavier pick-up. If the back of the bat is concaved,

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

it will also improve pick-up. When the spine of the middle keeps its height, but scoops away on the sides, the power is kept down the centre of the bat.

“If a bat has a lower middle it will pick-up heavier than a bat made with exactly the same components, but with a middle higher up the blade,” says Wright.

When designing the shape we recognise that different batsmen have different techniques, ability, strength, height and style “Pick-up in cricket bats is a very interesting concept,” he continues. “The weight of a handle of exactly the same dimensions can vary by as much as 3ozs when it is in the bat. A bat weighing 2lbs 8ozs with a light handle will weigh 2lbs 11ozs with a heavy handle in it. The 3 extra ounces are, however, in the batsman’s hands and therefore does not feel nearly as heavy as if the 3 ounces were added to the bottom of the blade. It is for this reason that over the years we have always recommended that players should pick-up a bat before deciding to play with it.

This is not possible when you buy a bat without feeling it — the bat might be the preferred weight, but not the correct pick-up.”

Bat design impacts play “Over the years, we have developed many new cricket bat shapes,” says Wright. “This has been

particularly prevalent since the arrival of our CNC machine (computer numerical control), which enables us to replicate shapes extremely consistently, which is really quite difficult to do by hand.”

“When designing the shape we recognise that different batsmen have different techniques, ability, strength, height and style,” continues Wright. “With any range we produce, we try to cover for all these differences by putting more willow in a bat for strong power hitters and less in for touch players who prefer to score by using the pace of the ball.”

There are a number of issues that need to be taken into account when designing a cricket bat, Wright points out.

The weight of the bat, for example, can play a role in how quickly the player is able to react.

• Lighter bat: faster bat speed and increased reaction time; more manoeuvrability and control • Heavier bat: provides more power. “The weight of the bat is largely determined by the amount of willow in the blade and its density,” says Wright. “We can control the shape, but can have little effect on the density of the willow, apart from ensuring that the moisture content is as low as possible without making it too dry and brittle, which will lead to early breakage. Typically bats will have a 10% moisture content.”

Even the bat handles, which are either round or oval, will play a role.

An oval shaped handle improves the pick-up of the bat and gives the player a better directional feel. It is, however, more difficult to grip hard and the top hand tends to control the shots.

In turn, the round handle allows the bottom hand to have more control over the shot. Because of this, a hard-hitting batsman should rather opt for a round handle.

• • • • •

SIGMA F4.5

Cutting edge DXM technology Balanced pick up Extended sweet spot Smoothest power Big Edges

AURA F4.5

ICON GEO

SIX6

ORIGINAL LE

• Substantial F4.5 edges at drive zone • Traditional back profile • Concentrated power • Reduced toe

ORIGINAL LE

For trade enquiries, contact Opal Sports Tel: 011 695 9640 Fax: 011 695 9698 Email: anne@opalsport.com

p46 :: Sport

New in the 2015 cricket ranges With old cricket stock fast selling out, brands are going all out to introduce their new cricket ranges for 2015, with several new products making their debut in the 2015 ICC World Cup. YAMKELA MKEBE asked them what new products, technologies, updates, etc. retailers can look out for

I

n the coming season two of the big talking points around cricket gear will be the new safety standards for helmets (see p52) and new micro-cell technologies manufacturers introduced in protective

wear.

The new PORON XRD micro-cellular technology, used in protective gear by brands like Gunn & Moore, Slazenger and Stormforce, are much thinner and lighter than normal protective gear, yet provides excellent protection.

It absorbs and dissipates 90% of the energy upon impact, and then returns to its original soft, pliable shape. What’s more, this thin armour plate strength protective gear is comfortable to wear and retains its moulded shape (see more on the previous page).

Similar features are to be found in the G-Form protective sportswear made from Reactive Protective Technology (RPT) as described on p54.

Apart from new protective ranges, brands are introducing a variety of interesting new products to South African retailers.

BRT Clothing BRT, locally distributed by Kevro, offers a range of Teamster cricket clothing that will fulfil the needs of any school or club team.

The cricket shirts, pants and pullovers all have a quality X-tech quick dry, moisture management finish.

The cricket shirt has a high quality finish and distinctive BRT branding. It features raglan short sleeves, mesh side inserts for breathability, a self-fabric collar and rubber buttons.

The pants have “reinforced side pockets, a

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

mesh insert on the back yoke, an unstitched hem for easy length adjustment and an elasticated waistband with draw cord in a high quality finish with distinctive BRT branding,” says Charles Painter from Kevro.

The Teamster 200gm sports knit pullover has ribbed armholes, a ribbed V-neck, mesh side inserts and binding on the bottom hem. It’s made of 200gsm sports knit.

They also supply a polycotton panama hat with binding around the reinforced brim and with distinctive BRT branding.

Dukes balls Dukes cricket balls, locally distributed by Opal Sports, have been in the South African market since early 2014. It might be a newcomer to the South African market, but globally the brand has been around since 1760 when it was founded in the UK. The brand mainly manufactures hand stitched cricket balls, but as part of a joint production facility venture, Dukes has been investigating machine stitched balls for countries with harsh playing conditions such as ours and Australia’s.

The Special County test ball is a four-piece leather cricket ball in size A 1, 5 ½ oz that is available in four colour options (red, white, orange, pink).

Their County International ball, for top league cricket, features a cortex centre for shape retention and is made of quality English alum tanned leather. It also carriers the traditional greased finish, and is available in four colours (red, white, orange, pink) and in two sizes (A 5 ½ oz and 5 oz).

Turf Master is Dukes’ best-selling ball in the lower premiere level, but it is also ideal for top league cricket. It features quality leather and a cortex centre for shape retention. It is an A 5

½ oz size ball and is available in three colours (white, orange or pink).

The red A 5 ½ oz Avenger ball is made of quality leather with moulded cork centre and also features a traditional greased finish.

The Special Crown features a perma anti-scuff finish with quality leather and a cortex centre for shape retention. It is available in two sizes (A 5 ½ oz and 5 oz) and comes in four different colour options (red, white, orange or pink).

The red Century ball features club quality alum leather with perma anti-scuff finish and a moulded cork centre.

Gunn & Moore Gunn & Moore has introduced several new products in their 2015 range. These include the new prime English willow Aura and Sigma bats, the Icon Geo and Purist Geo helmets that meet the new BSI safety standards (see more on p52), a women-specific range of equipment and clothing, three new shoes and protective wear that feature a new technology.

The Aura F4.5 DXM bat features substantial F4.5 edges at drive zone for greater all-round power, a traditional back profile for concentrated power and a reduced toe for a lighter pick-up.

The Sigma F4.5 DXM features “Gunn & Moore’s cutting edge technology, CADoptimised weight distribution zones for a balanced pick-up, has To p48 an extended

p48 :: Sport

2015 cricket ranges cont from p46 sweet spot, the smoothest power, and big edges,” says Anne Vilas of local distributor Opal Sports. It also features the CNC (computer-controlled) milled GM logo.

These new bats will complement the Mogul F4.5, Six6 F4.5 DXM and Octane F2 DXM bats that are still in the range.

“All our bats are made in England of prime English Willow and our junior bats are perfectly scaled and replicate the shape of the Men’s version,” says Vilas.

The Player Edition bats, which are precise replicas of the bats used by leading Gunn & Moore players feature GM’s DXM technology. “These bats are made of LE timber and are finished with Player Edition identification and laser engraved with the player’s signature,” adds Vilas.

The new Icon Geo and Purist Geo helmets passed the latest BSI standards (BS7928-2013) and feature the brand’s ultra-strong patented GEO steel grille that offers optimal resistance against any impact (see p52).

They are also introducing three new shoes, the Six6 Multi-Function, Aura Allround, and Octane junior Allround. The new Six6 Multi-Function and Aura Allround shoes both feature three levels of support: the internal moulded TPR heel cradle helps to protect the heel area and holds the foot securely, the injection-moulded TPU external midfoot shank maintains rigidity through the foot arch, which reduces injury from foot torsion whilst decreasing foot fatigue, and the injection moulded TPU outsole improves lateral support and durability.

They each feature the ergonomic low profile compression moulded EVA midsole, which is lightweight and provides added comfort and cushioning. The air mesh on the upper and tongue provides better temperature control, ventilation and air circulation.

Gunn & Moore has also kept younger players in mind and has introduced the Octane junior all-round shoe, which is new for 2015.

“Our top end Original LE, Original, 909 and 808 gloves and leg guards feature Poron XRD technology,” says Vilas. “Poron XRD Extreme Impact Protection is an open cell technology that’s comfortable, flexible, breathable and lightweight.” (see p46).

Their 2015 bag range has also received upgrades, with some wheelie bags even featuring all-terrain wheels.

Gunn & Moore has also introduced a new women-specific cricket range, in partnership with England’s Sarah Taylor. The range covers clothing and equipment to meet the female cricketer’s needs.

Members of the Protea squad who can be seen using Gunn & Moore in the current ICC World Cup are Quinton de Kock (Mogul F4.5 DXM), Farhaan Behardien (Six6), Kyle Abbott (Octane F2 DXM) and Vernon Philander. Other players on their player list for the 2015/16 season are Justin Ontong (Icon F2 DXM) and Robin Petersen (Icon F2 DXM).

