US SAILING AND NIKON EXTEND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
SUPPORTING US SAILING TEAM

Portsmouth, R.I. (April 26, 2006) – US SAILING, national governing body of the sport, and Nikon, Official Supplier of the US Sailing Team, have renewed their partnership, bringing increased support to the members of the US Sailing Team and its coaches, as well as to US SAILING, which manages the Team. The new agreement runs through 2008, providing extra support to the athletes eyeing a spot on the team that will represent the U.S. in China during the summer of 2008.

Through this valuable partnership, the US Sailing Team will be provided with high-tech binoculars and digital cameras, as well as additional support. This is the first time the partnership has been increased since Nikon first became a sponsor of the US Sailing Team in 2000.

“US SAILING and the US Sailing Team are thrilled to partner with Nikon,” said US SAILING’s Marketing Director Dan Cooney. “Nikon’s optical performance is legendary and this is another example of the best companies in the world helping the best sailors and coaches in the world compete and achieve great results in the years leading up to the competition in China in 2008 and beyond.”

“Nikon is proud to have a direct impact on the impressive results of these world-class sailors,” said Randy Garrison, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Nikon Sport Optics. “We’re looking forward to a continuing relationship between Nikon and US SAILING for years to come.”

“Being able to use Nikon’s binoculars is great for the US Sailing Team coaches,” said US SAILING’s High Performance Director Gary Bodie, who is also Head Coach for the US Sailing Team. “During a race, coaches are not allowed to get too close to the race course and the binoculars allow us to see what our sailors and competitors are doing. The StabilEyes image stabilizing binocular is incredible when we're in the coachboat.”

About Nikon
Nikon Inc. is the U.S. distributor of Nikon sports and recreational optics, world-renowned Nikon 35mm cameras, digital cameras, speedlights and accessories, Nikkor lenses and electronic imaging products. For more information, visit www.nikonsportoptics.com.

About US SAILING
The US Sailing Team is managed by US SAILING. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.  

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