Both winners of the Ford Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii—and, in fact, every finisher of the race last Saturday—had something in common besides unwavering determination and an astounding level of fitness. They all wore sunglasses. That’s quite a change from a generation ago when most cyclists spurned them and it didn’t even occur to runners to protect their eyes.
Of course, sunglass technology has advanced tremendously since then—better lenses, lighter-weight frames that grip securely without excess pressure, and soft rubber nosepieces that allow shades to ride cozily where they belong with no bounce or slippage.
It was no great surprise that Oakley seemed to be the dominant eyewear of choice. Women’s winner Chrissie Wellington of England (above, Matthew Murray photo) wore a new model called Enduring—the first women’s-specific sport shade.
Men’s winner Craig Alexander of Australia (below/Matthew Murray photo) wore the venerable Oakley Radar. I also noted a smattering of Rudy Project, Nike, Specialized, and Foster Grant in the field as the athletes toiled in a fierce tropical sun and battled capricious crosswinds whipping across black-lava badlands.
Why the dominance of Oakley? It’s an iconic brand that pioneered those sport-shade innovations mentioned above. And, as the crew inside Oakley’s portable laboratory demonstrated for Ironman spectators, the company does exceptional R&D and quality control. The Rolling O showed Oakley’s outstanding performance in a series of ANSI tests for optical quality and impact resistance.
But the proof is really out under the sun. Craig Armstrong told me that he started wearing Oakley long before sponsors slid him free shades. “Down in Australia we’ve always had a consciousness about sun protection. I remember saving up for a pair of mirrored Frogskins. They were the best. I never wanted to wear cheap shades. I’m out in the sun so much—I really have to look after my eyes.”
Chrissie Wellington’s version of Enduring was actually a special-edition Pace Breast Cancer Awareness model in honor of her grandmother, who passed away recently. (Chrissie is pointing to the emblematic pink ribbon in the photo above.) She auctioned her shades after the race to raise money for breast cancer research.
Links
Enduring
Oakley Radar