Kookaburra The new Kookaburra collection has been designed in conjunction with their Team Kookaburra players, of which Protea World Cup team

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

captain AB de Villiers is the star. The result is a “comprehensive portfolio of products that cater for all types of players, providing them with products that specifically match their style of play and ensure they are able to maximise their talent and performance,” says Nicola Ludlow of local distributor JRT Crampton.

Other Team Kookaburra members include Ian Bell and Jos Butter from England, and Australian Glenn Maxwell.

“These players rank amongst the worlds’ most exciting talents, and their partnership with Kookaburra emphasises the brand’s commitment to style, product quality and specification,” says Ludlow.

“Kookaburra’s bat grading is exemplary in the market,” she continues. Although pricing has increased over time, “the grading has not slipped and as such neither has the quality, meaning that pound for pound Kookaburra offers the best value in the market,” she says.

The iconic Kahuna bat — AB de Villiers’ choice — has been the leader of the Kookaburra range for the past 12 years. It is ideal for a stroke maker who likes to take control and lead by example. The bat is known for its powerful profile, big edges and world renowned graphics, says Ludlow.

“The Kahuna again takes its rightful place at the summit of Kookaburra’s 2015 operation. It is equipped with its awe inspiring profile and evolutionary graphics, the Kahuna is set to push batsmen up to a whole new level.

Are you game on?” Kookaburra has a long history of only manufacturing cricket bats by hand.

The techniques applied allow their master bat makers to utilise their skills, breathing life into every Kookaburra bat. They are confident that the recent extensive investment in the brand’s bat making facilities in the UK and India will further help to give them the ultimate in hands quality control.

Over 50 different individual processes go into the production of each Kookaburra cricket bat.

This also allows a master bat maker to use his craft and experience to optimise the pressing, profile, balance and performance of each bat.

Their bats are carefully selected by hand from “only the finest clefts of willow available,” she says.

Kookaburra products cater for all types of players at different levels with different styles of play, allowing them to maximise their talent and performance, she says.

Puma Puma’s 2015 cricket range highlights include a super light spike shoe and state-of-the-art lightweight protective wear, to name a few.

“Our evoSpeed Cricket Spike 1.3 is described as one of the lightest cricket spikes on the market,” says James Mullen Head of Performance at Puma SA. The upper features a soft synthetic material and the fully fused mesh windows on the quarter provides stability and breathability. The shoe also features abrasion resistant synthetic leather on the upper, a PU skin and rubber toe reinforcement. The midsole features lightweight EVA foam while its outsole has a TPU plate with removable spikes.

Protea captain AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum are wearing the evoSpeed Cricket Spike in the ICC World Cup. McCullum also plays with Puma’s new bat, the evoSpeed 1 SE, which features a new and improved blade profile. The extended thick edges and fuller spine combine to enlarge the core sweet spot of the blade.

“The bat has superior pick-up with the blade that is beautifully contoured with flowing edges from shoulder to toe,” says Mullen. Leading edges are rounded off to improve bat durability and minimise the risk of edges splitting. It also features a new tapered toe for enhanced pitch contact. Its updated cosmetics use high quality PVC free labels and solvent free inks.

“The unique, multi-textured Puma grip with new cosmetics ensures best possible touch and control,” says Mullen.

The evoSpeed 1 SE BG batting glove features a premium sheep skin palm and ultra-light PU backhand with transparent finger cage protection. “It features multihinged anatomical finger construction, a 3-piece hinged thumb and high density lightweight foam cushioning,” he says. The glove also features fibre shield impact protection on all fingers and ventilated thumbs on both hands.

The brand has two type types of batting pads in their collection of new products — the evoSpeed 1 SE and the evoSpeed 1. Both have incorporated ultra-lightweight microfibre facing.

“The evoSpeed 1 SE’s state-of-the-art leg guard features a super lightweight construction and dynamic fit strap system, allowing greater freedom of movement,” says Mullen. “The pad also has dual density high impact absorbing foam and an internal fibretech shield.” The product has a moulded knee cap with a 3D knee bolster, ultra-soft padded, additional ankle protection and removable washable shin and knee bolsters.

The evoSpeed 1 batting pad has contemporary styling for the modern player and 3D Flex Fit knee construction. It features ultra-soft padded straps and lightweight soft foam shin guard for increased comfort and protection.

Puma’s evoSpeed 1 SE wicketkeeper glove features a pure super soft analine leather backhand, premium unrivalled construction and quality, Flextech superior grip and it conforms to ICC regulations. The high density foam cuff construction with foam backing ensures an enhanced fit. It also features mesh To p50

p50 :: Sport

2015 cricket ranges cont from p48 ventilated backhand and sewn-in fingertip protection.

“The evoSpeed Flextech 1 SE wicket-keeper pad is the state-of-the-art wicket keeping pad that sets the standard for innovative design with its updated ultra-lightweight 3-piece leg construction for enhanced fit.

Its internal fibretech shield and ventilation eyelets allows maximum air-flow behind the pad,” explains Mullen. The pad features removable and washable internal bolsters and also ultra-soft padded straps.

Slazenger Slazenger is delivering some fresh new exiting colour ways and technologies in their cricket range for this upcoming season, says Steve Gallienne, Dunslaz Brand President at Brand-ID. “With feature technologies that offer performance and protection throughout the range and Slazenger’s approach to hitting specific price points, retailers will be able to offer their customers a Brand Slazenger with confidence — while making their required margins,” he says.

Technologies include the 1500K, a combination of carbon and advanced polymers that form a “bullet proof protective shield in the forefin-

ger area of the Slazenger gloves”.

IPS (Impact Protective System) is a composite laminate structure, formed to provide first class high impact protection in pads.

“PORON XRD in our top end glove and pads frees one from rigid, bulky protection, whilst maximising impact protection,” says Gallienne.

The bats in their range offer a variety of spines to choose from, such as the Pure Spine and Dual Spine configurations, which offer stability across the hitting zones, greater power distribution across the face, whilst improving torsional stability for greater shot accuracy.

“The V100 bat series offers great red cosmetics aimed at the all-round stroke player, and evokes all elements of power precision performance,” he continues.

The V800 has vibrant yellow cosmetics with a mid-blade profile and impressive swell, combined with thick edges and a sharp spine “to deliver explosive power to the batsman — creating the perfect all-rounder.”

The V1200 carries the same cosmetic and features “our game-changing Dual Spine and handle system,” says Gallienne. “The unique MCC-approved Hex handle is made from traditional materials, but had been manufactured to be lighter and stiffer. The V1200 bat offers immense power and control with excellent balance and pick up to suit the aggressive player.

Amongst the other new products are their protective accessories, signature bats, a starter

box set, and more. These products will “make your [retailer] cricket area vibrant and exciting for your customers visiting your stores wanting international flavour at a value for money price,” says Gallienne, who adds that he is looking forward to servicing retailers’ needs for the upcoming season.

Stormforce Stormforce’s range of cricket protective wear is a revolutionised cricket protection range, says Lauren McCleland from local distributor Orbit Sports.

The new Stormforce Xpro range, launched at ISPO Munich in February, features a number of products that “will redefine cricket protection”, according to McCleland.

The traditional bulky padding is replaced with soft shell Xpro Extreme Impact Protection Padding which is lightweight, three times thinner than current products and provides an increased level of protection.

An example is the padding on the Xpro batting gloves, which is 9mm thick — much thinner than traditional padding, which is around 25–35mm thick, she says.

“The padding is breathable and goes handin-hand with Airmesh fabric to keep the player cool.” It is high impact resistant and absorbs more than 90% of the impact. When hit by a fast ball, the force of the impact is distributed over a large area, resulting in less stress for the user. “The greater the impact, the greater the protection.”

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p52 :: Sport

Head injuries in sport can be fatal and body injuries can have lifelong traumatic effects.

RHIANAH RHODE reports on how the different sports tackle the issue of protection for athletes

Protecting heads and bodies

A

ll international sporting bodies adopt rules about protective wear to try and prevent injuries to participating athletes. When a player wearing the prescribed protection is injured — or worse, dies — the international shockwaves prompt manufacturers and distributors to re-examine the effectiveness of the protective gear worn by athletes.

Especially when death occurs as a result of an injury while the player was wearing protection … as in the case of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes.

For several years the International Cricket Council (ICC) have been concerned about the number of facial injuries sustained by batsmen wearing helmets, where the ball either forced its way between the peak of the helmet and the top bar of the grille, or by the ball driving the grille into the batsman’s face — for example, injuries sustained by Gary Kirsten and Craig Kieswetter, explains Peter Wright, MD of Gunn & Moore.

Craig Kieswetter is currently recovering from a serious injury that nearly ended his career, says Richard Gray, international marketing director of Grays International, owner of Gray-Nicolls cricket. “The ball came from the front, through the grille, and hit his eye.”

The ICC therefore commissioned the respected British Standards Institute (BSI) in 2011 to update their 1998 standards relating to cricket helmets. A BSI committee, which included several manufacturers, medics, players' representatives and cricket experts, worked for two years

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

to revise the helmet safety standards to ensure much greater protection to the face, jaw and temple areas of the wearer, explains Wright, who served on both the 1997/8 and 2011 committees.

The ICC partly funded research at Loughborough University, which has superb facilities, including a test rig with a ball launcher and high speed camera that enabled manufacturers to fully understand what happens when a ball travelling at 90mph collides with a head protector.

“These tests made us realise that the design of grilles needed to be improved and we engaged a ballistics expert to assist us,” says Wright.

