GU Launch Roctane Energy Drink

GU Energy have just launched their new Roctane Energy Drink, there's no word on UK availability yet but it's interesting to see what new products are coming down the line.

Roctane Energy Drink is a carbohydrate intensive energy drink for ultra distance and intense efforts. It contains the critical carbs and electrolyte replenishment that ultra endurance athletes need to compete at high levels. And it comes in a super light tasting, easy to mix formula for fueling hour after hour after hour. It also contains caffeine, taurine, and beta-alanine to help increase performance, by decreasing perceived effort, helping to prevent heart and muscle fatigue, and increasing muscle buffering capacity.

Each serving contains 240 calories of complex and simple carbs that is optimized for rapid absorption and energy accessibility and key electrolytes such as sodium and potassium so you can get your calories and hydration all in one drink. Here’s a breakdown of Roctane Energy Drink’s key performance ingredients:

• Ideal carbohydrate ratio - Unique ratio of complex and simple carbohydrates are podium-proven to better maintain glucose levels than simple or complex carbs alone 
• Key electrolytes - Sodium and potassium properly maintain hydration Taurine - Can help maintain heart and muscle performance during prolonged exercise which would otherwise lead to fatigue and decreased performance 
• Caffeine (except grape flavor) - Stimulates the central nervous system and reduces pain perception leading to prolonged exercise, delayed fatigue and increased performance 
• Beta-Alanine & Histidine – Helps buffer acid caused by going over lactate threshold; amino acids help prevent muscle damage and aid with muscle recovery 
• Branch Chain Amino Acids (Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine) – Shown to serve as an additional fuel source (when taken with carbohydrates), reduce muscle damage, enhance recovery and delay fatigue – all critical during intense or long efforts 

Whilst the new Roctane drink contains many of the same elements as the populer GU Roctane Energy Gel the two have been designed to work together and compliment each other.

If you already use Roctane gel, you can substitute some Roctane gel for Roctane energy drink. This will help tailor energy intake to your needs and provide the beneficial ingredients found in both the gel and drink. While many ingredients are similar in the two products (carbohydrates, branched chain amino acids, histidine, and caffeine) each has unique ingredients which may also help improve performance (gel – OKG for muscle recovery, vitamin E as an antioxidant; drink – taurine to help heart and muscle function, beta-alanine to help increase muscle buffering capacity). Therefore, using both products will help provide every nutritional advantage possible to athletes who demand the best from themselves and their nutrition. For many athletes, all they may need during prolonged exercise is one 21oz bottle of Roctane drink and 1 Roctane gel per hour for 340 calories and extra nutritional support to maximize performance.

SiS to fuel GB Rowing Team

Sports nutrition brand SiS has signed a new five-year deal to continue as the Official Supplier of Sports Drinks and Sports Nutrition of the GB Rowing Team. The partnership renews SiS’s commitment to the high-performance arm of British Rowing, a relationship which was launched in 2009 since when the Team has won 15 World Championship Gold medals.

As a result of the partnership, SiS will continue to provide all of the GB Rowing Team’s Senior, Adaptive and top Development rowers with the nutrition they require to ‘prepare, perform and recover’ in their gruelling training and competition regimes until the end of 2016. This includes a full range of nutritional products for hydration, energy and recovery, all developed by SiS’s highly-trained team of sports scientists, food technologists and physicians.

GB Rowing Team Performance Director David Tanner CBE commented, “We are an ambitious team and know that the rest of the world will raise their game in London so winning medals will be tough. As host nation, and a leading rowing nation, we will be a target for the rest of the world. I am confident that our rowers – with our outstanding coaches and team support – are in good shape for the Games and will do us proud on home waters in front of a passionate home crowd at Eton-Dorney in July and August”.

“Nutrition is a key part of this, and we’re thrilled to have SiS’s continued support. We have worked with them for a number of years, and they are incredibly proactive in working with our nutritionists to develop new products specific to our needs to help get the best out of our rowers.”

SiS Sales Director Tim Lawson said of the partnership, “We’re really pleased to be working with the GB Rowing Team for another five years. A key aspect of this relationship for us is development, and we’re keen not only to support the Seniors who did us proud at the World Championships earlier this year, but also the younger rowers coming up through the ranks. We look forward to working with and supporting all of these individuals in the next five years to contribute to the long-term success of the GB Rowing Team.”

SiS to help develop new British talent with Rapha Condor Sharp

Sports nutrition brand SiS has signed a new two-year deal to continue as Official Supplier of Sports Drinks and Sports Nutrition to Rapha Condor Sharp, the number-one-ranked British Continental cycling team.

The partnership renews a relationship which was launched in 2008 and which in the last year alone has seen major U.C.I. wins in Africa, Asia and Europe as well as an overall win in the Halfords Tour Series.

SiS will continue to provide all of Rapha Condor Sharp’s cyclists with the nutrition they require to ‘prepare, perform and recover’ in their gruelling training and competition regimes until the end of 2013. This includes a full range of nutritional products for hydration, energy and recovery, all developed by SiS’s highly-trained team of sports scientists, food technologists and physicians.

