STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (May 20, 2015) — Western States Endurance Run record holder Tim Olson, three-time Hardrock 100 winner Darcy Piceu and reigning Leadville Trail 100 champion Rob Krar have one thing in common: each of them chooses SmartWool PhD® whenever they lace up their shoes. As part of its Fan Field Tester platform, SmartWool, the world’s leading Merino run sock and apparel company, partners with the boldest trail runners in the sport.

“The best athletes in the world—ultrarunners going distances that are almost impossible to imagine—choose SmartWool because we make the best run sock in the world,” says SmartWool President Mark Satkiewicz. “Our elite athletes put our product through the ringer in some of the most extreme conditions possible, and their feedback drives our product team and shapes the socks and apparel consumers expect from the world’s leading Merino brand.”

The stacked Smartwool team roster includes: 

An ultrarunning legend, Darcy Piceu is a three-time champion of the grueling Hardrock 100 in San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado. Piceu is also a former winner of the Scout Mountain Ultra Trail 100k and podium finisher at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and Leadville Trail 100.

Paul Hamilton is a former winner of the Run the Rut 50k and Telluride Mountain Run, and boasts podium finishes at the Quad Rock 50 Mile, Speedgoat 50k and Golden Gate Dirty Thirty. 

A former elite triathlete and collegiate 1,500m runner at Butler University, Rob Krar won the 2014 Western States Endurance Run and Leadville Trail 100. A pharmacist by night, Krar holds the rim-to-rim-to-rim fastest known time at the Grand Canyon and the course record at the Moab Red Hot 55k.

Outside TV has called Tim Olson “one of the most prolific professional trail runners of this generation.” Olson has made the prestigious Western States Endurance Run his canvas, winning the 100-miler twice and setting the course record-holder. Olson owns and operates Run Mindful Retreats.

Jason Schlarb is a former winner of the Run Rabbit Run 100-miler and North Face Endurance Challenge, and finished fourth at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in 2014. One half of the team behind Schlarb Wolf Productions, Schlarb travels the world, documenting trail-running adventures from Patagonia to the Italian Dolomites.

About SmartWool: Based in Steamboat Springs, Colo., SmartWool is a 20-year-old apparel brand whose products are inspired by living and playing in the mountains. All SmartWool® products come with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and are created to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool. For information on the full range of SmartWool products or to find a dealer near you, please log onto www.SmartWool.com. SmartWool, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of VF Corporation. For event and company updates visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smartwool or Twitter: http://twitter.com/smartwool.

 

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