“In super slow motion one could see that the shell and grille were bending with impact,” says Gray, whose company was also working with the authorities to improve helmet designs. Another issue was that players could adjust the grille and they brought it down too far to improve visibility.

New helmet standards The new UK standard came into effect in July 2014 and manufacturers were given time to redesign their grilles, in particular, to pass the tests. Those improved helmets are now being sold into the market.

Consequently, the next generation of helmets like the Gunn & Moore Icon Geo and Purist Geo, locally distributed by Opal Sports, will offer greater protection. “The face guard design, The Geo, works so well that we have patented it,” says Wright.

“The innovative part is that it uses the same

radii for each wire, regardless of whether the wire runs horizontally, diagonally or vertically.

This gives the protector significant inherent strength and allows efficient use of metal, enabling the face guard to be as lightweight as possible, without compromising protection.”

The graphic illustration (p54) from Masuri show how the old Original Test model helmet, worn by Hughes, compares to the new Masuri Vision Series design, which protects a much wider area. This was introduced after the new BSI standards were implemented.

“We are constantly looking at improving our helmet designs to ensure that there is maximum protection for the player without affecting the comfort or the weight of the helmet,” says Basil Gasparis of TK Sports. Their Shrey helmet was also tested at Loughborough and complies with the new BSI standars.

Local brand Stormforce is also redesigning their helmets with a decreased gap between the grille and peak, to comply with the new ICC standards.

They will also be introducing a new helmet with an extended back section “to provide an option for players/parents who are

To p54

The GM Icon Geo with the patented Geo grille.

p54 :: Sport

G-Form flexible armour wins at ISPO Munich G-FORM, a hi-tech brand of protective gear, was the Best Action Sports Product award winner at this year’s ISPO Munich. The brand won the award for their new Pro-X Knee-Shin Guard (below left) using their proprietary Reactive Protection Technology (RPT) – a unique moulding system that allows for unprecedented flexibility and protection. The shin guard is CE-1620 certified.

G-Form provides protective products for a wide range of sports like rugby, hockey, soccer, cycling, skateboarding etc.

Their innovative RPT technology turns gear into flexible armour upon impact, as it disperses the impact energy.

This ability to absorb and dis-

perse the impact blow away from the athlete, makes it ideal for use in protective gear.

The US manufactured G-Form’s RPT technology is created through a unique moulding process that includes compressing and encapsulating proprietary materials to offer a stronger, thinner, and more flexible product.

The RPT molecules are designed to repel each other when at rest, allowing padding gear to be soft and pliable in their natural state, but when struck, the molecules band together to form a shield that absorbs and distrib-

Protective from p52 looking for peace of mind,” says Lauren McCleland of brand owner Orbit Sports.

“We will incorporate our new Xpro extreme impact protection padding in selected top-ofthe-range helmet models,” she adds. The Xpro padding, which absorbs more than 90% of impact energy (see p56), will replace the standard foam that is currently being used.

Following the Hughes fatality, Cricket Australia has also announced that they are launching a review of safety standards for protective equipment.

While the death of Phil Hughes was extremely distressing — not only for his family and friends — but also the international cricket community, Wright says that the circumstances of the injury were so unusual that it could be termed a freak accident.

“Of course it would be possible to protect the neck area of the batsman, but this is not straightforward,” he says. “It is important that any added protection does not restrict the movement of the batsman's neck or add too much weight.”

The problem with protecting the back of the neck is that the batsman needs full ability to move to avoid the ball, explains a member of the Gray-Nicolls design team. It would defeat the purpose if the helmet design prevents the batsman from avoiding the ball in the first place, or contributes to poor technique.

It is therefore a very delicate balance to get it right, says Gray.

“Not so long ago we used to have a Predator helmet, which Andrew Strauss and others used to wear, which did have a dropped neck,” he says. “But the players didn’t like the look of it and it was dropped. Now it’s perhaps time to bring it back.”

Other factors that manufacturers have to take into account when adding protection to the back, are dehydration, especially if a batsman is at the crease for many hours.

Rugby protective While the ICC looks at ways of providing more

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Yellow line shows old grille

Yellow line shows old helmet Dotted line shows new grille and helmet

The diagram shows how the new Masuri helmet differs from the old one worn by Hughes.

protection for cricketers, many rugby players seem to be happy that the wearing of protective gear is not compulsory in their bone crunching sport.

Less than 15% of the 327 male and female rugby players who took part in a study by Marshall et al.* (See references below) use protective gear like support sleeves, headgear, head tape, etc. Similarly, less than 15 % of the players that who took part in a study by Comstock et al.** wore any protective gear.

South African rugby players’ attitudes toward wearing protective head- and body wear are, however, more positive than in the international studies, say suppliers, who report that the wearing of protective equipment has increased in the last three years.

There has been an increase in school level players wearing protective headwear, says McCleland. “We have noticed that there has been a significant increase in our junior headgear sales.”

While the number of school and senior level players wearing headgear have increased, fewer players at the elite level wear headgear, says Evert Ferreira of Brand-ID, local distributors of Canterbury.

At school level the wearing of protective gear is purely driven by parents’ safety concerns and at senior level players have jobs and other responsibilities that will make them more cautious, he explains. He believes the decrease in elite players wearing headgear, is more related to pride, as they don’t get recognised off the

utes the energy. After impact, the molecules immediately revert to their original state.

Unlike plastic, G-Form’s RPT will not crack and will continue to offer comfort and performance over time.

This technology has been used by G-Form to manufacture a very lightweight, flexible, yet ultra-strong protective range that does not inhibit the movements of the wearer, and can be moulded to fit comfortably. They are also fully machine washable after some extreme activity.

The range includes protective wear and gear — shin guards and pads, knee-shin combo, shorts, pants, shirts, etc. — for a wide variety for of sports. Their Pro-S soccer shin guards (on the right) are FIFA, NOCSEA and CE approved.

The compression shirts and pants in the range are anatomically designed to flex with the wearer, without obstructing his movement. field if they wear headwear.

He attributes the growth in players, at all levels, wearing protective bodywear to more rugby being played, and players regarding it as a necessity to protect their bodies.

Availability and affordability are part of the reason why more players are wearing protective bodywear, says McCleland. “We have noticed an increase in the number of sports brands producing protective gear. This gives the consumer a wider variety, available at more stores, at more affordable prices,” she explains.

Protective don’t always protect Although wearing protective gear seems to be a growing trend among South African rugby players, recent studies show that headwear may not always play a protective role in all sports.

The class-action lawsuit in the US involving 4 500 football players who suffered concussionrelated injuries, or fear that they might, highlighted the danger of a secondary head injury when wearing a hard helmet. It was found that the repeated impact of the head against the hard surface of a helmet caused neurological trauma, with long-term effects. Last year the NFL agreed to pay $870-m in compensation to players involved in the class-action suit.

Boxing has also identified the danger of repeated impact against the head. In June 2013, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) introduced a rule that prevents male amateur boxers from wearing headgear, as they believe boxers will apply less force when striking an opponent with an unprotected head. The danger that protective headwear can obscure peripheral vision is an additional reason for the ban. Females’ lack of physical strength, which reduces their ability to cause concussion, allows them to still wear headgear.

Helmet safety in cycling In all cycling races and events across the world, the wearing of a helmet is compulsory. But, while the wearing of a cycling helmet is compulsory on all South African roads, the issue of compelling commuters to wear cycling helmets is hotly debated in the UK and other countries where it is a voluntary decision.

To p56

p56 :: Sport

XRD Extreme Impact Protection The STormforce Xpro protective wear range from Orbit Sports uses revolutionary XRD Extreme Impact Protection material, which significantly improves impact protection in intense environments.

The material’s ability to absorb high impact and disperse it away from the wearer, makes it ideal for use in protective gear, because a soft, thin, layer provides all the protection a player may need.

Orbit Sports introduced this technology in their rugby range that was lanched at the IRB Conference in London last year and introduced their cricket range at ISPO Munich this year. “It boasts all the benefits of technologically advanced Xpro padding protection, which absorbs more than 90% of impact,” says McCleland.

Protective from p54 In South Africa, the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 states that no person shall drive, or be a passenger, on a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is wearing a protective helmet, which fits him or her properly and of which the chin straps is properly fastened under the chin.

In the UK, US and some European countries opponents of helmet laws, however, argue that the compulsory wearing of cycling helmets by commuters will discourage people from cycling.

This will have a detrimental effect on the general health of the population, they argue, as people will become more sedentary.

Correspondents to the British Medical Journal, for example, write that Evidence from Australian states where laws have been enacted to require the use of helmets suggests that the greatest effect of the helmet law was not to encourage cyclists to wear helmets, but to discourage cycling.

Another argument is that road cyclists are more likely to be struck by cars while wearing a helmet. Dr Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist from the University of Bath, captured data of more than 2 500 overtaking motorists in Salisbury and Bristol and found that on average drivers passed 8.5cm closer when the cyclist wore a helmet than when he didn’t.

“From a safety point of view a helmet is designed to absorb the impact of the crash and deflect it away from the skull,” explains Mike Bradley, GM of Cycling SA. “Wearing a helmet may save the cyclist’s life.”

He describes how his life was saved by his cycling helmet when he hit a low hanging tree branch that he did not see.

Cycling helmets have improved over the years and are lighter, cooler and more comfortable to wear, but the way the injury occurs will ultimately determine the severity of a head/neck injury, says Bradley. “A helmet may reduce the severity of accidents, but like safety belts in cars, are designed to only take absorb a certain amount of force.”

