PYEONGCHANG 2018: The Australian Olympic Committee, Karbon and XTM Performance were today joined by the first athletes selected onto the Australian Winter Olympic Team to unveil the Opening Ceremony jacket for PyeongChang 2018.
On hand to model the platinum jackets with gold trim and green print were figure skaters Kailani Craine, Harley Windsor and Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, who have all been selected to make their Olympic debuts in February next year.
Karbon, which has supported Australian winter athletes since 1993 and the Australian Olympic Team since 2006, is once again outfitting the Team for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. Karbon will provide the Australian team with all Competition and Delegation uniforms, including the Opening Ceremony and Podium wear.
Karbon has designed and engineered the uniforms to be leading edge; providing the athletes with maximum comfort, performance, and protection from the harsh elements of winter.
Chef de Mission of the 2018 Team, Ian Chesterman, said the major goal of the Opening Ceremony jacket design was functionality and style.
“The Opening Ceremony jacket is a fashion garment, created to withstand the extreme weather conditions of PyeongChang. Athlete comfort was paramount,” Chesterman said.
“We have deliberately moved away from the traditional green and gold, and have tried to reflect the youthful demographic of this Team.
“We wanted the athletes to stand out, be comfortable and look great on mass as a Team when they enter the Olympic stadium.”
In their fourth Games as an Official Supplier, Australian snow and outdoor brand XTM Performance will also be providing accessories to the 2018 Team with an array of competition-grade gloves, socks, thermal layers and bags, as well as technical footwear and a 100% Woolmark certified Australian Merino ‘Woolzy’ which were both unveiled with the Opening Ceremony jacket at Thursday’s launch.
The Torquay-based company designs and manufactures the technical kit which incorporates world class fabric innovation including 100% Woolmark Certified Australian Merino which is biodegradable, sustainable, animal friendly and natural.
XTM is also the only true Aussie brand to work with Gore-Tex in gloves, a global leader when it comes to moisture control technology which will be important for the athletes competing in South Korean climates in February next year.
XTM Founder, Pete Forras has strong relationships with the athletes and is an Australian Olympian himself having competed in downhill skiing and downhill combined in the 1988 Games in Calgary.
“It is such an honour to be the only Australian snow brand making gear for such an amazing group of athletes to compete at the Games,” Forras said.
“We are lucky to work with these guys all year round and incorporate their feedback into our products to make sure they have gear they love and that will help them do their best at the Games.”
Olympic debutant Kailani Craine has an eye for fashion as she designs all her own figure skating costumes, and said the Opening Ceremony jacket ticks all her boxes.
“I absolutely love the design of our Opening Ceremony jacket,” the 19-year-old said.
“I love the silver colour that we are wearing this year and I feel like the yellow zip colour is a really nice touch. I love all my Karbon jackets that I've been given from the Olympic Winter Institute, so I knew that I would immediately love our gear for PyeongChang.”
Craine has been dreaming of becoming an Olympian since she was an eight-year-old, and wearing the Australian Olympic crest at the Opening Ceremony will be a very special moment.
“Leading up to the Olympic qualifying competition I had a notebook with all of my workouts and training schedule, and I drew the Olympic Rings about a thousand times in there as a motivation to train hard and give every session 110%.
“So to be able to wear this very special jacket at the Opening Ceremony in PyeongChang makes me so proud.”
olympics.com.au
