Wheaties® Box To Feature Ford Ironman World Champion For First Time Ever

My Mom used to buy Wheaties when I was a kid. Back when I was not athletic.   Now I know that athletic is not simply a gift.  It’s a state of being that anyone can acheive.   Do you have athletic dreams?   I say go for them.  Start now!

Here is a press release that I received today.  I am very excited to see a Triathlete featured on the box.  Altho, I do hope that Wheaties will also feature Mirinda Carfrae on the box!

WHEATIES^® BOX TO FEATURE FORD IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION FOR FIRST TIME EVER

Wheaties FUEL Launches Prepare to Win Tips from Ironman Competitors

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – (October 8, 2010) – Wheaties today announced the champion of the world’s most challenging endurance event, the Ford Ironman World Championship, will be featured on the famous orange box in the coming months.  This announcement marks the first time an Ironman World Champion has been honored with an appearance on a Wheaties box.

Chris McCormack finished the grueling 140.6-mile race in just over eight hours, at 08:10:37 to break through the finish line tape first of the approximately1800 of the world’s top professional and age group athletes competing in the 2010 championship event.  McCormack finished strong in the 2.4-mile swim with 51:36, and maintained a front position during his 112-mile cycle leg of 04:31:51.  He finished ahead of the competition with a 02:43:31 26.2-mile run.  This marks McCormack’s fourth top-10 finish and second championship at the Ford Ironman World Championship.  McCormack also holds five Ironman Australia titles.

“We are so excited to welcome Chris into the Wheaties family and celebrate his tremendous achievement in winning this highly competitive championship,” said Wheaties Marketing Manager Dan Stangler.  “The Ironman triathlon competitors are some of the toughest and most fit endurance athletes in the world, and each competitor to complete an Ironman competition is a champion in his or her own right. It is with great appreciation for what they do that we are showcasing a true Ironman champion on the Wheaties box.”

“Wheaties has long been known as the ‘breakfast of champions,’ which makes it an excellent choice for Ironman competitors,” said Ben Fertic, chief executive officer, Ironman.  “The state-of-the-art nutrition in Wheaties FUEL^® can help today’s world-class athletes train for success.”

Wheaties FUEL was chosen as the official cereal of the IronmanTriathlon because it provides balanced nutrition that helps athletes prepare to win. Wheaties Fuel provides a blend of carbohydrates: simple carbs for rapid supply of energy, complex carbohydrates from whole grain to provide long-lasting energy and help fuel working muscles, and fiber to curb hunger while limiting feelings of fullness. B-vitamins help unlock the energy contained in the carbohydrates. Wheaties FUEL also contains an excellent source of iron. Iron helps transport oxygen to working muscles. The cereal was developed by a team of elite athletes in various sports of triathlon (Hunter Kemper), decathlon (Bryan Clay), basketball (Kevin Garnett), baseball (Albert Pujols) and football (Peyton Manning), and a leading sports nutritionist (Dr. John Ivy, University of Texas) to help fuel wins. Proper nutrition is critical to reaching the highest levels of athletic performance. Each of us strive for our own wins every day. Wheaties FUEL can help you prepare for any challenge.

Wheaties FUEL, as a sponsor of the event, also unveiled Wheaties FUEL Prepare to Win Ironman nutrition tips from Ironman competitors from all over the world. The inaugural video is available to view on the Wheaties Facebook page, as well as on Wheaties.com. The brand has challenged Ironman athletes from around the globe to submit their nutrition tips via video submissions to the Wheaties Facebook page, to share their personal learnings with other athletes.

Wheaties FUEL will be supporting its role as the official cereal of the Ironman Triathlon with national television, print and online advertising.  The brand will also have on-site activation at upcoming Ironman events in the form of signage, sampling stations and a presence on the run course to help fans encourage their athletes through the finish.

About Ironman

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owner and organizer of the Ironman Triathlon, is a Florida-based company recognized for athletic excellence, performance and quality products. Each year, more than 120,000 athletes compete for coveted slots in either the Ford Ironman World Championship, held every October in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 held in Clearwater, Fla.  Throughout its 32-year history, Ironman has transformed from an event into a lifestyle and sports brand that includes licensed products and television production.  Ironman has global reach with more than 66 events worldwide and continues to inspire millions each year to establish goals and take on new personal challenges, demonstrating the Ironman mantra, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLEÔ.”  Millions may remember moments in Ironman history such as Julie Moss’ crawl to the finish line in 1982, which was showcased on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.  For more information on Ironman, visit www.ironman.com.

About Wheaties

Born out of a fortunate mistake in 1924, original Wheaties was created when a health clinician accidentally spilled a wheat bran mixture onto a hot stove.  The result was tasty, crispy wheat flakes that became known as Washburn’s Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes.  A year later, the cumbersome name was shortened to Wheaties.  Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was the first athlete featured on a Wheaties Box, when he appeared on the back cover in 1934.  In 1958, American champion pole-vaulter Bob Richards was the first person to appear on the front of the package, jumpstarting the phenomenon of “being on the Wheaties box,” which has since been graced by some of the greatest athletes of all time, including Bruce Jenner, Walter Payton, Mary Lou Retton, and many others.  To view a complete timeline of Wheaties Champions, visit www.wheaties.com.

For more information on Wheaties and the Wheaties FUEL evolution visit www.Wheaties.com. And, become a Breakfast of Champions fan on www.Facebook.com/Wheaties to receive exclusive content and more.

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The Breakfast of Champions, Wheaties and Wheaties Fuel are registered trademarks of General Mills.