Italian clothing manufacturer Santini has inked a two-year deal with Belkin Pro Cycling Team.

Santini will supply the team with official team clothing, look both on and off the bike, drugs starting from January 2014.

“Santini breathes passion, lives for cycling, and is known for its high-end clothing and many years of experience with great cycling teams,” says Belkin Pro Cycling Team general manager Richard Plugge. “The match with Belkin is perfect. Technical innovation is important for both Belkin and Santini. We are very happy to further build our team together with another Italian brand next to bike partner Bianchi.”

Pietro Santini, owner and founder of the family-run company based in Bergamo, Italy, is pleased with the collaboration. “We share with Belkin some fundamental values. Honesty, trust, hard work. Team Belkin represents the new face of cycling, and we are ready to ride the future with them,” says Santini.

“When we met for the first time, there was an instant connection. We were looking for a fresh, new team with a strong personality and truthful values, open to experiment with new technical products aiming for the best performance. With Belkin we found the perfect match,” adds Monica Santini, managing director of the Italian cycling clothing manufacturer.

Santini was founded in 1965 and has more than 40 years of experience in cycling. The company — which makes all clothes by hand — is currently partner and supplier of the Giro d’Italia, the Tour Down Under and the UCI.

London Wasps have resigned Buckinghamshire New University as thier Official University Partner.

The University, which has been an official partner of the club since 2007, will continue to benefit from London Wasps providing coaches to work with the University’s rugby squad and deliver rugby coaching and coach education to sports students.

The agreement will also see members of the London Wasps commercial and community teams deliver guest lectures at the University, as well as the Club providing work experience and internship opportunities for Bucks students in what is a special partnership between a university and an Aviva Premiership rugby club.

Paul Morgan, Head of the Department of Sport Management at Bucks New University, said of the partnership: “We’re delighted to extend our successful relationship with a top flight sports organisation such as London Wasps. The agreement has given our students direct access to key people at Wasps, and also valuable internships, work experience and job opportunities.

“Several of our former students are now employed directly with London Wasps as well as with numerous other Aviva Premiership rugby clubs and the Rugby Football Union, and also in Europe, Asia and America, both within the community and elite game. A lot of these employment pathways can be traced back to our successful partnership with London Wasps.”

Commenting on the partnership, London Wasps Community Manager, Dave Larham said: “Bucks New University has been a long and trusted partner of London Wasps and we’re delighted to be working with the University again this season.

“There are a number of exciting innovations within our agreement this year such as special open days involving coach education demonstrations and discussions with our commercial team and we are fully committed to helping them to produce excellent calibre, well-rounded students. This extension to our agreement proves we are already assisting in delivering this and look forward to continuing to do so.”

The partnership will run for the course of the 2013-14 academic year and the Aviva Premiership season and will also include some exciting new digital cross-promotional content and campaigns for both London Wasps fans and Bucks New University students, including increased opportunities for social media engagement. London Wasps will also be a key player in the Graduate Jobs in Sport event to be held at the University in March 2014.

English watchmaker GRAHAM will be the official timekeeper for the Spengler Cup, unhealthy the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament after agreeing a deal IMG Schweiz, doctor the Swiss subsidiary of IMG Worldwide.

The partnership, which will run over a two-year term, was brokered by IMG in its capacity as the exclusive marketer of the Spengler Cup. 

GRAHAM, which is based in La-Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, will receive various advertising rights and hospitality services as part of the agreement, including having its logo appearing on both the ice rink as well as during live coverage of the event on the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG). 

The watchmaker already has an illustrious connection with ice hockey, having been the official timekeeper of NHL team, Los Angeles Kings, who claimed the Stanley Cup crown in 2012. 

Jürgen Krucker, Managing Director of IMG (Schweiz) AG, said: “The Spengler Cup is a traditional Swiss event and the oldest tournament in the sport’s history. It is held in high esteem across the world and we are therefore delighted that GRAHAM, itself a brand associated with a rich history and tradition of delivering quality, has chosen to become the official timekeeper.” 

