Newly launched MB Partners has brokered a deal for ROSE, a specialist bicycle retailer to sponsor 2005 DTM champion Gary Paffett.

British racing driver Paffett, who drives the EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé is currently third in the DTM championship following his victory at the last race at Lausitzring. He is also one of Mercedes-Benz’s most successful drivers in the history of the championship and will be looking to continue his success at Norisring in Nuremberg this weekend.

To compete at this high level of motorsport requires an intense training regime and Paffett achieves this by cycling and weight training. Having ROSE on board will be a perfect match for him. “Outside of racing, I spend a lot of time on my bike as part of my training routine,” explained Paffett. “I’m used to high standards and custom made equipment so it’s great to have this sponsorship opportunity with ROSE, knowing they make bikes to such a high level of quality and performance. I’m hoping to see my training improve and creating a solid partnership for the future.”

ROSE has more than 100 years of tradition as a specialist bicycle retailer and stands for quality, best service and individuality.

CEO for ROSE, Thorsten Heckrath-Rose said, “It was very interesting for us to hear how race drivers use a race bike for getting fit for the next race. We wish Gary the best for the rest of the season and hopefully the bike will help him to reach his aims.”

The ROSE logo will appear on the side of Paffet’s race helmet for the remainder of his 2013 season.

MB Partners, who have former F1 driver Mark Blundell and businessman Theo Paphitis at the helm, launched earlier this month.

Oakley Canada has announced a partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to be the Official Licensee and Official High Performance Optical Wear Supplier of the Canadian Olympic Team.

The agreement spans 2013-2016, asthma covering the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, ampoule the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“As a brand and as a product, Oakley encompasses the attitude, innovation, passion and performance we look for in Canadian Olympic Team partners,” said Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “On behalf of the Canadian Olympic Committee, I am delighted to officially welcome Oakley to our Canadian Olympic family.”

“It is a tremendous honour for Oakley to be named the official high performance optical supplier to the Canadian Olympic Team,” said Hilary Hartley, General Manager of Oakley Canada. “As a company with a long history of supporting the dedication of Olympic athletes, we are proud of this partnership.”

“I’m so excited that Oakley is joining forces with the Canadian Olympic Team,” enthused four-time Olympic medallist and Chair of the COC’s Athletes’ Commission, Adam van Koeverden. “Oakley has been one of my greatest sponsors and supporters on and off the water for over a decade, and I think it’s an amazing opportunity for our athletes. In my opinion, Oakley makes the best eyewear on the planet, and like our world-class athletes, they are just as focused on being number one, so it’s a tremendous fit. I can’t wait to try out the new line.”

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) announced their partnership with Opel/Vauxhall Ampera as the official auto supplier for the 2013 World Triathlon Series races in Hamburg (July 20-21), Stockholm (August 24-25) and the final in London (September 11-15).

The environmentally friendly model will not only lead out the triathletes at all three events but also be used in shuttle services for dignitaries and VIPs.

Opel CEO explained how the Ampera is best suited to represent the ITU World Triathlon Series, saying: “Triathlon is a rapidly-growing Olympic sport. It requires serious ambition, absolute perfection and enormous versatility – values that our Ampera also ideally represents so we are delighted to be the only automaker to exclusively support the ITU World Triathlon Series in Europe with our emission-free electric vehicle.”

Marisol Casado, the ITU President and an IOC member also stated that the car fit well with the sport’s key values: “The Opel/Vauxhall Ampera delivers power and endurance in a sustainable format, which reflect triathlon’s core components, as well as key values for ITU. We are delighted to partner with a company that shares our same message.”

Catering provider Compass Group UK & Ireland has renewed its catering venture with Jockey Club Racecourses for Jockey Club Catering to continue for another six years.

This extension will see the partnership continue until at least 2025 and is worth an expected £300m in turnover.

Jockey Club Catering launched in 2009 with an initial ten-year partnership agreement to provide top quality catering, apoplectic | hospitality and service at The Jockey Club’s racecourses nationwide, medicine which include those at Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and Newmarket. 

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “Jockey Club Catering has taken our catering offer to another level and seen significant investments in new and upgraded facilities we offer customers on racedays and at our thousands of non-racing events staged at our venues every year. With this long-term deal I look forward to that going from strength-to-strength, such as through our forthcoming £45m planned development at Cheltenham Racecourse.”  

Colin Bailey, Managing Director for Sports, Leisure and Hospitality at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said:  “Over the past four years we have worked hard to build an excellent relationship with Jockey Club Racecourses and the customers we serve, something the continuation of our partnership demonstrates. Key to this are the aligned values of both organisations and a commitment to delivering the very highest quality of hospitality for our guests. We are extremely pleased to continue working with Jockey Club Racecourses and really excited about the future as we continue to develop our first-class hospitality together.” 

