Melanie McQuaid to Ride in Descente in 2007

BOULDER, CO — April 10, 2007 — When it comes to sponsorship, Descente has a rich history of supplying the world’s best athletes with the world’s finest sports apparel. The exclusive apparel supplier to the number one ranked professional cycling team, Team CSC, and top American Ironman, Cam Widoff, Descente announced today the signing of Xterra World Champion, Melanie McQuaid.

No stranger to success, Melanie McQuaid is the only woman to have won the Xterra Triathlon World Championships three times. She has placed no worse than second at every race on the Xterra USA Championships tour for the last four years. When asked why she chose Descente to be her official apparel supplier for 2007, McQuaid said,

“Descente has been making the best cycling clothing for years. I am very lucky to have them making gear for me for both cycling and triathlon. Not only does the Descente line fit incredible but it is cut beautifully with the highest quality fabrics. Descente’s women’s clothing is not just a scaled men’s version, it is a women’s specific design, which means the comfort and fit is second to none. This is going to be my best looking and fitting race kit ever.”

As the official apparel supplier to the Xterra World Champion, McQuaid will race exclusively in Descente’s dimpled and wind tunnel tested, Aero-XT triathlon collection.

To learn more about Descente Athletic, visit www.descenteathletic.com. To find out more information regarding Xterra World Champion, Melanie McQuaid, visit www.racergirl.com.

The legendary Descente brand was established almost 70 years ago when Takeo Ishimoto opened his first shop in Osaka, Japan and began to specialize in athletic apparel. In 1953, Descente made a full-fledged entry into skiwear with the introduction of the first stretch-style ski pant. Descente’s brand was forever emblazoned upon the American psyche when Eric Heiden won five gold medals in the 1980 Winter Olympics wearing the now-famous hooded, yellow, skin-tight speedskating suit. Descente has equipped numerous world-class athletes and teams, including the ground-breaking 7-Eleven Cycling Team, the first US team to compete in the Tour De France. More recently Descente has been supplier to Team CSC and more than 30 Olympic teams, including the Canadian speedskating teams and the Swiss alpine teams.

Axcent Sports was formed by industry veteran and former pro bike racer Hugh Walton in September 2002 to license and distribute Descente Athletic apparel in North America, for the sports categories of Cycle, Run and Fitness, among others. Descente North America will continue to focus upon the design, development and distribution of snow-sport apparel in North America under the Descente and DNA brands.