- Kia Canada sponsored Team Canada wins Gold Medal at 2012 Fulda Challenge
- Team Canada represented by Calgary couple Ryan Smith and Chantal MacKenzie and awarded a 2012 Kia Sportage for their achievement
- Kia Canada supplied 22 vehicles as the official vehicle sponsor of the event
CALGARY, March 16, 2012 /CNW/ - Kia Canada's sponsored team conquered the competition at the 12th annual Fulda Challenge to claim the Gold Medal for Canada. The Fulda Challenge is an annual extreme arctic adventure where competitors from all over the world come to the Yukon to test their strength, determination and endurance against the harshest of conditions.
Over a six day span, the Fulda Challenge pitted Canada against teams from Germany, Austria and Switzerland through 10 difficult events designed to challenge the athletes in the severest winter elements.
Kia Canada supported the Fulda Challenge as the official vehicle sponsor in 2012, showcasing the capable, versatile ability of both award winning Compact Utility Vehicles, the 2012 Kia Sorento and Sportage. Kia Canada supplied ten Sportage EX Luxury with all-wheel drive and twelve Sorento EX Luxury and SX models with all-wheel drive.
To commemorate the victory, Kia surprised the Calgary couple, Ryan Smith and Chantal MacKenzie, one of the EX Luxury Sportages they used to win the Fulda Challenge. The acclaimed Sportage has been recognized as the Auto123.com '2012 Compact Utility of the Year', a 2012 Top Saftey Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), while in 2011 the Sportage was crowned Motoring TV's 2011 'Car of the Year' and awarded two design awards, from the Automotive Brand Contest (ABC) and iF Product Design, respectively.
"Team Canada boldly approached the Fulda Challenge with determination, perseverance and motivation, in true Kia Canada style," said Robert Staffieri, Director of Marketing Kia Canada Inc. "In honour of Team Canada being victorious at the Fulda Challenge, we were proud to present them with their official 2012 Fulda Challenge Kia Sportage as a token of our appreciation for representing Canada and Kia at the highest level."
Kia Canada awarded the vehicle to the marital Team Canada couple at Kia City in Calgary, AB, nearby where they currently reside. Kia Canada collaborated with Bradford Productions to develop a one-hour documentary, chronicling Team Canada's victory, training and experiences throughout the challenge, which will air Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at 7 p.m. ET on TSN2, repeating on Saturday, April 21st, 2012 at 6 p.m. ET on TSN2, Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at 7 p.m. ET on TSN2 and Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. ET on TSN.
For photos, you can contact Daniel Ponzini at [email protected] or 905-755-6415.
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Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca - www.facebook.com/kiacanada) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) in Korea was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte and Sorento through a network of 174 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 156 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada. Kia Motors Corporation continues to showcase the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.
Kia Canada Inc. Media Contacts:
Cathy Laroche
Public Relations Manager
(C): 514.554.0843
e-mail: [email protected]
Daniel Ponzini
Public Relations and Events Coordinator
(O): 905.755.6415
(C): 647.462.8986
e-mail: [email protected]
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