There are at least nine different standards for testing cycling helmets to ensure that they protect the wearer. These include the ASTM

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

The XRD technology is designed to absorb and disperse impact over a large area, which protects the wearer better than when impact travels in a straight line through the material and makes greater contact with the wearer, as happens with other types of protective.

XRD material absorbs most of the energy from impact and maintains its shape and performance throughout its lifespan. In an experiment done by its developers, it absorbed more impact energy than three other popular shock-absorbing materials used in protective equipment and apparel.

The material is designed to be thin, soft and flexible in its regular state, but once struck,

it stiffens to form a protective shell. It softens again once the impact has passed.

It is durable, abrasion-resistant and lightweight, and therefore does not weigh the wearer down. It also features builtin Microban antimicrobial protection, which prevents the growth of bacteria, mould and mildew.

The Xpro range includes a wide variety of protective gear for a number of sports such as cricket, cycling, hockey, rugby, basketball, abseiling, martial arts, volleyball, skiing, skateboarding and paintball.

(formerly American Society for Testing and Materials), Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand, British Standards Institution (BSI), Canadian Standards Association, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, CEN European Standard, Japanese Industrial Standard, Snell Memorial Foundation and Swedish Board for Consumer Policies.

Cycling helmet brands available in South Africa will therefore conform to different approval standards. For example, their bicycle helmets are independently tested and follow the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standard, explains Steve Bowman from Omnico.

They do also do further internal testing to ensure that they keep up with the international standard.

On the other hand, De Wet Sports’ helmets follow the European standard EN1078, says Kevin De Wet.

They currently supply two masks that provide maximum protection with maximum visibility.

They have seen an increase in year to year sales of masks, which might be indicative of an increased awareness among players on safety aspects of the game,” says Charles Painter from Kevro, distributor of Blackheath Hockey.

An increase in safety awareness from school to professional level, has grown the demand for hockey masks, adds Imtiaz Karodia from Solly M Sports.

The advancement in stick technology and increased speed of the game means that players should be wearing masks, advises McCleland. “A faster, harder, game calls for better protection.”

She finds that face masks are predominantly used at top schools due to the cost involved as players have to purchase the masks themselves because most schools don’t supply them.

Stormforce also provide a full face mask, which can be used in place of a regular short corner face mask. “We suggest that players use this mask rather than a regular short corner mask as it offers added protection for the sides of the face,” explains McCleland.

Their Xpro hockey protective range, which includes shinguards, hockey gloves and facemasks, use their new Xpro padding (above) instead of standard foam.

Face protection in hockey Field hockey manufacturers have for years been developing new technologies for shinpads and protective gear for goalies. Yet, 25% of all injuries sustained during field hockey are to the face and head, reveals data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) — an organisation that safeguards the well-being of American student-athletes.

This prompted the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College in the US to create a prototype mask that offers protection against impact injuries. This face mask is also gaining acceptance in South Africa.

It is compulsory for the goalkeeper to wear a helmet and it is now general practice for defenders to put on a mask at a short corner, explains Shane Schonegevel from OBO SA, distributors of Gryphon.

It is becoming more and more of a requirement, rather than the player’s choice, agrees Dean Gee from SNT Sports. But, he finds that the mask is still not used at masters level.

“The masks are very common at short corners from junior level all the way through to international level,” says Basil Gasparis of TK Sports.

“It makes a massive difference in protecting players and good quality masks have saved many players from serious injury at all levels of play.”

Baseball and softball helmets Baseball and softball protective equipment have to pass standards set by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) — a non-profit corporation formed in 1969 to develop a performance test standard for football helmets.

All NOCSAE certified helmets must have a permanent logo and warning that states: Do not use this helmet if the shell is cracked or deformed; or if the interior padding is deteriorated.

Severe head or neck injury, including paralysis or death may occur despite using this helmet.

No helmet can prevent all head injuries or any neck injuries a player might receive while participating in baseball or softball.

And despite the dire warning, baseball and softball is played by millions of Americans — and in growing numbers across the world.

Outdoor :: p57

Tough times for

global outdoor industry The outdoor industry should utilise its resources to overcome the current economic challenges, advises EOG president Rolf Schmid.

WorldWide, 2014 was a challenging year for the outdoor industry — even for the European market, which was affected by the weather, competition from sports and fashion brands and retailers, as well as a discount mentality.

As problematic as these challenges can be, there is very little you can do to influence them, so companies should focus on what they are able to make a difference to, Rolf Schmid, European Outdoor Group (EOG) president (above) said in the run-up to ISPO Munich, where the EOG held a presentation on the state of the European outdoor market, as well as how to use data as part of a CSR strategy and to benchmark your company’s position in the market.

“Accept that our industry has changed and that this process will continue. The old days, while great, have gone and we face a new reality and harsh challenges at all levels of doing business,” said Schmid.

It’s important to work with the consumer.

Technology and consumer choice are the ultimate determining factors for which routes the market will take, “and the purchasing power of the consumer will define us,” says Schmid.

“We should use our energy to satisfy our consumers and, where appropriate, we should cooperate and work on this together.”

Companies should utilise the resources already available to them.

The European outdoor market is a €10-bn industry, says Schmid. European companies have access to data and market research, which can be useful to assess their own business, but they should also remember not to neglect their stakeholder engagement and supply chain control.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, industry members should rather increase their enthusiasm. “Our industry has a unique passion for sports and activity. Let's use it and find ways of driving even more interest and participation.”

The latest results from international outdoor brands, however, show that they are starting to bounce back from the economic woes of the last few seasons.

Record sales for Columbia Columbia Sportswear had a record breaking fourth quarter of the 2014 financial year. They grew net sales 27% percent to a record $677m. Sales from aerobic brand Prana and their new joint venture in China pushed the growth

percentage beyond the 15% organic sales growth.

Their fourth quarter 2014 net income grew 51% to $55.6-m.

But, in the EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa) region net sales were flat, and dropped 2% on the negative effect from changes in foreign currency rates.

While the clothing and footwear brands showed good growth, outdoor equipment brand Mountain Hardwear struggled – sales dropped 7% to $34.6-m. The Columbia brand’s net sales, however, grew 23% to $527.9-m, Sorel sales grew 40% to $92.1-m and recentlyacquired Prana’s sales contributed $20-m.

Footwear sales grew 43% to $166.9-m and apparel, accessories and equipment grew 23% to $510.1-m.

“2014 was an outstanding year for Columbia Sportswear Company, reflecting strong momentum in North America in the Columbia, Sorel and Prana brands,” said Tim Boyle, Columbia’s president and chief executive officer.

“In addition, despite mild winter weather, we produced 10 percent growth in the Columbia brand in our Europe-direct markets, led by strong sales of trail footwear and outerwear.”

For the full 2014 financial year Columbia Sportswear net sales grew 25% to $2.1-bn. The operating income grew 51% to $198.8-m. Organic growth was about 12% — but the $161.4m sales from the joint venture in China and about $53.7-m contributed by Prana, contributed to the higher growth.

For the full year sales in the EMEA region grew 8%, which included a 1% benefit from foreign currency exchange rates.

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Jarden in the black Jarden Outdoor Solutions, which owns outdoor brands like Coleman and Campingaz, fishing brands like Abu Garcia, Berkley, Hardy and Greys, Marmot and athletic brands like Rawlings, has moved out of the red in the fourth quarter.

In the quarter ended 31 December, the outdoor and athletic segment of the Jarden Corporation reported operating earnings of $11.6m, compared to an operating loss of $1.9-m in the same period a year earlier. Sales grew 0.5% to $621.1-m during the quarter.

For the full financial year, Jarden Outdoor Solutions sales also grew 0.5% to $2.74-bn.

Their operating earnings was, however, 1.4% down on the previous year to $193.4-m.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

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p58 :: Outdoor

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Selli n

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David Evans was nominated as a top g tips f salesman by Simon Larsen, from Ram Mountaineering in Cape Town.

“Drifter’s is one of the premier tech12 nical outdoor retailers in South Africa, if not the best. They have been around for a long time and have an amazing range of top quality outdoor gear,” he says. What makes Evans so successful at selling gear is the fact that he has access to the best brands and products within the outdoor industry and he continuously engages with his customers to get feedback about what works and what doesn’t, which allows him to offer customers the best advice and equipment for any adventure. “Dave draws on his extensive personal outdoor experience which includes alpinism, rock climbing, mountain biking and travel to the remote corners of the globe,” explains Larsen. Evans’ expert advice, great service and quality products are testament to the business’ success and the reason so many outdoor enthusiasts choose Drifters Adventure Centre in Johannesburg as their number one outdoor retailer.

les m

Selling more... outdoor sleeping systems

S

elling is not a difficult art, says David Evans from Drifters Adventure Centre in Johannesburg. Communication and understanding his clients’ needs are the key elements that make him a successful salesperson.

Having the necessary product knowledge, is key for him and is the most important characteristic for any salesperson, he says. Friendliness, openness and smiling at customers are also a salesman’s ticket to a successful sale, he adds.

More about David Evans DaviD Evans has been working at Drifters adventure Centre in sandton, Johannesburg, for 10 years. The store, which has been running for 32 years, is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts as it offers a wide variety of products and expert knowledge.

Evans, with his background in restaurants and events such as banqueting,

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Being an outdoor enthusiast himself, Evans finds that having first-hand experience with different products have contributed to his product knowledge and success as a salesman.

