Arena International, the world’s leading swimwear brand, is set to unveil the newest addition to the brand’s range of top-performing racing suits, and in the process raise the bar in the ongoing battle for high-end performance swimwear supremacy. The new POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro is the first racing suit to integrate a carbon cage into its design to deliver intelligent muscle compression, combined with unprecedented fit. The official unveiling ceremony is being held this afternoon at Auburn University, the site of the NCAA Division 1 Women's Swimming & Diving Championship. The announcement comes on the heels of Arena’s recent opening of its wholly-owned North American subsidiary in Portland, Oregon and is part of the Italian-based swimwear company’s plans to quickly grow its position in the U.S. market.

Olympic and world champion breaststroker, Rebecca Soni, in the new POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro (Photo: Business Wire)

Developed in collaboration with Kinetech Labs, the POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro is the product of meticulous research and development. It was engineered in response to feedback from athletes and coaches who were looking for a suit that had all the speed of Arena’s POWERSKIN R-EVO+ and POWERSKIN X-Glide in a lightweight fabric with superior compression to lend swimmers a competitive edge in their performance.

“This isn’t just a swimsuit – it’s a remarkable piece of technology. Revolutionary, really. I’ve been testing it in my workouts and have been thrilled with its performance and fit,” said U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist and London favorite, Rebecca Soni. “I am really looking forward to competing in it.”

A swimmer in motion is a dynamic form with complex requirements for support and compression. Compression in a competition suit is associated with increased support, efficiency and power, but high compression can have a restricting effect on movement. To deliver a breakthrough solution to the compression challenge, Arena has incorporated carbon fiber into the weave of the POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro fabric.

Known for its unique structural and mechanical properties, the carbon fiber locks down when and where a critical stretch level is reached, while retaining the suit’s elasticity. This delivers a ramp-up in compression on those specific overextended zones, increasing support and control when and where they are needed without detracting from the swimmer’s mobility.

“Arena’s commitment to optimizing function through innovative design and technology is the cornerstone of our organization,” said Cristiano Portas, Arena International CEO. “We are particularly proud to be launching the POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro as we forge into this new frontier of performance racing swimwear, helping elite athletes realize their maximum potential and set new records in 2012.”

About Arena

Since 1973, Arena has created and marketed Waterwear products for competitive swimmers and swimming fans worldwide, and is universally recognized as one of the premium brands of high-quality swimwear and equipment. Over the last 37 years, the company has developed strong expertise in developing best-in-class products with particular focus on the pool segment, while also gradually expanding into leisure and beachwear.

Arena has commercial subsidiaries in Italy, France, Germany, and the U.S., and also operates through a global network of distributors and licensees. The Arena brand is present in 106 countries worldwide, of which 95 are directly managed by the Arena Group (five through commercial subsidiaries and 90 through distributors and licensees), while in the Far East (11 countries) the brand is owned and managed by the Descente Group.

The company’s ties to the world of sport and swimming in particular are reinforced through sponsoring activities at different levels, including governing bodies, national federations, athletes, and clubs. For more information, please visit: www.arenausa.com and www.arenapowerskin.com

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