Intersport invests heavily in ski sports becoming the main partner of the national cross country skiing team

KESKO PRESS RELEASE 10.6.2015 AT 14.00 1(2)

Intersport Finland Ltd and the Finnish Ski Association have signed a multi-year cooperation contract which makes Intersport the main partner of the national cross country skiing team. The cooperation between Finland's leading sports trade chain and the national skiing team preparing for the home World Championships will provide both parties with attractive elements.

"For decades, the international Intersport has had good and visible cooperation with top skiing competitions. Now we are expanding the cooperation to include the Finnish national cross country skiing team getting ready for the 2017 World Championships in Lahti. The national team is gaining momentum and the upcoming home games will boost public interest in ski sports, as well as increase the number of skiing enthusiasts. We also want our customers to be able to share some of the top expertise in the coaching and supporting of the national team through, for example, the ski sports programmes available at www.intersport.fi," says Marketing Manager Arto Rasi of Intersport.

The contract duration will be until the spring of 2019, which means that it will cover the Skiing World Championships in Lahti, the Olympic year and the Skiing World Championships in Seefeld. The partnership will open up lots of opportunities for both parties.

"Intersport is our first main partner that is also an international partner of the World Championships in Lahti. This kind of partnership will open up great opportunities to build up a story leading up to the home games in Lahti. I also expect that Intersport, a strong expert in sports, will significantly add to the visibility of our national cross country skiing through its own channels," says Mika Kulmala, Executive Director of the Finnish Ski Association.

"We in the Intersport chain place a strong emphasis on quality in both selections and service. Through the cooperation with the national team we will strengthen the expertise and know-how of store personnel," says Marketing Manager Arto Rasi of Intersport.

Cross country skiing is commercially the most important and the largest product group in winter for Intersport. Around 200,000 pairs of cross country skis and ski boots are sold in Finland annually.

Intersport International Corporation (IIC) is an international sports marketing chain that consists of national companies. There are over 5,500 Intersport stores in a total of 46 countries. Intersport Finland Ltd, part of Kesko Group, is a partner of the company and owner of the Intersport and Budget Sport licenses in Finland. There are 62 Intersport stores and the intersport.fi online store in Finland. Intersport Finland Ltd is the market leader in the Finnish sports trade.

Intersport - www.intersport.fi

Photos can be downloaded from our material bank: http://aineistopankki.kesko.fi

Further information:
Arto Rasi, Marketing Manager, Intersport Finland Ltd, tel. +358 400 405 342
Mika Kulmala, Executive Director, Finnish Ski Association, tel. +358 40 576 1001