1983…BORN IN KONA. Founded in Kona, Hawaii, the home of the Ironman Triathlon World Championships, Zoot Sports began making performance apparel that catered to elite athletes competing in the emerging sport of Triathlon. A woman by the name of Chrystal Nylin who lived in Kona, noticed that the athletes competing in Ironman needed something more functional to race in. In other words, a solution to avoid having to use transition as “changing areas,” and to no surprise, the same principle we strive by today: to find product solutions for multisport athletes.
Crystal began sewing pads into run shorts, experimenting with swim fabrics, attaching run singlets to bike shorts and eventually, created one and two-piece racesuits for triathletes racing Ironman. The innovative designs such as the padded Tri Brief, the drop tail, the aerodynamically designed Tri Jersey, and the 3" inseam bike shorts immediately gained popularity as did the colorful lycra fabrics that were custom fit for athletes. In 1996, Zoot Hawaii moved to the mainland and the product line has expanded since.
In 2007, Zoot Sports has grown to be a premier endurance multisports brand, focused on multisports and multiseason apparel. In 2007, Zoot introduced six-game changing BIOwrap stories in the ULTRA line, including the Zenith Wetsuit. For 2008, Zoot Sports will launch a triathlon specific footwear line that will make them the only Multisport company in the world that can cover the athlete from start to finish and from head to toe.
In your opinion, what is the definition of sponsorship?
Sponsorship is a job, not just a gift of “free gear.” As a sponsored athlete, you should be committed to the brand, know the technology and position behind the company that sponsors you and be able to communicate that.
How is your program organized? Do you have levels of support available for all skill levels of athletes?
We keep it very simple and have 3 levels.
Our Pro athletes
Our Zoot Sports Triathlon Team
Our amateur athletes that perform well and are committed to the brand
What is most important to you when deciding to sponsor someone?
We take our athletes very seriously and treat them like family. Most important, we look for good people who love the brand, understand the brand and promote it. We love for our athletes to win races and make the podium but at the end of the day, it’s the long term partnership of two loyal parties with a mutual respect for each other.
What advice do you have for an up and coming athlete who is attempting to increase their skill level and marketability to take it to the next level?
Work hard, have integrity and support your sponsors as much as possible. Be loyal and don’t jump from sponsor to sponsor over a few dollars. It’s the long-term partnerships of growing together that reap the greatest rewards for both parties.
How has SponsorHouse helped you with your Sponsorship program?
It’s a place for the Zoot team athletes and the Zoot community to build their own interactive profiles, express themselves, and have a network of fellow athletes to share that with.