US Olympian Laura Bennett and Stephen Hackett of Australia Sign with Jamis Bikes

Jamis Bicycles has added two triathletes to its roster of professional athletes. Former US Olympian Laura Bennett and Stephen Hackett of Australia have signed with Jamis for the 2010 season. Jamis President Carine Joannou made the announcement.

“We are pleased to welcome Laura and Steve to Team Jamis,” said Joannou. “We’ve supported triathlete teams at the elite level for many years and are excited about putting our bikes to the test at the highest levels of the sport.”

A four-time medalist at the World Triathlon Championships, Bennett was the top American in the triathlon at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with a fourth place finish. Her achievements at the international level also include 11 World Cup medals and 28 Top 10 finishes.                                                                 
                                                      
In the US, Bennett won the prestigious Hy-Vee Triathlon ITU Des Moines World Cup in 2007, for which USA Triathlon honored her as Female Triathlete of the Year for the second year in a row. In 2009, Bennett captured her first 70.3 event (named for the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run), clinching the Ironman 70.3 in Augusta, GA in September. Highlights of last year also include first place finishes in the classic and Olympic distances at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon and a fifth place finish at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL.

Bennett will open the 2010 season with World Series events in Australia. In April, she will return to the US for a full schedule of competition, starting with the Olympic distance St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Petersburg, FL.

Like Bennett, an eight-time All-American swimmer at Southern Methodist University, Hackett started out as a competitive swimmer before pursuing cross-country running in his native Australia. Until recently, Hackett divided his time between construction work and triathlon training, achieving numerous top 10 results along the way. In 2006, Hackett finished third in the Los Angeles Triathlon behind fellow Aussies Greg Bennett (husband of Laura) and Craig Alexander. In 2008, he won the Memphis in May triathlon and last year distinguished himself with top five finishes at the Ironman 70.3 Kansas and Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3.

Now 27, Hackett is committed to training full-time under the guidance of Craig Alexander, himself a two-time World Champion. Hackett plans to specialize in the 70.3 format. His racing schedule for 2010 includes many of the major events in the Ironman 70.3 series, including the season-opening Ironman 70.3 Geelong in Australia.

In competition, Bennett and Hackett will be racing on Jamis Xenith T2 triathlon bikes. The ultra-aero bikes have been re-designed for 2010 to include a contoured seat tube for enhanced aerodynamics and improved power transfer and feature Jamis’ revolutionary Windshield fork that reduces aerodynamic drag by up to 10%.

About Jamis Bicycles

Jamis Bicycles rolled out the first Earth Cruiser bicycle in 1979 and has since built a reputation as a brand unmatched in performance, value, and style. Jamis Bicycles are sold in the US from coast to coast and in over 40 countries. A unit of G. Joannou Cycle, one of the oldest and largest bicycle companies in the US under original family ownership, Jamis is committed to advancing all forms of cycling. The company is the title sponsor of the Jamis/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Colavita and official bike sponsor of the Colavita/Baci Women’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light and the US Pro Tri Professional Triathlon Team. Jamis bikes are the choice of world-class riders in mountain biking and cyclocross, including Olympian Seamus McGrath, six-time Israeli National Champion Rotem Ishay, US champions George Ryan, Kathy Pruitt, and Jordie Lunn, and Jesse Anthony. The company also supports elite athletes through its partnership with Full Throttle Endurance and the GS Mengoni USA Cycling Team. Jamis is the Exclusive Bike Partner of Bicycling's BikeTown USA, presented by MetLife, and the company’s grant to Transportation Alternatives has made possible the largest bicycle valet program in New York City’s history. For more information, visit www.JamisBikes.com.