The KC Stadium,home to Hull City FC, has announced that long-term partner MKM Building Supplies is extending its sponsorship od the south stand for a further four years.

KC Stadium Commercial Manager Linton Brown said: “We are thrilled that MKM has agreed to extend its sponsorship of the South Stand and its fantastic relationship with Hull City Football Club.

“The company has sponsored the South Stand since the opening of the KC Stadium and this has made them a very big part of our success over the years. This latest deal will, of course, make them just as much a part of our ongoing success.

“Their dedication and commitment to Hull City has been invaluable and we would like to thank David Kilburn and MKM for their continued and amazing support.”

MKM Chief Executive David Kilburn said as a Hull company, sponsoring the city’s football team had always been an important part of MKM’s values of community engagement.

He said: “My belief has always been that a business is part of the community in which it operates and nothing bonds a community together better than getting behind a cherished sports team.

“Hull Tigers is such an important part of the fabric of the city and we value our relationship with the club highly, which is why we have chosen to extend our sponsorship.”

Mr Kilburn added that having a Premier League team in Hull does bring commercial advantages.

“It will mean a lot more fans coming to Hull and more extensive TV coverage,” he said.

“As MKM is a national business, about to open our 40th branch, that extra coverage will be valuable to us.”

Basketball Australia (BA) have announced a new partnership with Alanic International that will see the Australian owned company become BA’s Official Compression Partner, servicing the Women’s National Basketball League and high performance programs.

Under the four-year deal, Alanic International will supply its next generation compression range – the Cloak Series – to WNBLclubs, the Boomers and Opals, Emerging Boomers and Emerging Opals, the Emus and Gems Under 19 teams and the Under 17 boys and girls teams. 

Basketball Australia Chief Executive Officer Kristina Keneally said: “Alanic International has forged a worldwide reputation as the invisible hero of compression manufacturing, boasting a proven track record of manufacturing for industries, promotional companies and brands throughout the US, Australia and Europe,” Ms Keneally said.

“Now, Alanic International is bursting onto the world stage in its own right with its Cloak Series range, which will deliver top quality compression wear using the latest technology to our elite programs and WNBL clubs.

“Basketball Australia is excited to partner with Alanic International under this multi-year deal, and pleased to support our professional athletes’ performance and recovery needs with the highest quality, custom made compression gear.”

Kevin Painter, National Sales Manager of Alanic Asia Pacific said: “Basketball Australia has a proud record of success both on and off the court; the synergy between our two brands is perfect as BA builds for Rio 2016 and we continue to grow our global retail brand.

“We are inspired by the incredible talent, spirit and drive shown at all levels of Australian basketball, and we’re excited to provide BA’s athletes with the next generation of compression and recovery garments to ensure they can perform at their best.

“We will look to leverage from this partnership by exploring similar relationships with clubs and associations throughout Australia and the US with a focus on building strong brand recognition within the sport.”

Berlin printery Laserline has become the Official Partner of the BMW Berlin Marathon as well as other events organised by SCC Events.

The four-year partnership was brokered by the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, which supports SCC Events in sponsorship marketing and media rights distribution for the popular marathon event in the German capital.

On 29 September 2013, the BMW Berlin Marathon will celebrate its 40th anniversary – the 40,000 starting places for this year’s event were awarded already a year in advance and within only a few hours.

As the Official Print Partner of the event, Laserline will not only produce the 100-page anniversary program with a print run of 80,000 copies, but will also print the certificates for each event starter – from young sportsmen to top athletes. With 40,000 marathon runners, 10,000 students in the mini-marathon, 2,000 Bambini and 8,000 Inline-skaters, more than 60,000 total certificates will pass through Laserline printers.

As part of the Official Partner package, Laserlinewill receive advertising along the route as well as in print and online event publications. This is further complemented with participant starting places and an extensive hospitality contingent.

Tomislav Bucec, Managing Partner of Laserline, said: “The BMW Berlin Marathon has evolved over the years to become the most outstanding running event in Germany and attracts top international stars. At the same time, its course passes many of Berlin’s key attractions – it is more closely connected to the capital than most other sports events. As a local, but nationally operating company, we are especially pleased to be an Official Partner of SCC Events and part of the BMW Berlin Marathon, whilst also supporting other events organised by SCC Events in the region.”

Christian Jost, CEO of SCC Events, said: “With Laserline Infront has provided us with an Official Partner who – just like the BMW Berlin Marathon in the field of endurance sports – is a pioneer in the online printing business. The sustainable and down-to-earth philosophy of the company also fits, given that it is not only providing an essential service to our top mass sport event, but is additionally involved in other events such as the ‘Berliner Wasserbetriebe TEAM Relay’ and the ‘TÜV Rheinland Berlin Marathon Relay’.”