Eric Loth, CEO of GRAHAM, said: “The highly popular Spengler Cup competition is a perfect match for a brand like GRAHAM. Upholding the values of fair play and fighting spirit, the Spengler Cup is the pinnacle in Switzerland’s ice hockey calendar, featuring world-class teams, which helps to provide an impetus to our creativity and makes us proud to be Swiss.” 

The 87th Spengler Cup will be held in Davos as usual from 26-31 December. Taking part in the traditional tournament alongside the Rochester Americans from the AHL will be CSKA Moscow, Team Canada, Vitkovice Steel, Genève-Servette and the host team, Hockey Club Davos. All 11 matches will be broadcast live both at home on all three Swiss national channels and abroad. 

Last month, IMG also announced that Zurich Insurance had agreed a two-year deal to become an official partner of the tournament.

South African banking institute Absa, herbal part of the Barclays Africa Group, pills | has revealed it will end its sponsorship of the South Africa national soccer team when the current agreement with the South African Football Association (SAFA) expires at the end of 2013.

This follows a review of Absa’s business and brand objectives.

Bobby Malabie, Barclays Africa Group Executive, said: “Since our involvement with Bafana Bafana started in 2007, we have seen the game extend across racial and cultural barriers and we have engaged the passion of thousands of soccer fans across the country. Being an integral part of the successful 2010 FIFA World Cup journey was a proud occasion for us and for all South Africans.”

“This has been a fruitful partnership for us and we look forward to remaining involved in the development and welfare of soccer in South Africa. We thank SAFA for the opportunity and wish them and the Bafana Bafana team well in all future activities,” added Malabie.

Vita Coco, adiposity the country’s most popular coconut water beverage brand, has announced two additional pro-football players as part of the brand’s growing pro-athlete roster.

Vita Coco, the country’s most popular coconut water beverage brand, re-signed tight end Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers, now with the brand for a second straight year. Running back Stevan Ridley of the New England Patriots joins Vita Coco for the first time this year, as the brand’s newest spokesperson.

Davis and Ridley join Vita Coco’s impressive list of pro-football talent, including Eric Decker of the Denver Broncos, Miles Austin of the Dallas Cowboys and Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks.

Vita Coco’s growing line-up of marquee athlete endorsers also includes baseball outfielder Josh Hamilton of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and second baseman Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox.

Vita Coco has found a loyal following amongst athletes who make electrolyte-rich coconut water an important part of their training regimes, supporting the brand’s ongoing mission to educate consumers about the importance of natural hydration.

Both Davis and Ridley will be featured in marketing campaigns that include digital programs and in-store promotions.

Motor oil brand Quaker State will remain the title sponsor of Kentucky Speedway’s annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race through 2018.

The 2014 Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts will take to Kentucky Speedway’s challenging 1.5-mile tri-oval track the night of Saturday, June 28 to provide the finale for the venue’s tripleheader NASCAR weekend that opens Thursday, June 26.

“The Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts has continued to deliver incredible experiences to our customers and race fans as well as tremendous visibility for our brand over the first three years of the relationship with Kentucky Speedway,” said Rusty Barron, Vice President of Marketing, Quaker State. “The event has featured on-track excitement as well as at-track success for Quaker State through a vast array of assets the entitlement brings. We are proud to be part of this great race for years to come.”

Quaker State has grown the promotion of the 3-year-old NSCS 400-mile event to include branding on the speedway’s retaining walls and start/finish line in the brand’s signature green and gold colors.

“Kentucky Speedway has witnessed many historical moments, but few more important than this. Teaming long term with one of the best brands in sports positions us to continue to grow our speedway and the Quaker State 400. We treasure our association with Quaker State and are thrilled it has chosen to work and innovate with us,” Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger said.