News Briefs: RKP adds salesman, more

Red Kite Prayer adds ad sales director
REDONDO BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—The publisher of the road cycling website RedKitePrayer.com has hired its first sales director as traffic booms.

Roger Wotton, a 19-year veteran of the bike industry, will direct sales from Portland, Oregon. Wotton spent three years at Cynergy, the Specialized Concept Store in Santa Monica, California, and was later store manager at Surf City Cyclery in Huntington Beach, another Specialized Concept Store.

Red Kite Prayer readership has more than doubled since Outside Magazine this fall named it the best blog in cycling, said publisher Patrick Brady. Brady also has hired veteran cycling journalist Charles Pelkey to write a regular column.

“I’m an old-school magazine guy and I’ve always believed in the church-and-state separation of advertising from editorial,” Brady said. “Roger will allow me to focus on what I can do (write) and keep me away from what I’m lousy at (ad sales and operations).

Champion System partners with Mid-Atlantic race series
Apparel maker Champion System is supporting the Mid-Atlantic Super Series of mountain bike races for 2012, supplying leaders’ jerseys, champions’ jerseys and other gear. The 12-year-old series includes events in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. Champion says it works with more than 10,000 teams and clubs in the U.S.

Endura opens 200 new U.S. dealers in 2011
PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN)—Clothing supplier Endura USA says it has opened 200 new U.S. dealers this year. Jim McFarlane, founder and managing director of Endura USA’s Scottish parent company, said, “We are extremely pleased with the results for 2011, and we would like to congratulate our team in the US on their success. We would also like to thank all our dealers for their support of the brand and for the trust that they put into us.” Endura offers dealers a stock rotation plan that allows them to return unsold current products to the company and exchange them for new stock.

Jamis sponsors triathlete Bella Luxford
NORTHVALE, NJ (BRAIN)—Jamis Bicycle will be sponsoring Australian triathlete Belkla Luxford for 2012. Luxford, 29, will race on the Jamis Xenith SL road bike and Xenith T2 time trial/triathlon bike. Luxford won the 2011 Boulder Peak 5150 Triathlon in Boulder, Colorado, earlier this year. She was third at the 2011 Dallas US Open and fourth at the 2011 LA Triathlon.

Dahon launches new website
DUARTE, CA (BRAIN)—Folding bike maker Dahon is launching a new website at www.dahonbikes.com. The new URL has been launched and the company plans to redesign the site’s structure in February. By next September, the site will include a secure log-in area for dealers, distributors, and media; an interactive community network; a dealer locator and online customer support. Dahon is headquartered in California with offices and plants around the world.