Oakley Athletes Earn 65 Medals in Vancouver

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakley, Inc. today announced that athletes who relied on the company's performance innovations earned 65 medals in Vancouver. The final tally was 24 gold, 22 silver and 19 bronze. Medal contenders put their trust and faith in Oakley goggles including Crowbar®, A Frame® and the new Splice®. Along with premium Oakley sunglasses such as Radar®, M Frame®, Flak Jacket® and Enduring®, the company's new Jawbone sunglasses helped athletes keep victory in focus. Oakley's unrivaled hockey shields were also a favorite in Vancouver.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100310/LA68018)

"We could not be more proud of the performances these athletes achieved, nor more honored that they chose to rely on Oakley products for the greatest competitions of their lives," said Oakley CEO Colin Baden. "Our icon was pervasive in Vancouver. Some may think it was a matter of sponsorship, but world-class athletes insist on Oakley technology because they demand the very best in performance and protection. These men and women committed years of their lives, enduring untold sacrifice to prepare for those few days in February that would give them a shot at achieving their dreams. Oakley has spent decades defying limits to redefine performance for those who strive to do the same in sports. There is no greater compliment than their trust of Oakley technology for the most important performances of their careers," Baden concluded.

Oakley has earned a reputation for being the gold standard of performance technology. The company's world-renowned innovation helped athletes earn two dozen gold medals in Vancouver, reaching the highest step on the podium for events including speed skate, short track, long track, snowboarding halfpipe, boardercross, skiing, moguls, freestyle aerials, skiercross and cross-country.

Superstar Shaun White wowed the crowd with his gold-winning halfpipe performance wearing Oakley A Frame goggles, his personal favorite for the last ten years. Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau earned gold in moguls wearing the company's new Splice goggle, and skiercross athlete (and former downhill champion) Daron Rahlves called it the best fitting goggle he has ever worn. He added, "The frame design has no pressure points, and that's perfect for breathing through my nose, especially when it's cold."

Ashleigh McIvor of Canada depended on the proven technologies of Oakley Crowbar goggles in her gold-winning ski cross performance. Said Ashleigh, "My High Intensity Persimmon lens brightened things up so I had depth perception going off the jumps, and the ventilation technology allowed me to focus on the task at hand while the other athletes were stuck dealing with fog issues." Skier Chris Del Bosco added, "In ski cross, there are so many variables that are out of your control. Clear vision is one crucial component that I can control, and I know I can count on Oakley Crowbar to get me down the mountain." Additional athletes expressed their appreciation of Oakley goggle technology, including silver medalist Jennifer Heil: "In the sport of mogul skiing, I need to be able to read the terrain at four moguls per second. Often our races are held in difficult conditions such as rain, clouds, high sun, or even night. I know I can always rely on my Oakley goggles and the wide array of lens choices for the event."

Athletes utilized Oakley's new Jawbone eyewear in numerous events. Canada's Charles Hamlin achieved gold in short track wearing the design, and members of the Canadian relay team took full advantage of it as they earned gold in the 5000-meter event. USA short track skater Travis Jayner said he loves the interchangeable lens design. "That is a huge plus for me because the ice rinks we compete in do not always have the same lighting. Some are very dark, and I need (Oakley's) High Intensity Yellow lens. Some are very bright, and I use the Black Iridium® lens to keep the glare down," said Travis.

An eyewear design optimized for women, Oakley Enduring was worn by Canada's Marianne St-Gelais during her silver medal performance in short track. Enduring is also a favorite of Katherine Reutter from Team USA, and she says her choice of High Intensity Blue lenses put her into race mode when she is getting ready. She also commented on the Oakley Custom Program that lets athletes personalize and style their eyewear and goggles. "When I wear them, I feel true to myself, which is important... given how much stress and expectation can go along with racing."

Oakley Radar eyewear was a huge favorite in Vancouver, and nine athletes saw their way to gold with its unbeatable optics. Numerous medals were earned by contenders wearing the company's M Frame, including a gold by speed skater Sven Kramer of the Netherlands. Oakley Flak Jacket was the chosen eyewear of Team USA's JR Celski in his bronze medal winning performance in short track.

Players relied on the protection and clarity of the Oakley hockey shield in Vancouver, and it was a popular choice among Team Canada, Team USA and others. More than 30 players among the three medal-winning teams took advantage of the company's innovative design. Pros ranging from Scott Niedermayer to Teemu Selanne, who set the all-time scoring record in Vancouver, have long respected the superiority of Oakley technology. Just like so many athletes, they depended on it for the performances of their lives.

Visit OakleyARC.com to learn more about the company's premium performance eyewear, goggles, apparel, footwear and accessories.

About Oakley, Inc.

Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sun and prescription eyewear, and goggles. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world's leading sports eyewear brand into apparel, footwear and accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men's and women's product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX). Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.

SOURCE Oakley, Inc.