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Puma's Workers in China
"Bike messengers embody
the individuality, style and athleticism that is
synonomous with our brand"
Puma sponsors Olympic teams and star athletes around the world. But it
is unlikely that even these finely conditioned athletes could keep pace
with Puma's workers in China, forced to work up to 16.5 hours a day,
from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, six or seven days a week, for wages of just
31 cents an hour.
Read more: Puma's
workers in China face an Olympian struggle to survive
Read the full report on Puma's
Workers in China (pdf)
Team PUMA
Hits the Streets
-- PUMA
Cycling Team Formed from New York City Bike Messengers
Press Release
July 23, 2004 (Newstream) -- PUMA
North America announced the formation of
TEAM PUMA,
a select five member bike racing team comprised of elite New York
City bike messengers who will compete in both alley cat and velodrome
races
around the country. Formed at PUMA
Messenger Tuesdays, a series of fixed
wheel races at the newly renovated Kissena Velodrome in Flushing Queens
New
York, TEAM PUMA
is a unique sponsorship that is the quintessential blend
of sport and lifestyle that defines the PUMA
brand.
:Bike messengers embody the individuality, style and athleticism that
is
synonomous with our brand," said Barney Waters, PUMA
North America, Marketing
Director. "For them like us, sport is a way of life; it doesn't just
end
when the days is over, it is part of who they are and how they define
themselves.
Bike Messengers are connected to the city in ways that no other group
could
be. Through their community, they have shaped modern culture and have
become
part of the urban landscape."
Formed over eight weeks of grueling competition and training during May
and
June of 2004, local NYC messengers competed in a series of fixed wheel
races
at Kissena Velodrome in Queens for a seat on Team PUMA.
Former national track-racing
competitor and cycling instructor, Christine D'Ercole, coached the
riders
as they make the transition from the concrete jungle to the Olympic
style
velodrome. Participants were judged on skill, speed, attitude and point
accumulation
over the eight week preliminaries. The top five messengers were
selected
and invited to join Team PUMA
and will represent the brand at various races
over the next 12 months. Each TEAM PUMA
member will receive travel expenses
and will be equipped with a custom fixed wheel track bike, accident
insurance
and PUMA
apparel and footwear.
"Team Puma is a big opportunity for the NY messenger community," said
Squid,
TEAM PUMA
Captain. "I am proud of these hardworking messengers and now we
are taking it to another level. To see this raw talent being recognized
and
encouraged feels great. I am pumped to be a part of TEAM PUMA."
TEAM PUMA
Captain: Kevin Bulger, aka Squid
Alfred Bobe Jr.
Felipe Robavo
Huey Wray Reed
Tadeusz Marszalek
TEAM PUMA Alternates
Carlos Ramierez
Charlotte Blythe
Eddie Ortega
Hugo Giron
Massamba Niang
TEAM PUMA
Race Schedule
September 4-6: North American Cycle Courier Championships, Montreal,
Canada
October 30: Halloween X, New York, NY
November 20: Cranksgiving, New York, NY
December 18: Cutters Invitational, San Francisco, CA
January 29: Stupor Bowl VIII, Minneapolis, MN
February 12: Mission Hell, Boston, MA
February 28: Monster Track VI, New York, NY
March 12:Ides of March, Richmond, VA
April 2: Repo Man, Los Angeles, CA
---------------
Produced for PUMA
North America
Contact:
Danielle Marcus
PUMA
North America Public Relations
978.698.1144 tel
danielle.marcus@puma.com
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