After a number of successful years, Rapha Condor Sharp has this year decided to pursue a change in direction, with youth development the central focus for the team moving forward. SiS Founder Tim Lawson commented, “We have partnered Rapha Condor Sharp during some incredibly successful years and we now fully support the team’s commitment to the development of young British talent. This is an exciting time for the team and we’re thrilled to be on board again. We look forward to contributing to the progress of young riders such as Felix English and Mike Cuming and are equally pleased to continue working with such talented individuals as Ed Clancy MBE and Andrew Tennant.”

Rapha Condor Sharp Directeur Sportif John Herety commented, “Despite the number of new young riders in the squad, we will be training and competing just as intensely this year, so rider welfare is key. The larger squad this year means that the younger riders will have more room to recover, but nutrition is also crucial. We’ve worked with the sports scientists at SiS for a number of years and we will continue to rely on their products to make sure our riders are getting the best nutrition available.”

Hosting Upgrades

Our web host is upgrading their routers this evening, we're expecting a short period where the website will be unavailable at around 10pm.

ZipVit to fuel BMC Racing

ZipVit have announced they'll be sponsoring the BMC Racing Team in 2012. Full press release below -

We are proud to announce BMC Racing Team will be fuelled exclusively by Zipvit Sport after signing a three year deal this week. Beginning in 2012, riders will use the entire Project ZV range and work closely with Zipvit Sport on new product development.

Zipvit Sport CEO Warren Bailey said the company is proud to be chosen as the nutritional partner of one of the top ProTeams, whose roster includes Tour de France champion Cadel Evans.

“We look forward to working closely with the BMC Racing Team over the coming seasons,” Bailey said. “The progressive approach we have in working with teams and using their feedback and experience to drive development ensures we continue to produce advanced sports nutrition to maximize performance in endurance sports at all levels.”

BMC Racing Team President and General Manager Jim Ochowicz said Zipvit Sport will play an integral role for the team in races of all types around the globe.

“Fulfilling the nutritional needs of pro cyclists is one of the most important aspects of the sport,” Ochowicz said. “Whether it’s a one-day classic or a three-week grand tour, we will rely on Zipvit Sport to keep our riders fully fueled and hydrated in all kinds of weather conditions.”

World Record for Alfie

Earlier in the year we were asked to support 'Alfie' who would be running the London Marathon for Guide Dogs for the Blind, little did we know he'd turn out to be a Guiness World Record Holder!

Well done to Wendy Shaw, I'm sure Alfie couldn't have done it without her  :-)

Awesome Asics Advert...

Just seen this Asics advert with Olympic marathon runner Ryan Hall which challenges people to try and keep up with his marathon pace for 60 feet...

Website Upgrades

We'll be upgrading our website later this week (starting 16th November), whilst we're hoping to keep disruption to a minimum, however, the store is likely to be unavailable for a short period.

All orders and deliveries will continue to be processed as normal during the upgrade.

Night of the Knobbly Tread

If you're free on Saturday evening and fancy some night time mountain bike racing then check out West Drayton MBC's Night of the Knobbly Tread event. Press release with event details below -

This Saturday it’s the West Drayton’s night time short cross country racing at Black Park Country Park, the event features two classes, open for those experienced in cross country racing and fun for those new to mountain biking and the exhilaration of racing in the dark.

Start times are 7pm for the fun class and 7:50pm for the open event which will incorporate a veterans class, the racing at this popular venue is expected as always to produce close racing round the fast and tight circuit with the tracks in superb condition.

Generous sponsorship will see some good prizes given out, thanks to sponsorship from Beyond Mountain Bikes, Exposure and Payfones, with the men and women’s open winner taking home a rugged Land Rover mobile phone valued at £400 each.

Exposure are not only providing some prizes but will also be on site to give out advice on lights and also will be hiring out lights to those needing a bit more candle light.

Pre entry closes Wednesday night but entry on the day will available.

Online entry available at www.blackparkraces.co.uk

Clif Shot Energy Gel and Turbo Energy Gel Now In Stock

We've just received stock of the new Clif Shot Energy Gel and Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gel.

The Clif Shot Gel is available in Chocolate, Citrus or Razz with the Chocolate and Citrus being caffeine free whilst the Razz provides a mild 25mg of caffeine boost. The Turbo Energy Gel is only available in Double Expresso flavour and packs 100mg of caffeine per sachet which we believe is the highest caffeine content of any gel (100mg is roughly equivalent to an espresso coffee).

Which ever flavour you go for you're getting 100 calories per 34g sachet to provide a quick energy hit along with essential electrolytes to aid proper hydration. The gels have been available in the US for sometime and based on customer feedback they now feature a new thinner consistency making them easy to eat.

We've tried them, the flavours are good, it seems the consistency varies a bit by flavour and depends on how warm you keep them, they're thicker than an SIS Go Gel or High 5 Isogel but not as thick as a GU Energy Gel.

Like most Clif products the Shot Gels contain no artificial flavours or sweeteners and are made from 90% organic ingredients (85% for the Turbo Gel)

One neat feature is the "Litter Leash" packaging which basically keeps the tear tab attached to the packet after you open them so helps reduce litter.

The gels are available in single sachets or 24 packs and we're also offering mixed flavour packs.

Clif Shot Energy Gels
Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gels