PR88801

KOBE, Japan, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

ASICS is today announcing not one but two high-performance running shoes that

take the power of human-centric design to the next level.

In an industry first, the METASPEED(TM)Sky and METASPEED(TM)Edge running shoes

have each been scientifically designed with a distinct type of running style in

mind. The new racing shoes help elite athletes to reach the top of their game,

because they don’t have to adjust their running style to fit the shoe anymore;

instead, ASICS is giving them high-performance shoes that support their running

style.

METASPEED(TM): Taking human-centric design to the next level

METASPEED(TM) Sky and METASPEED(TM) Edge see ASICS set the standard for

human-centric design in 2021.

The unique design story behind the two new shoes centers on a crucial insight

by scientists at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS). They recognized

that the type of shoes powering the world’s fastest were only favoring one type

of runner - STRIDE runners - those with a long-loping gait with large periods

spent airborne who increase their speed by extending their stride length.  

ASICS research however showed that these shoes do not fully support elite

athletes who prefer the second major running style – CADENCE, which features

smaller steps made while hovering over the ground with minimal up and down

motion. Crucially, these runners increase their speed by both extending their

stride length and increasing the number of steps they take per minute.

The sports scientists at the ISS were able to measure that athletes perform

better when running in shoes that are optimized for their running style.

Addressing the challenge, ASICS has created the METASPEED(TM) Sky model for

STRIDE runners and METASPEED(TM) Edge model for those with a CADENCE style -

both specially optimized and proven to improve runner performance for each of

the two major running styles[1].

The launch of METASPEED(TM) Sky and METASPEED(TM) Edge shoes means that runners

will no longer have to adjust their running style to suit the shoe they’re

wearing. With initial tests from ASICS already showing the METASPEED(TM)

innovation could help reduce the number of steps for a runner to finish a

marathon by over 1.2%[2], it will give all elite runners the opportunity to

reach peak performance.

METASPEED(TM) Sky

The METASPEED(TM) Sky racing shoe is designed to help runners go faster by

extending their stride length considerably. Stride-type runners take a longer

stride once they start increasing their speed. Thanks to an energetic FF Blast

Turbo(TM) midsole foam and a propulsive carbon plate, runners wearing these

shoes will be able to conserve more energy while maintaining their pace at the

later stages of the race.

METASPEED(TM) Sky is available from 31 March 2021.

METASPEED(TM) Edge

The METASPEED(TM) Edge racing shoe is designed to help cadence-type runners go

faster by extending their stride length while allowing them to control cadence

more easily. Cadence-type runners increase both cadence and stride as they run

faster. The shoe is built on a different stack height and midsole geometry

using the same components as the METASPEED(TM) Sky. The shoe allows runners to

elongate their stride and conserve more energy while controlling their pace.

METASPEED(TM) Edge is available from 4 June 2021.

The METASPEED(TM) has been developed and tested with some of the world’s top

athletes. Sara Hall tested an early prototype at the 2020 London Marathon and

set a personal best of two hours, 22 minutes and one second, improving her

previous personal best by 15 seconds. Earlier in March 2021, top athletes

Julien Wanders, Sondre Nordstad Moen and Mario Mola announced they have joined

team ASICS and will run in METASPEED(TM)Sky.

Innovation Summit: YOUR LAB, your way

The shoes were unveiled at ASICS’ Innovation Summit 2021 – the brand's annual

showcase of the very pinnacle of new performance sportswear. This year ASICS

hosted its first ever, fully personalized experience, taking guests on an

interactive virtual reality journey through the past, present and future of the

ASICS story and its longstanding commitment to human-centric design. The

experience culminated in the grand reveal of its ground-breaking METASPEED(TM)

innovation - the latest era-defining moment in this journey.

http://www.asics.com/innovationsummit

President & Chief Operating Officer of ASICS, Yasuhito Hirota said: “At ASICS

we are driven by our founding principle: we want to help everyone achieve a

sound mind in a sound body through sport. At the heart of this philosophy is an

unwavering belief in the power of human-centric design to create products that

deliver the perfect balance of peak performance and protection for every kind

of athlete. With the pandemic placing huge restrictions on competitive sport

across the globe, this longstanding obsession of ours has become supercharged

for 2021. This year's Innovation Summit and launch of METASPEED(TM) stands as a

symbol of our continued commitment to help elite athletes achieve their

potential, while cementing ASICS’ status as a pioneer of innovation in the

running sector.”

NOTES FOR EDITOR

1 Based on research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in

January 2021 which proved that STRIDE runners perform better in METASPEED(TM)

Sky and Cadence runners in METASPEED(TM) Edge.

2 Based on research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in

January 2021. Calculation is based on the average number of steps taken by

Stride runners when wearing the METASPEED(TM) Sky shoe over the course of a

marathon compared to ASICS’ previous pinnacle racing shoe, METARACER(TM).

Source: ASICS