SealSkinz Announces Co-Sponsorship of Team Pearl Izumi / SealSkinz; World-Class Team Led by Rebecca Rusch to Compete in Adventure Racing World Championships.

Business Editors

DUARTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 2001

In another move broadening its growing appeal as the waterproof protection of choice for outdoor sports, SealSkinz(R) Waterproof Socks and Gloves today announced its co-sponsorship of a world-class team of athletes led by champion adventure racer Rebecca Rusch for the upcoming Discovery Channel World Championship Adventure Race.

The newly dubbed Team Pearl Izumi / SealSkinz recently qualified for the championship race with a first-place finish at the qualifying Appalachian Extreme Adventure Race in May of 2001. This is SealSkinz' first team title sponsorship in adventure racing.

"We are extremely excited about strengthening our relationship with an athlete of Rebecca's caliber in what will arguably be one of the world's most physically and mentally challenging sporting events this year," said Cole Williams, president and founder of Danalco. "SealSkinz has been a bedrock gear choice for outdoors and adventure racing enthusiasts. We believe this move will only deepen our standing as the premier gear choice for waterproof protection and comfort."

"I'm really excited about this partnership," said Rusch, Team Pearl Izumi / SealSkinz captain. "SealSkinz has been an important piece of gear for me for years and being part of their first team makes me very happy."

The Discovery Channel World Championship Adventure Race, the first race to offer a World Champion title to an adventure racing team, will be held in September 2001 in Switzerland. Teams are selected by performance at any of the five designated AR World Series events or by meeting the high-qualifying criteria.

"I'm feeling great about the team," Rusch said. "We've made a big commitment to this race and will be training together this summer. We know the competition in Switzerland will be super-tight, so we're going to make sure we're as ready as we can possibly be."

The accomplished team will bring more than their dominating Appalachian Extreme victory to Switzerland. Rusch finished fourth in the 1999 Eco-Challenge with a predominantly women's team and seventh in the 2000 Eco-Challenge. That team included Patrick Harper, an Alaskan river guide, who will be one of two navigators on Team Pearl Izumi / SealSkinz.

Harper and Rusch also placed seventh in the 2000 Raid Galoises, the highest placing in the history of the race for an All-American team. Harper and Rusch are also members of the national champion men and women's rafting teams, respectively.

Bill Mattison, the team's other navigator, has a white water career spanning 30 years. In 1998, he was part of the first American team to win an Eco-Challenge. He is Head Boatman of "Timberline Tours International Whitewater" and is currently Foreman and Avalanche Director of the Vail Ski Patrol.

The team will be training together this summer in Vail, Colo.

With the sport's explosive growth over the last few years and ensuing media interest with extreme and adventure racing, SealSkinz has become a staple of the adventure racing community. According to the United States Adventure Racing Association (USARA), the number of adventure races in the United States grew from 80 to almost 200 in the year 2000 alone. Bolstered by increased sales and media attention, SealSkinz elected to move beyond its traditional gear sponsorship and take a title sponsorship with a world-class team this year.

To learn more about the race, visit www.arworldchampionship.com.

SealSkinz(R) patented design features a Moisture Vapor Transpiration (MVT) membrane. This unique construction ensures complete dryness as perspiration escapes through the membrane while water is prevented from entering. Their stretch-to-fit, seamless design helps to forestall blisters and chafing even after hours of the harshest activities and SealSkinz Gloves with gripper dots allow for maximum gripping power and flexibility.

Founded in 1970 in Duarte, Danalco designs and manufactures high-performance, waterproof clothing for the outdoor, military and athletic markets. For sales information on SEALSKINZ products, see the company's Web site at www.danalco.com. To order SealSkinz products, call [phone]; fax [phone].

Note to Editors: SEALSKINZ(R) Waterproof Gloves and Socks are registered trademarks of Danalco and covered by U.S. patents. Danalco is an ISO 9002 certified manufacturer of waterproof gloves and socks.