Although it is not always possible to test every product, having an understanding of the product is vital, he says.

Retailers can build up their own product knowledge by reading about the equipment they sell, or using it themselves like he does, says Evans. Training by suppliers is also a useful tool that one can make use of, he recom-

mends.

Most clients are unsure of what they are looking for and he therefore interacts with his customers. They would particularly need help if the product is a specialised piece, he points out.

A product also needs very special packaging in order for it to sell itself, says Evans.

If products are well displayed, he finds it is far easier to explain and direct people to the correct product. It also gives customers the opportunity to see the products.

is used to dealing with customers and looking after their needs. He, however, “needed a change after my business [restaurant] closed,” he explains. although he was new to the sport and outdoor industry when he started at Drifters adventure Centre, Evans’ passion for climbing, hiking and camping has aided him in his position as a salesman of outdoor products.

Outdoor :: p59

Tips for selling sleeping accessories

T

here are plenty of situations in which your customer will be sleeping in the outdoors, says David Evans from Drifters Adventure Centre. This will vary from the relative comfort of a caravan, to a family tented holiday to a rugged hiking trip where you have to carry what you use.

He points out that there are a variety of sleeping accessories that can be used in these scenarios.

When customers approach you about purchasing outdoor sleeping accessories, it is best to ask them what their primary reason for purchasing the product is, advises Evans.

Thereafter you will be in a better position to supply what the customer needs.

Sleeping pads Sleeping pads, which are available in different forms — for example, inflatable and foam — are very useful sleeping accessories, whether you sleep on a cot or the floor.

• When selling pads, the salesman can let customers get a feel of what they want by laying out the pads (if you have the space in your store) and letting them feel what is most comfortable for them in terms of cushioning, size and weight.

• Inflatable pads are intended to increase comfort, which could be a selling point when introducing customers to the product. Advise customers, however, that although the thickest pad may look the most comfortable, they should still keep their planned activity in mind. A one or two inch pad, for example, is more suitable for backpacking as it is lightweight and packs easier into a backpack than a thicker pad, which would be heavier, bulkier and more suited to car camping.

• Inflatable pads are more suited to warm conditions, but if your customer is looking for one they can use in varying conditions, you can recommend an insulated model.

• Pad thickness is related to the amount of insulation they provide — inflatable pads are usually very thin and therefore will not insulate the user from very cold conditions.

• Foam pads, with their dense foam made up of closed air cells, are ideal for use in cold conditions. The foam forms a barrier between the user and the ground, offering good insulation.

• Unlike inflatable pads that may rip or puncture on rough ground surfaces, foam pads will not, and they are more affordable.

Sleeping bag liners “Always recommend a liner, particularly for down sleeping bags,” says Evans.

• Washing a sleeping bag, especially down bags, is not a good idea as it may reduce insulation. It would be better to just wash the lining.

• If your customer is going to sleep in very cold conditions, like at Kilimanjaro, a thermal liner that provides extra warmth would work better than a non-technical one.

• A sleeping bag liner can add another dimension to a sleeping bag, by helping to improve its versatility and making it more adaptable to varying temperature conditions. For example, it can add extra insulation when in cold conditions and if the temperature increases and the customer gets too hot, it can be used without a sleeping bag.

• Not all liners, however, can be used on their own. Mummy shaped liners are designed to be used as an inner for a sleeping bag, whereas rectangular liners can be used both on their own as well as inside a rectangular sleeping bag.

• Advise customers that using a liner can increase the lifespan of a sleeping bag as it absorbs dirt particles and body oils, which would otherwise accumulate in the sleeping bag.

• Another benefit of a liner is that if customers are travelling and staying in places such as hostels, a liner can serve as a barrier between them and a dirty mattress.

Not all liners are the same, however. The material of the liner makes a difference to its properties and first determining its purpose may help you to identify the best suited product.

• Silk is lightweight, compact and improves thermal insulation, but comes at a price.

• Cotton liners are less than ideal in a technical bag, as it doesn’t dry like technical or silk fabrics. Cotton absorbs moisture and doesn’t wick, says Evans. “Manufacturers now create polycotton blends in order to improve wicking properties and still take advantage of the cost-effectiveness of cotton.”

• Fleece and micro-fleece fabrics offer the user warmth.

• Synthetics can be breathable, which would make them ideal for venturing into humid conditions.

Sleeping cots Some sleeping cots (also referred to as or stretchers) are better for long-term camping purposes as they may have parts that need assembling and take time to set up.

• There are, however, others, which are easy to unfold or collapse, which allows one to set up or clean up quickly. This type of sleeping cot’s ease of use is the most important feature to discuss, says Evans. In this fast-paced day and age, people are looking for products that make their journeys easier

and quicker.

• Many South Africans are big people and you would need to make sure that the sleeping cot will be able to carry the camper’s weight. Rather err on the safe side, as a bed may not be able to carry the maximum weight indicated over an extended period.

• Sleeping cots are usually popular with people who prefer more luxury when camping. The height of the cot makes it easier to get into bed — or get up — especially for less fit campers. They are also handy to use for extra storage space in a tent.

• A sleeping cot will keep the camper dry and comfortable if the ground gets soaked.

It is also useful if your customer is going to venture onto rocky terrain, as the cot is designed to keeps the user off the ground.

• When needed, a sleeping cot can also be used with a sleeping pad, for example, to increase cushioning and improve its insulation capabilities.

• But, when space is limited — or gear has to be carried — a sleeping cot will not be a good option.

Inflatable mattress If the customer is in need of something that takes up a bit less storage space, he may want to opt for an inflatable mattress, which requires less packing space.

• Inflatable mattresses are ideal for use when camping in a campground space, on a boat or even for doubling as a bed for home use. The product is very versatile and the salesperson could highlight its investment benefits.

• Inflatable mattresses normally also require a pump, which is an extra sales opportunity. Remind the customer to store the pump with their mattress to potentially avoid losing it and having to inflate the mattress manually, which is quite a process.

• Inflatable mattresses, however, do not insulate well against low temperatures.

• An inflatable mattress is also less ideal if the customer will often be moving camp locations, says Evans. Inflatable mattresses can be bulky and heavy, making them a schlep to carry around.

Hiking mattresses When backpacking or travelling light, a mattress that can fold up small would be the better option as it is light and does not take up much space.

For hiking and lightweight camping he would suggest customers purchase a selfinflating mat. These mats are lightweight and easy to pack away without occupying too much space.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p60 :: Outdoor

Fishing industry goes to court

When anglers and divers are prevented by legislation from participating in these activities, the fishing and diving gear retailers and suppliers lose valuable sources of income. Is legal action the way to go to protect the interests of these customers, and ultimately the tackle trade itself?

F

ew people active in the fishing tackle retail industry will disagree that the past couple of years have been difficult. The economy has finally caught up with this product category, which had been buffered against the buying slowdown experienced by the rest of the industry, because when times get tough, the tough go fishing.

At the past few SAFTAD shows many distributors and retailers told us that anglers were buying smaller, low cost items that require regular replacement like hooks, lures, sinkers and other accessories, but that they were keeping their rods and reels and other more expensive items much longer before replacing them.

But, according to the import statistics supplied by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), even the value of hook imports have been down over the past two years. In 2014, the value of fishing tackle imports was 6% lower than in 2013 … and in 2013 the value of imports grew only 1% over 2012.

Last year, the import value of most tackle categories were down from the previous year, with rods (19% down) and reels (11% down) having the biggest drop. Yet, fish hooks were 9% down on 2013 imports. Only the import value of accessories grew 5%.

The last couple of years the number of units of tackle imported have also gone down — by as much as 33% in 2014 compared to 2013. In 2013 the tackle units imported dropped 16% from the previous year.

The number of reels imported in 2014 was the only category that grew in 2013 (by 17%).

But, the number of other tackle units imported was down considerably, namely nets 33% down, rods 14% down, hooks 32% down and accessories 36% down.

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

This has affected big and small industry players — although the sale of Okuma Africa (formerly Akals) to Sensational Angling was not due to any losses made by the distributorship. In fact, they had been making good profits, says Lionel Crow. The Okuma Africa owner, the Midas Group, wanted to concentrate on their core business and decided to allocate the tackle floor space to motor parts, and therefore sold the unit, which comprised 1% of their business.

The decision to sell the tackle business, which included top brands like Okuma, Elbe, Loomis & Franklin and many others, was taken in December and at the time of going to press the company was in the final stages of being wound up.

Sensational supplies the local tackle trade with 30-odd international as well as their own local brands, across all fishing-related categories.

Protecting customers’ rights But, while the Okuma sale is not due to loss of sales, many others in the industry are feeling the pinch.

Therefore, when legislation limits the ability of fishermen to enjoy their sport in a certain region, it can have devastating effects on tackle retailers in that area. Simply put: you are certainly not going to sell any gear if people are not going to be able to use it.

The successful court challenge of the total ban on the catching of copper (red) Steenbras in the Amathole/Transkei region in November last year therefore provided welcome relief for many tackle traders.

The Border Deep-Sea Angling Association (BDSAA) challenged the national ban the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) had placed on the catching of red Steenbras by commercial and recreational fishermen in 2012. This

was in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998, which provides for the conservation of the marine eco-system and the long-term use of marine living resources.

