(Philadelphia, PA) June 28, 2013 – Fuji Bikes is proud to announce that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with professional British triathlete Liz Blatchford, who has amassed 22 international victories and more than 30 podiums across the globe throughout her 11 years on the ITU circuit.
Blatchford recently transitioned from short-course racing to long-course. In her first-ever 70.3 event, she won the 2012 edition of Ironman 70.3 Boulder! And she backed it up with a victory at Cozumel 70.3 and a second-place finish at the 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in Mandurah.
Blatchford’s recent race successes propelled her to a decisive victory at Ironman Cairns
earlier this month – her first full Ironman distance. With strong performances in “hot-weather racing,” Blatchford’s ultimate goal is not only to make it to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, but to be very competitive once she gets there. She has recently enlisted the coaching services of Mat Steinmetz, coach of two former Ironman World Champions.
Blatchford spends six months of the year in Australia in the supreme training conditions offered on the Gold Coast and the remainder of the year in the United States, when the race season is in full-swing.
She will be riding Fuji’s brand-new Triathlon/TT bike, the Norcom Straight, throughout her 2013 season.
“As soon as you get on the Norcom, you know it’s fast and responsive. And so easy to adjust on the fly. No messing around – straight into the position I know and love. I can’t wait to get out and race on it!” said Blatchford.
“We are so pleased to have Liz on Fuji,” said Karen Bliss, Fuji’s VP of Marketing. “As Kelly Reed (wife of Fuji-sponsored athlete Matt Reed) aptly put it: ‘Liz is the real deal.’ I want to thank our distributor in Australia, Oceania Bicycles, for their help in pulling this deal together. I love our ever-expanding Fuji family.”