New York, May 8, 2013—New York Road Runners today announced a two-year partnership agreement with Oakley, Inc., under which Oakley becomes the official eyewear sponsor and apparel provider of the Oakley New York Mini 10K. The event, which will take place on Saturday, June 8, is the world’s original women-only road race.

The New York Mini 10K has a rich history celebrating women’s running and the strength of women for more than 40 years. About 5,000 women are expected to participate in the Oakley New York Mini 10K, which will start in Columbus Circle on Central Park West at 61st Street and finish on West Drive at 67th Street.  The field includes runners of all abilities, from some of world’s fastest female runners to first-timers. Past champions include Deena Kastor, Grete Waitz, and Lornah Kiplagat.

“We are excited about this partnership; it gives us a platform on which to communicate directly with runners about the importance of protecting their eyes,” said Greg Welch, a triathlon World Champion and Hall of Famer, now Global Sports Marketing Manager for Oakley.

Oakley’s partnership with NYRR will further empower women to live active and healthy lifestyles through Oakley’s “Made for More” marketing campaign.  Oakley is expanding its performance training apparel for women, which features technologies such as UV and antibacterial protection, moisture management, and fabrics that are engineered to move.  “Made for More” will be launched around the Oakley New York Mini 10K to connect with women who want more out of life, and the products will be incorporated into the race’s advertising and promotion. 

“Oakley and NYRR share a powerful commitment to women’s running and a passion for a healthy, active lifestyle,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “This is a terrific way for Oakley to engage with our welcoming community of female runners and to share their exciting female training lines. We’re thrilled to welcome Oakley as a sponsor of the Mini and a partner to other NYRR events throughout the year.”

Oakley will have a prominent race-day presence from start to finish, including a post-race hospitality event at the flagship Oakley store in SoHo, located at 113 Prince Street. All participants will receive a special Oakley performance shirt, so that they can experience Oakley clothing first-hand.

As part of the agreement, Oakley also becomes a promotional and eyewear partner for the ING New York City Marathon and the NYC Half. Oakley plans to sell NYRR– and ING New York City Marathon–branded eyewear in Oakley stores later this year. 

About the Oakley New York Mini 10K

Founded by NYRR in 1972, the Mini got its name when race founder Fred Lebow convinced the first sponsor to support a six-mile “mini” marathon—named for the miniskirt, which was then in fashion—rather than a full marathon. It was the world’s first road race exclusively for women.  A few weeks later, Title IX became law, guaranteeing young women the right to participate in school sports and creating new opportunities for generations of female athletes. The inaugural race featured 78 participants. The event has now had more than 150,000 finishers and has been a model for women’s road races around the globe.  The event welcomes women of all ability levels—including the very best in the world.

About NYRR

New York Road Runners was founded in 1958 when a small group of passionate runners vowed to bring running to the people. Over the past 55 years, NYRR has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s mission is to empower everyone, of all ages and abilities—beginners and competitive athletes, the young and the elderly, adult professionals and underserved schoolchildren—to improve their health and well-being through the power of running and fitness.

NYRR’s races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth programs give hundreds of thousands of people each year the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to start running and keep running for life. NYRR’s premier event, the famed ING New York City Marathon, attracts the world’s top pro runners and committed amateurs alike while also raising millions of dollars annually for charity and driving economic impact for the City. But NYRR is equally committed to the runners of tomorrow, passionately providing youth fitness programs that educate and inspire more than 150,000 kids in underserved communities in New York City, all 50 states, and around the world.

Headquartered in New York City, NYRR implements a unique nonprofit model that teams contributed and earned income to make all its efforts possible. To learn more, please visit www.nyrr.org.

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 all premium Oakley 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. Additional information is available at http://www.oakley.com.