The recently introduced Breitling squad concept consist in bringing together three individuals who have reached the pinnacles of their professions. Following the Cinema Squad (Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Adam Driver and Daniel Wu), the Surfers Squad (Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons and Kelly Slater) and the Explorers Squad (Bertrand Piccard, David de Rothschild and Inge Solheim), Breitling introduces its Triathlon Squad made up of Jan Frodeno, Chris McCormack et Daniela Ryf. Triathletes are among the most remarkable of all athletes, as they have to be able to deliver world-class performances, not only in a single discipline but as swimmers, cyclists, and runners.
The members of this new Squad add their own unique character and strengths to this ongoing story. They have claimed more than a dozen world championships among them in triathlon and Ironman events, and one of them was an Olympic gold medalist. These top athletes have set benchmarks in their fields, which makes them a perfect match for Breitling. These three athletes have proven that they are masters of multiple disciplines, and now, with a specially selected challenge, they will have a chance to show what they can accomplish when they work together.
Their first mission together is the following : they will participate in the Coronation Double Century, an endurance road cycling event in Swellendam, South Africa, at the end of November 2018. There, along with Breitling CEO Georges Kern and about 30 other Breitling cyclists, they will be raising money for a good cause.
But who are these three outstanding athletes ?
Jan Frodeno
German triathlete Jan Frodeno claimed the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and won back-to-back Ironman World Championships in 2015 and 2016. He was the first triathlete – male or female – to win both the Olympic triathlon gold medal and the Ironman World Championship title. He set the world record for the long distance in July 2016 with a time of 7:35:39. Something to think about: after swimming almost four kilometers and riding a bicycle for 180 kilometers at an average speed of almost 44 km/h, Jan Frodeno ran a full marathon in 2:39:18!
Chris “Macca” McCormack
Chris McCormack is an Australian triathlete who has distinguished himself with two Ironman World Championship titles (2007 and 2010) and wins in the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup Series, Olympic Distance World Championships, and Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. “Macca” competed in his first triathlon while at college, and won two Australian Junior Triathlon titles. He started competing internationally in 1996, and, at the end of his first year as a professional, was ranked among the top ten in the world. The following year, he was ranked number one, a position he held for a total of more than 26 months. In 2002, he switched his focus to Ironman competitions and became one of the sport’s greatest champions.
Daniela Ryf
Daniela Ryf is one of the world’s most successful and celebrated triathletes, having won the Ironman World Championship in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2014, 2015, and 2017. Alongside her own sporting achievements, she has worked with the Spirit Academy and Swiss Triathlon to create a performance center committed to providing young athletes with outstanding training while they remain committed to academic development.
