Salomon Enters 5-Year Ironman Partnership in Major Bet on Endurance Sports

The outdoor brand will use Ironman’s global stage to push deeper into road running, with exclusive footwear and apparel rights, and a 2027 title sponsorship

Salomon is making a major play in the endurance competition space, entering a new 5-year partnership with Ironman starting in 2027.

The outdoor brand, known for its Nordic skiing, hiking and road, trail and gravel running products, is investing more in endurance sports as a whole through the deal, which will give Salomon exclusive rights across performance footwear, apparel and technical bags.

Notably, Salomon will also become the Title Partner of the 2027 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

The brand will own the Ironman Running Course portion, as Salomon looks to deepen its involvement in the competitive road running market.

“It’s not just a logo that’s coming into a space, but really a chance for us to lean in with the product performance credibility with the athletes, lean into the dedicated community that already exists for Ironman,” Erin Cooper, Salomon North America’s marketing director of Performance & SportStyle, told Athletech News. 

“It allows us to have this global stage to spread awareness of the Salomon road performance products in particular,” Cooper added. “What’s really interesting about an Ironman event is that the run is the last part of it, it’s really the decisive part of the competition, and it becomes this symbol that there’s no compromise that the athletes have.”

Cooper pointed out that the brand has always been interested in supporting athletes who pursue multi-dimensional sports endeavors, sponsoring athletes including Olympic Nordic skier Jessie Diggins, world-renowned ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter and Ironman athletes, Casper Stornes (the reigning Ironman world champ), Marjolaine Pierré and Julie Iemmolo, with plans to expand its roster in 2027.

“Performing for a long time under demanding conditions is a space that we want to provide the best products to support the athletes to do that job,” Cooper said. “It became a natural place for us to explore the human limits of endurance.”

Salomon is locked in for six races in the U.S. and five in Europe starting next year, but Cooper added that the brand is looking to show up for the Ironman community beyond its logos and sponsorship presence at events. The outdoor brand is planning major activations in communities leading up to races with shakeout runs, panels and cheer zones throughout the course.

Cooper also revealed that New York and Los Angeles are key target cities to deepen its involvement in major running communities and events, as the brand looks to expand its retail stores — Salomon recently opened a location in NYC’s Flatiron neighborhood — to boost on the ground engagement. 

“We exist because we believe if we can get people outside in nature and in the community, that ultimately is going to unleash the best version of people,” Cooper said. “And to do that, they need incredible products to enable them. You’re going to continue to see the brand show up across all terrains.”