Suunto, a global leader in sports watches and precision instruments, enthusiastically announces its signing of Josiah Middaugh, an accomplished XTERRA champion, to its team of multisport and outdoor athletes.
With the signing of Middaugh, formerly a Suunto-sponsored competitor, and its recent announcement as a marquee partner of the XTERRA Pan America Tour, Suunto has signaled its return to multisport community and sports marketing in the Americas.
In his new role, Middaugh will represent Suunto at races and events, and will contribute content to his bi-monthly Middaugh Coaching Corner at xterraplanet.com.
A 12-time XTERRA USA national champion, 10-time GoPro Ultimate Mountain Challenge champion, and six-time USSSA National Snowshoe champion, Middaugh, 38, of Vail, Colorado, was the 2015 XTERRA world champion.
"Josiah is exactly the kind of person and athlete that we strive to have on our team," says Bryson White, brand marketing manager for Suunto in the Americas. "Not only is he a dominant endurance athlete, but the data-driven coaching insights he delivers to his athletes and the broader XTERRA community, align perfectly with Suunto. Add to that his reputation has a genuinely good guy and smiling face at global, regional and local event, and we could not be more excited to welcome Josiah to our roster."
Middaugh, a Michigan native, participated on his high school's track, basketball and baseball teams. He moved to Vail following college, racing in his first mountain bike race—the 100-mile, 13,000-foot Vail Ultra—before dabbling in triathlons at age 22. New to the multisport world, Middaugh found himself gravitating toward off-road events, and found XTERRA races to be the perfect fit.
With his brother, Yaro, Middaugh operates Middaugh Coaching, which guides athletes via an evidence-based training approach, intense personal experience, and the values of sportsmanship, integrity and hard work.
"The way I train and race is the way I live my life. I have a profound love of endurance sports, and as both a coach and a married father of three, I strive to be a role model in every event I'm a part of," says Middaugh. "Suunto represents a lot of my values, and I'm excited to work with them moving forward."
Middaugh will train and race with Suunto's new Spartan collection of connected sports watches, which feature extended battery life, an outdoor-grade color touchscreen, and deep data insights.