Nissan Brings Top Athletes to Team LIVESTRONG® Challenge Austin

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Nissan's mission to encourage healthy lifestyles, Innovation for Endurance by Nissan and Rodale, Inc. will host cycling coach Chris Carmichael and pro-cyclist Levi Leipheimer at the 2011 Team LIVESTRONG® Challenge Austin, October 14-16. In the fifth year as the official automotive sponsor of the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge series, Nissan is proud to showcase the "World Car of the Year" award winning Nissan LEAF at the event.

During the two-day multi-distance run and bike ride, Nissan will bring Chris Carmichael; founder and CEO of Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. and former coach of seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong, and Levi Leipheimer; Tour De France veteran, Olympic medalist, National Champion and this year's winner of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Tour de Suisse and the Tour of Utah to the Innovation for Endurance display.  Carmichael and Leipheimer, as two of the five Innovators in the Nissan Innovation for Endurance program, will offer attendees training tips and sign autographs at the booth on Friday from 3:00PM-4:00PM and 4:00PM-5:00PM respectively as well as on Saturday 10:00AM-11:00AM and 11:00AM-Noon. Carmichael will also participate in the ride on Sunday.

It is especially exciting to bring Innovation for Endurance and the LEAF to Austin because as of August, Austin Energy announced that 103 charging stations were installed for electric vehicles throughout the city while more than 180 AeroVironment home chargers have been installed all over Texas.  More than 370 Nissan LEAFs have been delivered throughout the state, not including that of Austin-based LEAF owner and event host, Lance Armstrong.

"Nissan is proud to support the fight against cancer by joining LIVESTRONG for these events, particularly because the innovation behind the LEAF's zero emissions pairs well with the innovative approach LIVESTRONG takes in serving people affected by cancer," said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Nissan Marketing for Nissan North America, Inc.

Nissan will be at the LIVESTRONG Village Friday-Sunday with the interactive "Innovation for Endurance" display featuring the revolutionary Nissan LEAF. Spectators are invited to learn more about electric vehicles and enter for a chance to win a new LEAF.  The Innovation for Endurance program connects the Nissan LEAF with a series of high-profile running and cycling events nationwide. The pillars of the program are the health and fitness "Innovators" who offer state-of-the-art tips on the "Innovation for Endurance" Facebook page, aimed at encouraging consumers to take their performance to a new level.

For additional information on LIVESTRONG, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org. To learn more about the Innovation for Endurance program and to stay up to-date on fitness tips and event listings, visit www.facebook.com/InnovationforEndurance.

About LIVESTRONG/Lance Armstrong Foundation

LIVESTRONG serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action against the world's leading cause of death. Created as the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the organization is now known publicly by its powerful brand – LIVESTRONG – and is a leader in the global movement on behalf of 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. Known for its iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG has become a symbol of hope and inspiration to people affected by cancer around the world. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $400 million for the fight against cancer. For more information, visit LIVESTRONG.org.

About Nissan Americas

In the Americas, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing.  Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and was recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 and 2011. More information on Nissan in North America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award. For more information on our products, services and commitment to Sustainable Mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About Rodale, Inc.

Rodale is a global media company with a heritage, mission, and authority dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community, and planet. Through a broad portfolio of leading media properties, Rodale reaches more than 70 million people around the world through multiple distribution channels, including magazines, books, online, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, and video. The company publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health, Prevention, Women's Health, Runner's World, Bicycling, Mountain Bike, Running Times, and Organic Gardening, and is the largest independent book publisher in the United States, with a collection of bestselling titles, including Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, and Flat Belly Diet! Rodale is also a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database. To learn more about Rodale, visit www.rodaleinc.com.

SOURCE Nissan North America