PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Scott Sports has signed a two-season agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports to become the official XC bike partner of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series, including serving as the presenting partner of the 2026 Soldier Hollow round
+++ Italian brand Ferrino has become an official partner of France’s Syndicat National des Guides de Montagne (SNGM), the French union of mountain guides, via its French distributor Ricochet, in a new three-year agreement
+++ To mark its 50th anniversary, Trek Bicycle unveiled a limited-edition collection of three Madone models available via an eight-week pre-order window, featuring heritage-inspired designs that celebrate the brand’s history and mission, with the flagship “First 50” Icon set to be raced by Lidl-Trek at the 2026 Tour de France
+++ SportsShoes.com has launched the SportsShoes Pro Alpine Trail Team, described as the first digital retailer-backed all-women’s European trail and mountain running team, supporting seven athletes for the 2026 season with kit, travel and mentorship in partnership with leading running brands
+++ Gill Marine is integrating Nikwax’s PFAS-free Direct.Dry DWR into its redesigned OS1 Ocean System, combining high-performance offshore weather protection with a more sustainable, factory-applied waterproof technology proven in Arctic testing
+++ Finisterre has appointed Hawaiian surfer, ocean scientist and filmmaker Cliff Kapono as a global ambassador, formalizing a long-standing relationship centered on ocean stewardship, surfing culture and community-based marine research
+++ Swedish outdoor brand Haglöfs has signed professional freeskier and filmmaker Alex Hackel as a new brand ambassador, partnering with him on product development, storytelling and global campaigns focused on performance and sustainability +++
LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL
+++ The European Outdoor Group (EOG) has added six new members – Re-Action Collective, Hutpood, Light My Fire (including Light My Fire Borrow), Wrap, Ecosert Group and – expanding its network and strengthening its work in ESG, data and industry engagement +++
E-COMMERCE & DTC
+++ Klarna has launched its interest-free “Pay in 3” option on Google Pay in the UK, expanding on its US rollout and enabling users to manage purchases and repayments via the Klarna app
+++ A Censuswide survey found that 34% of Amazon customers have switched to AliExpress, driven by its new Brand+ price-matching scheme and growing consumer focus on affordability amid cost-of-living pressures +++
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Sea to Summit has appointed outdoor industry veteran Jon Hanson, formerly GM North America at Stanley 1913, as President North America to lead the Australian brand’s next phase of regional growth
+++ 3M has appointed Meagan Linn as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, where she will lead global public policy engagement and government contract growth, bringing 20 years of experience from Northrop Grumman and Capitol Hill
+++ Leatt Corporation has appointed Jérémy Croizon, formerly Head of Sales at Royal Vélo France, as Sales and Brand Manager in France +++
FINANCIAL REPORTING
+++ Huntsman reported a fourth-quarter 2025 net loss of $96 million on $1.355 billion in revenue, with adjusted net loss of $63 million and adjusted Ebitda of $35 million, according to its latest earnings release +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ French specialist retailer Culture Vélo has added a store in Saint Quentin, in the Hauts-de-France region, formerly Mary Cycles, and plans to open another location in northeast France this April, reports Sport Guide
+++ Rudy Project, the Italian brand of performance helmets and sunglasses, has entered into a distribution agreement with Royal Vélo France to supply its cycling products throughout the French market
+++ Canadian outdoor retailer Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) has opened a 2,244-sqm store in Nanaimo – its second on Vancouver Island and 24th overall – featuring bike and ski services, a bouldering area and community programming, as it continues expanding following its 2025 return to Canadian ownership +++
TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
+++ Italian mountain runner Marco De Gasperi is organizing the first-ever Ortles Haute Route Trail, which will be held in the Stelvio National Park on Sept. 11-12, 2026
+++ The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival returns March 20–22, 2026 at Showroom with 105 adventure films across 50+ screenings, plus talks, workshops and events, with tickets now on sale +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ Fashion for Good has launched the “Stretching Circularity” project with brands including Levi Strauss & Co., On and Reformation to pilot-test bio-based and recycled elastane in garments and validate scalable, lower-impact stretch solutions that address elastane’s role as a barrier to textile-to-textile recycling
+++ Black Diamond Equipment and the US-based nonprofit global wilderness school NOLS are expanding their needs-based Elevate Scholarship for 2026 to fund full-ride, semester-length wilderness courses in Alaska and the Rockies, increasing access to extended outdoor leadership education for students with demonstrated financial need +++
OBITUARY
+++ King Liu, the founder of Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer Giant Group, has died at the age of 93 +++
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