Vega Joins IRONMAN 'Ohana as Title Sponsor of The 2019 IRONMAN World Championship

2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship set for Saturday, October 12 in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i

TAMPA, FL, June 13, 2019 /CNW/ - IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Group company, is excited to announce a new partnership with plant-based nutrition brand, Vega, as the title sponsor of the 2019 IRONMAN^® World Championship, the most iconic one-day endurance event in the world. As the leader in premium plant-based sport nutrition, Vega joins the IRONMAN `Ohana, fueling athlete recovery with a nutrition system that supports physical performance.

The IRONMAN World Championship is the pinnacle of endurance racing with over 95,000 athletes competing to qualify at more than 40 global IRONMAN^® events each year. Athletes who qualify for the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship will be entitled to a special offer on Vega^® products. Additionally, Vega^® products will be available in the IRONMAN Village, on-course and in the athlete recovery zone at the Vega IRONMAN World Championship on Saturday, October 12, 2019 in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.

"We are coming off a historic year in Kona that celebrated 40 years of racing in Hawai`i with our largest international field, record-smashing times and unparalleled live coverage. The level of competition rises every year and our IRONMAN athletes are always looking for the best performance nutrition to help them reach top performance. The collaboration with Vega for the IRONMAN World Championship is a perfect fit, bringing a partner dedicated to high performance nutrition that won't compromise quality," said Matthieu Van Veen, Chief Revenue Officer for The IRONMAN Group. "Formulated by a professional triathlete, the Vega^® product offerings are vast and meet the high standards that top triathletes from around the world expect with everything they do to prepare and compete. We are glad to welcome Vega to our 'Ohana."

Vega has been a groundbreaker in the plant-based health and performance products industry since 2001. Vega co-founder Brendan Brazier knew that dialing in his nutrition was the competitive advantage he needed as a professional triathlete. Through trial, error, and experimentation, Brazier developed new products that helped him recover between training sessions better than any supplement he'd tried. Today, Vega has grown to include specialized sport nutrition, providing fueling options for before, during and after workouts or competition.

"We know that nutrition is the key to unlocking athletic excellence and what better way to demonstrate the power of plant-based sport nutrition than at Kona – the pinnacle of endurance sport," says Samantha Taylor, VP of Marketing, Vega. "While this is a new partnership for us, the synergies between IRONMAN and Vega date back many years when co-founder Brendan Brazier launched Vega at the height of his pro triathlete career. Brendan's vision for creating a product that enables athletes to feel and perform their best continues to be our driving inspiration today, as more than ever, athletes are looking for a competitive edge in their sport through plant-based nutrition.  Recently having achieved NSF Certified for Sport^®, and enhancing our Vega Sport^® formulation to better support athlete recovery needs, we continue to innovate to support athlete needs.  We're honored to be a part of IRONMAN's 'Ohana and we're looking forward to bringing our premium plant-based sport nutrition to those attending this iconic race."

Two core products in the Vega Sport^® line include Premium Protein and Recovery, both of which have no artificial flavors or sweeteners and are NSF Certified for Sport^®, Gluten-Free, Vegan Certified and Non-GMO Project Certified.

• Vega Sport^® Premium Protein is formulated to rebuild muscle after a tough workout and is packed with 30 grams of plant-based protein, BCAAs, 2 billion CFU of probiotics (bacillus coagulans), and tart cherry to support recovery.
• Vega Sport^® Recovery is formulated to replenish glycogen stores so that athletes can stay ready for whatever comes next and includes 16 grams of carbohydrates, electrolytes and B vitamins.

The 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship will enjoy 20 hours of comprehensive live race day coverage globally via IRONMAN NOW™ on Facebook Watch – www.facebookwatch.com/IRONMANnow and through regional television coverage, including NBC Sports in the United States. Last year's IRONMAN World Championship live coverage included everything from the early morning body marking to the final hour finish-line celebration and saw nearly 20 million total views on Facebook Watch.

Event information for the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship can be found at www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/world-championship.aspx. For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. For more details about Vega and their full product offering, visit www.myvega.com.

ABOUT VEGA
Born from the belief that you shouldn't have to choose between nutrition and on-the-go convenience, Vega is a premium brand of plant-based products made with real food ingredients. Whether you need an on-the-go snack, or sports nutrition to fuel you better before, during or after training, there's a Vega® product made for you. Plus, Vega® products are gluten-free, certified vegan and GMO-Project Verified, so you can feel good about what you're eating. Vega empowers you with the knowledge and nutrition to be better on your own terms—one small change at a time. Learn more and find recipes at MyVega.com

About the IRONMAN World Championship
Since its inception in 1978 on the island of Oahu, the IRONMAN World Championship has etched its name in history through stellar performances, inspirational participants and emotional memories. In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Island of Hawai`i where it continues to take place to this day. The race now sees over 2,500 athletes embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN World Champion. The most iconic one-day sporting event in the world is the culmination of 40 global IRONMAN events with athletes around the world striving for one of the coveted qualifying slots. In 2019, the event will be utilizing the theme `Ohana which in Hawaiian culture represents a specially bonded extended family to celebrate the greater IRONMAN community of athletes, volunteers, supporters and partners.

About The IRONMAN Group
As part of Wanda Sports Group, The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series^®, Iron Girl^®, IRONKIDS^®, International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the Velothon^® Series, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic^®, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and The Sun-Herald City2Surf^® presented by Westpac, trail running like Ultra-Trail Australia™, and other multisport races. IRONMAN's events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company's vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN^® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN^® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines at the world's most challenging endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 230 events across 53 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

About Wanda Sports Group
Wanda Sports Group is a leading global sports events, media and marketing platform with a mission to unite people in sports and enable athletes and fans to live their passions and dreams. We have significant intellectual property rights, long-term relationships and broad execution capabilities, enabling us to deliver unrivalled sports event experiences, creating access to engaging content and building inclusive communities. We offer a comprehensive array of events, marketing and media services through three primary segments: Mass Participation, Spectator Sports and Digital, Production, Sports Solutions (DPSS). Our full-service platform creates value for our partners and clients as well as other stakeholders in the sports ecosystem, from rights owners, to brands and advertisers, and to fans and athletes.  

Headquartered in Beijing, China, Wanda Sports Group has more than 60 offices and 1,600 employees around the world.

SOURCE Vega

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