After DAFF indicated that they planned a total ban on the catching of red Steenbras in 2011, BDSAA member Gary Thompson applied in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) for the department to provide data why it would be necessary to ban the catching of the popular sportfish in the Transkei area, where there was no shortage of red Steenbras.

DAFF refused to supply data and told him that they had already decided to publish draft regulations about the ban. Several attempts by Thompson, later joined by BDSAA, to gain access to the information the minister used to justify the total ban, were unsuccessful.

In a letter to Thompson DAFF acknowledged: “In reaching the decision, the Minister was mindful of the negative economic consequences such as job losses; reduced income for fish tackle shops and tourism that are to result as a consequence of banning the catching of Red Steenbras.”

They again stated that because traditional linefish stocks show signs of severe depletion, in particular, red Steenbras, catches of Red Steenbras and landings currently are not viable to sustain any fishery in the long term. Thus the drastic urgent measures were put in place to protect and recover their stocks in order to promote sustainability to support food security for future generations, DAFF wrote.

BDSAA, its environmental officer John Rance, and Thompson, subsequently went to court.

They argued that a distinction should be made between recreational fishermen who fish as a pass time, and commercial fishermen, who sell

Outdoor :: p61

Growth tackle import R value

Source: Trade Statistics from DTI

15% 10% 5% 0%

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

-5% -10% Over the past two years the import value of fishing tackle into South Africa has dropped considerably: the value of 2014 imports were 6% lower than 2013, which was only 1% more than in 2012. In 2012 and 2011 import values grew 11% and 14%.

kilograms of fish. They argued that over-fishing by legally licensed commercial fishermen are responsible for the decimation of fish stocks — but that no fish species is in danger of becoming extinct due to recreational angling.

They also argued that the minister didn’t take the economic impact of the ban into account when he instituted the ban. They quoted from the 2008 report commissioned by SAFTAD, The economic impact study of Sport & Recreational Angling in the Republic of South Africa compiled by Professor Marius Leibold and Dr Colin J van Zyl. This study showed that recreational fishing contributes R20-bn to the economy and that “Sport and Recreational Angling as a whole is estimated to be bigger in economic impact than rugby and cricket in SA combined (including economic inflows from international competition).”

Base ban on science BDSAA therefore argued that in view of the major economic impact, the ban on the fishing of red Steenbras need to be based on sound scientific data and research … but, that DAFF had no current scientific research to back their ban.

Judge S Potterill agreed. “To reach a decision that a total ban is necessary there must be research indicating that despite the imposed bag limit and closed season the Red Steenbras numbers are still declining. There is simply no such information,” he said in his judgement.

DAFF, on the other hand, stated that because there are more recreational anglers than commercial boats, it was argued that recreational fishermen thus deplete stock more than commercial fishermen, said the judge. “This basis for equating commercial and recreational fishermen is rejected as being so clearly untenable that the respondents’ version can be rejected,” said the judge, who also pointed out that there was no substantial data to substantiate DAFF’s assertion.

“The respondents (DAFF) denied the fact that it is known worldwide that overfishing by legally licensed commercial fishing and the effort of illegal fishing is the primary cause of the decimation of fish stocks. Yet, it was admitted that recreational fishermen must be juxtaposed against commercial fishing in which fishermen with commercial licenses catch several thousands of tons of fish every day,” said the judge.

Recreational Fishing Services will follow the example of the Border Deep Sea Angling Association to gain access to information and challenge legislation limiting recreational catches.

BDSAA and the two other applicants also argued that “recreational anglers conserve the fish species by providing valuable data on their numbers and distribution and also by tagging them, releasing them, and reporting back to institutions on what they have caught. For this reason recreational anglers in countries like Australia and the US participate widely in influencing and creating fishing policy. Over-fished stocks have shown remarkable recoveries in these countries largely because of the participation of recreational anglers.”

DAFF denied the fact that it is known worldwide that overfishing by legally licensed commercial fishing, and the effort of illegal fishing, is the primary cause of the decimation of fish stocks. Instead, the effect of recreational fishing is juxtaposed against commercial fishing Instead of accepting the offer by the recreational fishing sector to work with DAFF, “it would seem that the recreational fishermen are just brushed aside, despite the important role they can play in conservation as a watch dog of the department,” commented judge Potterill.

He set the ban aside, and awarded costs to the BDSAA applicants.

Lobster industry to follow In the Western Cape, the Recreational Fishing Services (RFS) has been fighting a similar fight as BDSAA — although in this case, DAFF has not placed a total ban on the catching of West Coast rock lobster. RFS, however, argue that the very limited season all but decimated the lobster industry and all who rely on it, including suppliers and retailers selling snorkelling equipment.

The Easter weekend is the only time remaining of the current 21 days allowed for the West Coast lobster season. During the 17 open days in November and December, bad weather resulted in an estimated 72% of lobster permit holders

not harvesting anything, and a further 11% recording only four lobsters caught. “Many people opted not to purchase a permit,” says RFS chairman Carey Steele-Boe. They have also unsuccessfully tried to obtain access to a study by Ryan Bax, commissioned by Dr. Johann Augustine, about the socio-economic impact of the West Coast lobster season on surrounding communities.

At a joint meeting of RFS, commercial representatives from the diving and fishing industries and Deep Sea Angling representatives, it was decided that litigation was the only way forward “to insure that we still have a lobster season in the future”, says Steele-Boe. They will be modelling their proceedings on the methods used by BDSAA in their court application, and will be advised by Thompson of BDSAA. An association will be formed of all Western Cape stakeholders in the recreational lobster sector, including those who use the resource and those who indirectly benefit from it through industry or retail.

“The idea is to collect documentation for information through court orders,” says SteeleBoe. “This will then be analysed and a decision will be made on how to challenge the findings in court.”

They will also be doing their own research on lobster resources by gathering factual information about, for example, the total number of recreational permits issued since 2005. They will also be monitoring all the slipways through the Easter weekend and take a photo of each catch sheet to present the number of lobster catches during that period to the WCRL Scientific Workgroup.

RFS have also asked the Department of Fisheries to remove Dennis Fredericks from his post as Chief Director of Marine Resource Management, because they claim he is responsible for the decimation of an entire sector of fishing, namely the recreational West Coast Rock Lobster sector. They blame Fredericks for reducing the TAC (total allowable catch) for recreational fishermen by 50% in 2012/13 — from 183 tons to 81 tons. “Two seasons later the recreational sector only has 69.3 tons, which equates to 21 days fishing,” says Steele-Boe. “This is currently having an extremely negative effect on coastal economies. All this was done without any conclusive research,” he says.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

p62 :: Outdoor

Different activities require different hydration solutions. When do you recommend a hydration bladder, a bottle or a belt? YAMKELA MKEBE asked some experts

Bladders, bottles or belts?

C

onsumer awareness about the dangers of dehydration, the increased demand for energy drinks and the growing number of people participating in cycling, especially mountain biking, and running events, have made hydration products an important retail category.

This category has been growing as “more people learn more about the importance of hydration and the benefit to one’s skin by staying hydrated,” says Graham Hall of Cape Cycle Systems, local distributors of Camelbak.

In addition, water bottles have become effective corporate and brand marketing tools.

Before a consumer can make a buying decision about what type of hydration product he needs, there are a few of things to consider, like the type of activity and the duration of the activity he will participate in, weather conditions, water support on the race’s route, etc.

Solution per activity Suppliers agree that bottles are currently much better sellers than bladders. The percentage of bottles sold compared to bladders would, however, vary from supplier to supplier and the products they supply.

For example, 80% of the products sold by Nathan are water bottles. This is credited to the fact that “it is simply a far more commercial price point item in relation to the hydration packs,” says Paul Copson from local distributor Brand ID. Cape System Systems, distributor of well-known hydration brand Camelbak sells about 60% water bottles and 40% hydration packs.

The use of a bottle or bladder will depend on an individual’s preference and the activity he engages in.

Both bottles and hydration packs are suitable for casual running, according to Hall. “They both work, depending on the style of the pack and re-

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

quirement of the runner.”

In competitive mountain biking, for example, about 80% of the cyclists would use hydration packs, but 40% of road riders would use packs and 60% use water bottles, he says.

Water bottles are best for casual runs, casual cycling, competitive cycling, whereas hydration packs are more suitable for hiking and canoeing or kayaking, agrees Nick Barr from Omnico “It depends on the length and support offered during the race, but usually water bottles will suffice.”

It’s not just one factor or feature that influences the sale, but a combination Athletes can also easily add energy powders to a water bottle, when required.

“The length of the event would determine whether an athlete’s own prepared hydration is necessary,” says Katharine Tromp from New Balance. “It is also very much a personal preference if on shorter events and activities you would like to carry your own hydration, or rely on what is provided. There are many guidelines one should follow, and particularly when hiking, hydration should always be carried, as well as an emergency kit.”

Factors like heat, distance, altitude, intensity, level and gender must be taken into account when choosing a hydration option, says Copson.

“We go through a methodical process to access where he will run, how far, how long, and what his preference is before recommending to carry or wear?” he says.

Hydration packs are suitable for longer activities like multi-stage mountain bike races, longer trail runs, hiking and canoeing or kayaking, believes Kevin de Wet from De Wet Sports, distribu-

tor of Medalist. In road running races water tables on the route provide sufficient hydration. “A water bottle is best for road cycling and shorter mountain bike rides,” he says, adding that water bottles worn on a waist pack are ideal for a casual road run.

