CAL Swimming Goes Pink to Sink Breast Cancer

PORTLAND, OR, October 18, 2012

It was a sea of pink yesterday at the CAL pool as the men's swim team competed against the University of the Pacific in a special "Pink Out" swim meet, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in support of the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation. Leading swimwear brand Arena was on deck, with pink swim caps and pink t-shirts for swimmers and spectators alike. The goal of the day? Go pink, to sink breast cancer!

During the meet, Arena presented a check in the amount of $20,000 to the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation, to further the Foundation's cutting-edge research and ultimate goal of eradicating breast cancer. The check presentation concludes the worldwide "Swim Challenge" that Arena launched this summer, when the brand pledged that it would donate funds to Edith Sanford, in honor of the first world record broken this year in an individual swimming race. The Swim Challenge aimed to raise awareness for both the Edith Sanford organization and the sport of swim, with the first world record broken on July 28, 2012 in the Women's 400M Individual Medley.

"This was a terrific event to be involved in and a perfect time - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - for us to fulfill the 2012 Swim Challenge and shine a spotlight on Edith Sanford," said Arena North America Brand & Product Manager Travis Burke. "Breast cancer is something that touches most of our lives in some way, so we're honored to support the work the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation does in breast cancer research. A big thank you to the swimmers and those who came out to watch, too. You helped us achieve a total 'Pink Out' and raise awareness for a great cause."

The Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization pursuing cutting-edge translational genomics research to identify specific treatments that will work best for each person, prevent the disease on an individual basis, and ultimately eradicate breast cancer. The charity was selected by Arena because the two organizations share many of the same brand values, including a focus on grassroots awareness and a commitment to constantly challenging innovation to break records and reach breakthroughs.

On hand for the "Pink Out" and ceremonial check presentation were Travis Burke representing Arena, Helen Henkin Kluck, Manager of Corporate Partnerships for the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation and Dave Durden, CAL Swimming & Diving Head Coach.

About Arena
Since 1973, Arena has created and marketed Waterwear products for competitive swimmers and swimming fans worldwide, and is universally recognized as one of the premium brands of high-quality swimwear and equipment. Over the last 37 years, the company has developed strong expertise in developing best-in-class products with particular focus on the pool segment, while also gradually expanding into leisure and beachwear.

Arena has commercial subsidiaries in Italy, France, Germany, and the U.S., and also operates through a global network of distributors and licensees. The Arena brand is present in 106 countries worldwide, of which 95 are directly managed by the Arena Group (five through commercial subsidiaries and 90 through distributors and licensees), while in the Far East (11 countries) the brand is owned and managed by the Descente Group.

The company's ties to the world of sport and swimming in particular are reinforced through sponsoring activities at different levels, including governing bodies, national federations, athletes and clubs. For more information, please visit: http://www.arenausa.com and http://www.arenapowerskin.com.

About Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation
The Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation is pioneering a bold new comprehensive approach to breast cancer, with a mission to unlock each woman's genetic code, advance today's prevention and treatment, and end breast cancer for future generations. For more information about the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation, please visit edithsanford.org or call 1-855-GO-EDITH (463-3484). Sanford Health is the patient care and research partner of the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation, and the largest rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation, with 126 clinic locations and nearly 1,200 physicians in 70 specialty areas of medicine.

MEDIA CONTACT
For more information, contact:
Shannon Burton
(212) 896-3830
sburton@fwv-us.com