In 2005, Chris “Macca” McCormack could look back on a strong triathlon career filled with victories and some dominating performances, but he had yet to achieve his loftiest and most important goal: conquering the Kona Ironman World Championship.
He had a history at Kona that fueled his desire to win even more. Back in 2002, during his first attempt at winning Kona, he led the race coming off the bike. But Kona’s infamous lava field sapped Macca’s energy and prevented him from finishing. In 2003, he finished in a respectable 9:32:11, but that was a long way back from the winner. In 2004, he experienced another setback and failed to finish. Then, in 2005, he broke through and was able to finish 6th. To Macca, the 6th place finish made him hungrier.
After the 2005 race, he knew he needed something more to help him make it to the podium. The heat in Kona was the thing that was holding him back. He set out to find the solution for the heat and, in 2006, he found Under Armour, the originator of performance apparel. Under Armour’s innovative engineering and exclusive fabrications keep athletes cool, dry and light in any conditions. Macca worked with Under Armour’s product development team to create the ultimate triathlon kit, which incorporated Under Armour’s premium HeatGear fabric and 100% custom construction focused on delivering exactly the fit and functionality the triathlete needed.
Wearing this new kit, Macca went on to take 2nd in Kona in 2006 after coming back from a 10-minute deficit off the bike to finish only 71 seconds behind the winner. Then, on a very hot day in 2007, Macca achieved his dream and won Kona, powered by Under Armour and a 2:42 marathon, one of the fastest in Ironman World Championship history. Clearly Macca’s heat issues in Kona were solved.
Now, Under Armour is bringing the ultimate triathlon kit to a broader audience: the 2009 Limited Edition Macca Replica Kit will be available directly from Under Armour beginning 6/18. Here are the technical details of the kit:
- The designers from Under Armour liken Macca to a superhero. His dedication, training, energy, and spirit sometimes seem unbelievable. So when it came time to decide on what the kit should look like, they thought about Spiderman and his amazing athleticism. They incorporated a spiderweb design into the kit and “bent” it, making it look faster and more abstract. They also blended lines from light to dark, signifying the adaptation to different environments that Macca faces.
- Under Armour HeatGear METAL, the brand’s ultimate fabrication, is built into the entire back of the kit, delivering unparalleled moisture management, ventilation, dry time, and lightweight performance.
- A 12-inch front zipper is sewn in to provide on-demand heat dumping capabilities.
- The shoulder width, arm pit holes, body length and exact fit are made specifically for a lean muscular form like Macca’s.
- The nutrition pockets on the back of the kit top are placed in the exact location and at the exact angle where Macca’s hand reaches back to retrieve his fuel, salt tabs or other necessary items while racing.
- MACCA is printed on the leg, along with a large Under Armour logo on the back.
- The pink ribbon on the left leg of the shorts is a nod to Macca’s mother who lost her life to breast cancer in 1999. He dedicated his 2007 Ironman World Championship win to her memory. 5% of the sale of each kit will go to Breast Cancer charities.
Click here to view or buy the Macca Replica kit on UnderArmour.com