Suppliers believe that a waist belt is ideal for longer races and road races with no water tables on the route. A waist pack with small water bottles is best for hiking and watersports like canoeing or kayaking, Hall advises.

It comes down to an individual’s preference, adds Tromp. “It’s a personal preference factor that will always come into play when a decision is made to carry a hydration pack or belt. These are recommended when you are participating in longer, unassisted events,” she says.

“What I have found, however, is that for shorter distances — anything under 15km — waist belts are more effective and suitable,” says Copson.

“However, on any longer runs one needs to seriously consider carrying more liquids and this is where 1.5L and 2L bladders come in to action.

They require fewer refills — saving time and potential dehydration.”

A waist belt is also suitable for people who prefer lumbar support, instead of high back shoulder strap support pack, says Hall.

Sale influencers Water bottle sales are influenced by various factors. “It’s not just one factor or feature that influences the sale, but a combination, which comprises of price, cosmetics, the quality of materials used (e.g. BPA free), the shape of the bottle and the type of nozzle,” says James Mullen, Head of Performance at PUMA SA. Other suppliers highlighted the bottle’s insulation properties, bite valve and accessories as factors that could influence a sale.

“The main influencers are price and quality,”

Outdoor :: p63 says Barr. “These days, people are also looking for bottles that are easy to add powdered drink scoops to, so a bigger “opening” is also better.

A few people are fussy about the nozzle, but not many,” He doesn’t think that anti-microbial properties and the bottle’s shape plays much of a role in selling the product.

Where price is concerned, the sale of bottles depend on the level of the athlete and what performance they want out of their equipment, says Copson. The look, feel, insulation properties, the fact that they are easy to clean, the shape of the bottle, the accessories provided and the type of nozzle, are all qualities that sell bottles, he believes. The quality of materials used would, for example, be Bisphenol A (BPA) free.

Quality materials “Being BPA free has become an important feature of water bottles, in recent years with consumers becoming more aware of the dangers of reusing bottles not made for that purpose,” says Keri Sabatta from New Balance.

BPA is a synthetic compound that has been used for the manufacturing of some plastics since the 1950’s, but concerns about the hormone-like properties have since 2008 led to several investigations into its safety and a ban on baby bottles containing BPA in Canada and the European Union.

Although there is no scientific proof yet that BPA can be dangerous, many consumers are concerned about its use in plastic containers that come into contact with food or drink.

Bottles should also be easy to clean with a nozzle that is easy to use, adds Sabatta.

An easy flow nozzle and shut off valves are essential if you want your bottles to sell, says Hall.

“Insulation properties is a sales factor about 60% of the time and anti-microbial properties (preventing the growth of fungus) are more important to ladies,” he found. The cosmetics of a bottle definitely play a role.

While water bottle sales are driven by price, hydration pack sales are driven by both price and function ratio, adds de Wet. Brand, with price being a very close second, are the main features that consumers want when selecting a hydration pack, says Hall. “The size of the bladder is the third requirement. A leak-proof bite valve is also very definitely a requirement.”

Second time purchasers also see the benefit of anti-microbial properties in a bladder

The ‘anti-bottle’ A NEW addition to the market is the Vapur Anti-bottle — a flexible, folding, water bottle, from the USA and is locally distributed by JCM Brands. The product, which looks a bit like a plastic bag with a bottle top, is light, freezable, BPA free and can be folded flat when empty or attached to any gear when filled. It is designed to appeal to target performance of athletes, outdoor adventurers, fitness enthusiasts and children. A SuperCapTough seal that is easy to open serves as the “bottle opening” and the double 3-ply construction of the body is taste-free. The Vapur Anti-bottle is dishwasher friendly and BPA free.

The Vapur comes in different models including, like Element for outdoor enthusiasts, the smaller Shades, Eclipse for those with “a thirst for the wild” and Microfilter, with a filter that is able to purify hundreds of litres of water from lakes, stream, rivers and tap water over its lifespan.

Consumers are more interested in a brand they are aware of, which they might have used before, or might have been recommended by someone they know, say the suppliers.

Copson supports the view that a consumer’s buying decision is based on brand loyalty. If a consumer is aware of a certain brand from firsthand experience, good recommendations by peers etc. he is most likely to base his buying decision on that. But, “price is a factor, especially for the entry to intermediate athletes,” he adds.

Brand, with price being a very close second, are the main features that consumers want when selecting a hydration pack The intended use of the pack, a consumer’s knowledge and understanding of the event or activity the pack would be used in, are some factors retailers need to take into account when recommending a hydration pack, says Tromp.

While consumers like a gender-specific pack, they do not necessarily ask for it and this feature needs to be highlighted more often, says Hall.

Suppliers do not believe that there is currently a big market for women-specific hydration packs.

“There is most certainly a market, but I would be hesitant to say that it is big at this time, there is still a great deal of education around these essential products to be done,” says Copson.

More education is required for retail sales staff

on women specific hydration packs, agrees Hall.

Best sellers

A high quality water bottle with advanced features, the Podium Chill 610mm, is Camelbak’s most popular bottle due to its insulation properties, colourways, convenient size, replacement bite valve, and the fact that it is easy to clean, spare parts are available and it carries a lifetime warranty. The Rogue is Camelback’s most popular hydration pack.

Nathan’s Fire & Ice 600ml water bottle is their best seller. “It is double walled and keeps fluids cooler 20% longer than other insulated bottles and the 3M reflective fabrics for visibility whilst running in low light conditions is 360° visible,” explains Copson. The 2litre Elevation specialist race vest for trail, road and mountain biking is the most popular hydration pack in the range.

The double wall insulation and reflectivity for safety during low light conditions are specific selling elements for the Nathan water bottles. In their hydration packs the main selling points are “the three-way Propulsion Harness that stabilises the side to side and up and down movement of the bladder, coupled with the our lightness, durability and quality of the bladder,” says Copson.

New Balance’s 700ml Tritan water bottle is the most popular in their range, due to its size and the fun, bright colours.

De Wet Sports’ Medalist Bopost, a 2 litre, lightweight hydration pack, is the most popular in their range.

Puma’s most popular bottle is their “great value for money and durable” 750ml higher quality bottle with advanced features, says Mullen.

The Pros and cons of bottles and bladders Water bottle pros

• Bottles cost much less than bladders.

• A water bottle allows a user to see how much water is left at a glance, without disturbing his momentum during a race.

• They are easier to fill up with water and energy drinks than bladders and are less likely to leak.

• Water bottles can comfortably be stowed out of the way on a cycle, while a hydration pack can disturb the aerodynamics of the rider.

• An athlete is able to have two or more types of drinks when using two or more water bottle, whereas he will just carry one bladder.

• Bottles are easier to clean than bladders.

• Bottles can be branded to promote a brand, company or event.

Water bottle cons • If you don’t have pockets on your gear or clothing, it could be cumbersome to carry a bottle.

• Bottles do not reduce in size when they are emptying of fluids like hydration packs.

• A water bottle contains about half the amount of liquid that the popular 2l bladder will carry.

Bladder pros • A bladder can carry more water than a bottle, which can be beneficial in longer activities where fresh water is not readily available.

• A bladder is easy to access while on the move and your hands are free to carry other equipment, like binoculars or cameras, while you

are hydrating.

• A bladder is manufactured to fit inside a backpack in a small space.

• It also reduces in size when it’s emptying.

Bladder cons • For an athlete who relies on speed a hydration pack can become hot and un-aerodynamic.

• It is not easy for an athlete to check how much water or energy drink is left without stopping and removing the bladder.

• A bladder can get hot during lengthy activity, while a bottle can be insulated to keep the contents cool.

• It is more difficult to get the bladder complete ly dry and because of this it can grow mould.

• An older bladder valve is more likely to leak.

2015 March :: Sports Trader

International results

p64 :: Industry

Adidas’ record breaking sales THE ADIDAS GROUP had a great 2014 in Germany, Australia and Switzerland, with sales totalling €1-bn. For the third consecutive time adidas ranked top of “The Germans’ Favourite Brands” survey, conducted by an agency for brand consultancy Brandmeyer.

This 15% sales growth is attributed to the sales of 3-m German national team replica jerseys during the 2014 FIFA World Cup — double the number of sales made in 2006 during the World Cup in Germany. Total sales of soccer products increased more than 30% in 2014 for adidas in Germany.

The company also grew sales in its running, training and lifestyle products in Germany, while Reebok sales increased by 9% in its home market. Sales in the own-retail segment grew at a double-digit rate, with noticeable growth in the e-commerce business.

Amer Sports grow sales 7% AMER SPORTS, owner of brands like Wilson, Suunto and Salomon, reported net sales totalling €705.3-m in the fourth quarter ended on December 31, 2014. This is up 7% from the previous year. Net sales grew 6% in local currencies, despite a 9% drop in winter sports equipment sales.

The Finnish company attributed the decline in winter sport sales to the late arrival of cold weather in many of its markets.

The company has plans to grow net sales in local currencies in 2015 despite challenging market conditions. It will continue focusing on apparel and footwear growth, consumer-driven product and marketing innovation, commercial expansion and operational excellence.

Spain and France. Asics also had double-digit growth in its indoor footwear category.

The brand had strong results across all its European sales subsidiaries and sales in its own retail outlets increased by 37%.

Puma sales increase PUMA REPORTED 3.3% sales growth to approximately €3-bn in the 2014 financial year, compared to 2013.

Sales in the EMEA region increased by 1.3% (currency adjusted) to €1.2-bn as a result of good growth in the UK, sales in Italy and France, on the other hand, were slow.

