As SCARPA ups the ante with a new global collection of Alpine Running shoes, new athlete reflects ongoing brand commitment to the category.

BOULDER, Colo. (January 19, 2015) – Ultrarunner Joe Grant will join SCARPA’s athlete/ambassador roster starting this month, reflecting the brand’s ongoing push in the trail-running category, most recently with a new global Alpine Running shoe collection for Spring 2016.

An endurance athlete who lives in Gold Hill, Colo., Grant has competed in running events for the last decade in places ranging from his home state of Colorado to the Alps, Mexico's Copper Canyon, Alaska and Japan.

Grant’s diverse and extensive resume of trail- and mountain-running events includes the Hardrock 100, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, the Western States 100, the UltraTrail Mt. Fuji, the Tor des Géants (330kms in Italy), the Iditarod Trail Invitational (560 kms. in Alaska in winter), The Coastal Challenge (six-day race in Costa Rica) and many more. 

Grant derives his inspiration from self-powered exploration of wild places, and he is heavily influenced by the simplicity of running in those places. He is also a writer, photographer and running coach. He writes a blog documenting his adventures on his site and is a monthly columnist for iRunFar.

"I’m really looking forward to working with the SCARPA teams in Boulder and in Italy to further develop the Alpine Running category, and I’m excited about the new Spring 2016 Alpine Running collection and how it offers different platforms tailored to different kinds of running situations in rugged terrain,” Grant said. “SCARPA is a brand known more widely in North America in categories like skiing, climbing and hiking, and I’m excited to help spread the word about its commitment in the trail-running category.”

For Spring 2016, SCARPA will introduce a new global line of four alpine-running shoes, each in men’s and women’s fits, designed with well-balanced features to tackle the kind of varied terrain found in technical mountain environments. The line offers three different levels of cushioning, trail protection, weight and support, allowing runners to adjust for different running styles and situations.

“We are really excited to be working with Joe as our athlete and ambassador with the new Alpine Running collection,” said Mark Mathews, Director of Sales and Summer Product Development at SCARPA North America. “Not only is Joe an amazing athlete with podium finishes in many of the premier ultra races, he is also just a great person and the perfect brand ambassador for SCARPA to be working with. Joe’s product insight and direction will really help us shape our collection as we move forward.”

The Neutron is an everyday trail shoe that tackles everything from training to racing, combining wide fit appeal, medium cushioning and superb traction with minimal weight. The Atom is SCARPA’s lightest trail shoe at 8.8 ounces per shoe with a more minimal midsole and drop. The Proton is SCARPA’s most stable running platform, combing great lateral control with a more cushioned midsole, and available in regular and Gore-Tex models. For more information about SCARPA running shoes, visit the running page on SCARPA’s web site.

About SCARPA and SCARPA North AmericaFounded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S., Canada and South America. For more information about SCARPA, visit www.scarpa.com.