January 17, 2011 – (Portland, Oregon, USA, and London, England) – Hi-Tec Sports, a leading outdoor footwear and apparel brand, today announced it is petitioning the International Olympic Committee to have “Liquid Mountaineering” officially recognized as an Olympic sport and considered for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.

In 2010, Hi-Tec brought to the world’s attention the thrilling new sport of Liquid Mountaineering. The sport achieves what man has tried to do for centuries: walk, or more precisely, run on water.

“Liquid Mountaineering is a dangerous, competitive new sport for the elite athlete with extensive training in the craft. It’s thrilling to watch, as more than 8 million viewers have already discovered on YouTube,” said Erika Bruhn, Marketing Director, North America for Hi-Tec Sports.  “Liquid Mountaineering is a new sport that requires running very fast on the water, hitting the water on a slight curve, and skimming on the water like a rock, with the first step being critical. It takes much more skill than many current competitive sports.”

For nearly a year, Liquid Mountaineering has caused a global ripple effect in online media, such as Facebook and YouTube, with more than 8,350,000 views on YouTube alone.  The sport was championed in Europe by Ulf Gartner and brought to prominence by a team of elite athletes including Miguel Delfortrie,  Sebastian Vanderwerf, and is now being enjoyed in competitions in North and South America and the Asia-Pacific.
Hi-Tec will be at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market tradeshow in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 20-23, 2011, collecting signatures for the historical petition and to encourage the first group of adventure activists to get involved.

Hi-Tec also announced it is creating a digital petition on facebook.com/HiTecUSA for people to sign and show their support for the sport in 2012. All of those who sign the petition will be entered to win Liquid Mountaineering gear and Hi-Tec prizes.

The first 200 people who show their support at Outdoor Retailer will receive a Liquid Mountaineering starter kit that includes a water bottle and sticker and will be entered to win the official USLMT (Hi-Tec Liquid Mountaineering Team) uniform: a Hi-Tec Men’s Roaring River Softshell Jacket or Women’s Hanks Canyon Down Vest, complete with an official Liquid Mountaineering badge. Drawings will take place daily at the Hi-Tec booth #32119 and a total of eight prizes will be awarded. Winners will be notified at the Hi-Tec booth #32119 and via email.

For more information about Liquid Mountaineering, visit www.facebook.com/HiTecUSA.

About Hi-Tec Sports
Founded in 1974 by company Chairman Frank van Wezel, and with annual sales exceeding $250 million, Hi-Tec created the lightweight hiking category with the introduction of the Sierra Sneaker and Sierra Lite hiking boot. Today, Hi-Tec remains true to its heritage, offering technical footwear and apparel for outdoor adventure. With over three decades of product and performance technology innovation, Hi-Tec is committed to making rugged, durable products for work, trails and life, authentically inspired by the real outdoor experience.

Hi-Tec Sports USA is a subsidiary of Hi-Tec Sports, PLC, London, England. Hi-Tec products are sold in over 70 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.hi-tec.com and follow us on facebook.com/hitecusa and twitter/hitecusa.