Sales in the apparel category increased 7.6% to €1.1-bn and accessories increased 9.3% to €586-m. The brand’s footwear sales, on the other hand, dropped 2.4% to €1.3, due to weak sales in the first half of the year.

The brand’s retail sales increased 3.9% to €618-m, which made up 20.8% of its total sales.

Puma’s consolidated net earnings was €64.1m, compared to €5.3-m the previous year.

In the fourth quarter, Puma’s consolidated sales grew 6.3% (currency adjusted) to €751m. Sales in the EMEA region improved 0.6% to €225-m, 15% to €319-m in the Americas and 0.7% to €207-m in the Asia/Pacific region.

In currency adjusted terms, the brand’s footwear category increased 4.3% to €311-m, 3.6% to €293-m for apparel and 17.1% to €147-m for accessories, compared to the same period in 2013.

Puma predicts a late sales increase in 2015 as the company experiences a slow turnaround. The German company is expecting a currency adjusted income to increase this year in a “medium single-digit range”. Puma also expects profit margins to grow slightly.

Gross profit for 2014 was $1.072-bn and earnings from operations for the year were $209.1m compared to $93.6-m in 2013.

The company’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer, David Weinberg applauded the company for the performance.

“Skechers fourth quarter revenues of over $569-m set a new record for the period, and followed a record third quarter 2014, which was the highest quarterly sales in the company’s history. This momentum led to record annual incomes of $2.378-bn for 2014, an approximately 29% increase compared to 2013 sales of $1.846-bn,” he said.

The growth is credited to the double digit improvements in the company’s domestic and international wholesale and Skechers owned retail businesses as they all benefited from the company’s men’s, women’s and children’s products.

Under Armour grows 31% UNDER ARMOUR reported 31% revenue growth to $895-m in the fourth quarter for the period ended December 31, 2014. Their sales increased 30% in apparel, 55% in footwear and 22% in accessories. Their fourth quarter net income grew 37% to 88-m.

One of the world’s fastest growing sports brands, Under Armour recently bought fitness apps Endomondo and MyFitnessPal — the latter for $475-m. The deal will allow the brand to provide health and fitness data and insight, and fits in with its worldwide mission to make all athletes better. The move also supplements Under Armour’s existing MapMyFitness and UA RECORD suite of applications.

MyFitnessPal is a free resource for achieving and maintaining health and fitness goals that has over 80-m registered users. Endomondo is an open fitness tracking platform and social fitness network that connects athletes throughout the world.

VF Corp grew 9% Asics’ sales improve ASICS EUROPE has reported a 13% increase in net sales for the EMEA region from JanuaryDecember last year.

This was spurred by growth in sales of apparel and footwear in its running and tennis categories. Its running apparel sales increased 15% and running footwear 14%. The brand is now leading in the French market and is among the top three in Germany.

Asics’ tennis category had double-digit growth in footwear and apparel. The brand dominates the tennis footwear market in

Sports Trader :: 2015 March

Skechers’ sales increase in Q4 SKECHERS USA, Inc. sales grew 26.4% to $569.7m in the fourth quarter of 2014 — the company’s new record for the fourth quarter. Profits from operations during this period were $33.0-m compared to $17.1-m in the same period of 2013.

Net earnings in the fourth quarter of 2014 were $21.9-m, more than the $14.2-m achieved in the same period of 2013. Gross profit for the quarter was $257.6-m. Net sales were $2.378-bn for the fiscal year of 2014, an increase compared to $1.846-bn in 2013.

VF CORP’S fourth quarter income grew 9% to $3.6-bn. This was driven by the growth in the company’s Outdoor and Action Sports coalition and its international and direct-to-consumer businesses. Income increased 11% on currency neutral basis compared to the 2013 fourth quarter. Sales on currency neutral basis increased 14% at The North Face, 20% at Vans and 15% for Timberland.

Income for the Outdoor and Action Sports coalition grew 13% (16% on currency neutral) to $2.2-bn in the fourth quarter. The segment increased incomes 13% (14% on currency neutral) in fiscal year of 2014. Operating income for the same segment grew 21% to $432-m.

Trade show news

Trade shows :: IBC

Asia Outdoor

THE ASIA OUTDOOR show, to be held from 2326 July 2015 in Nanjing, China, will be dedicated to its founder, Knut Jaeger, who recently died unexpectedly at the age of 72. Jaeger was a pioneer of international outdoor shows, who founded the popular Outdoor Show in Friedrichshafen more than 20 years ago, the Asia Outdoor show in 2005 and the Asia Bike show shortly after that. Show organisers Messe Friedrichshafen, led by CEO Klaus Wellmann and Area Manager Stefan Reisinger, will assist the Asia Outdoor team in putting together a successful show.

Bread & Butter THE BREAD & BUTTER management took advantage of the Berlin Fashion Week that was hosted in their home town, and hosted a guerrilla trade show featuring 40 brands at its headquarters in the heart of Berlin Mitte and down the road at The Blue Yard from 19-21 January. During December 2014, the January Bread & Butter was cancelled and management forced to file for insolvency. “Bread & Butter, having been caught up in turbulences lately, is to be restored to profitability with the help of the legal instruments now on hand,” read their press statement.

C-star VISITOR REGISTRATION is open for C-star — an international trade fair for solutions and trends in retail, which will take place 13-15 May 2015 in Shanghai, China. Visitors can preregister to receive their E-Ticket, which will gain them free access to the show. This is the first supra-regional event similar to Euroshop and it has already sold 90% of its available floor space. The show will feature more than 120 exhibitors from 21 countries.

ISPO Beijing A RECORD number of 434 exhibitors with 656 brands were at ISPO Beijing 2015, which was held 28-31 January at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. The 40 000m2 show grounds featured the latest products in cat-

Angling trade shows China Fish THE 25TH China Fish show dates have changed from 28 February-2 March to 2-4 March 2015. The venue remains the New China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. The original dates would have clashed with the Hunting & Fishing Russia show, which takes place 25 February-1 March at the All-Russian Exhibition Center in Moscow, and organisers wished to respect the Chinese New Year (19 February). The 2015 show boasts approximately 470 exhibitors — an 18% increase from 2014 — and companies who have significantly contributed to the fishing industry will be honoured at its annual Best Products Banquet.

EFTTEX IN 2016, EFTTEX will return to the largercapacity RAI Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 9-11 June (Thursday-Saturday).

The venue can accommodate more exhibiegories such as Outdoor, Action Sports, Ski, Sportstyle and Fabrics & Fibers from the biggest number of exhibitors ever. Visitors could also attend the Asia Pacific Snow Conference, the China Sports Fashion Trend Forum, the Industry Forum and ISPO Textrends Forum, which were held during ISPO Beijing.

ISPO Munich CLOSE TO 80 000 visitors from over 100 countries attended ISPO Munich, which was held from 5-8 February in Germany. There were 2 585 exhibitors showing sport-related goods in 104 940 m2 of exhibit space. The show’s Outdoor and Health & Fitness segments experienced strong growth and trend topics like Health & Fitness and Wearable Technologies were popular with exhibitors and visitors. Retailers and manufacturers discussed their options to react to climate change and changing

tors than this year’s show, which will be held from 11-13 June in Warsaw, Poland. This will be the tenth EFTTEX hosted in Amsterdam, which has proven popular among visitors and exhibitors.

ICAST THIS YEAR the ICAST fishing tackle show will feature three new events at its show, which will be held 15-17 July in Orlando, Florida: a product demonstration day — ICAST on the Water —, a golf tournament and a concert that will donate a portion of their proceeds to KeepAmericaFishing. These events will take place 14 July and reinforce ICAST’s aims by showcasing products and helping to build business networks. To give better service to its exhibitors and visitors ICAST has also upgraded its website and mobile site to offer easier navigation and modernised text, which allows more efficient language translation. consumer behaviour in lectures and forums.

ISPO Munich 2016 will be held from January 24–27.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market THE OUTDOOR Retailer Winter Market 2015 — which took place 21-24 January at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, US — received slightly fewer visitors than last year (2015: 22 000; 2014: 22 576) and about the same number of exhibitors (2015: 1 036; 2014: 1 027). About 14% of exhibitors were new to the show.

OutDoor show THE INTERNATIONAL outdoor industry is gearing up for the OutDoor trade show to be held at Lake Constance, Friedrichshafen from 1518 July, 2015. Over 900 exhibitors from more than 40 countries will be attending.

Advertisers index A1 Star adidas Anton Fabi BAS Brand ID Bronx Men BRT Crep Protect Crown Footwear Datadart De Wet Sports Dukes Footwear Trading Gelvenor Textiles

29 33 15 51 49 12, 13 23 21 OFC, 1 7 41, OBC 50 20, 31 6

G-Form Gunn & Moore Hi-Tec Intershu Distributors Jeep JFK Trading Jordan Jordan & Co JRT Crampton Kangol Kevro Kookaburra Levi's LP Support

53 45 5 25 20 29 17 12, 13, 15, 17, 19 47 OFC, 1 23 47 31 39

Medalist Olympic Opal Sports Orbit Sports Pierre Cardin Puma Ram Mountaineering Sedgars Sport Slazenger Star Stormforce Superga Vango W.E.T. Sports

41, OBC 19 45, 50 55 25 35 57 51 49 38 55 21 57 7, 38, 39

2015 March :: Sports Trader