We're very excited to announce a partnership with ITU long distance world champion and IRONMAN champion, Lionel Sanders of Canada. Sanders was second in Kona last year and is one of the most consistent and exciting long-distance athletes in the world.
First and foremost, I've tested a lot of wetsuits. A LOT of wetsuits. The blueseventy HELIX tested fastest among all that were tested by me, personally. Additionally, once I got to know the people behind the company and what they stand for, it really resonated well with me and the partnership was very natural. I’m looking forward to a fast year! - Lionel Sanders
Having finished second at the IRONMAN World Championships last October, Sanders’ swim may be the key to moving up a step on the podium. We're anxious to give Sanders access to our ground-breaking swimskin technology which will play nicely into his overall swim performance goals.
I was excited when Lionel approached us after testing many different wetsuits and saying our HELIX tested the fastest. Lionel has made a huge impact on our sport in a short time and we hope to help him achieve even more. - blueseventy CEO, John Duquette
Never shying away from speaking about his background, Sanders has been vocal about a substance abuse problem that led him to sign up for his first long-distance triathlon in 2010. In three short years, he turned professional and had a huge breakout result a year later at the 2014 70.3 World Championships where he finished 4th.
Based in Windsor, Ontario, Sanders continues to put forth an unshakable singular focus on becoming a better athlete. His aggressive racing style and simple philosophy of “you get what you put in” has connected with athletes and fans of the sport around the world. His improvements in the swim are examples to every athlete that a weakness can be turned around and made into something great.
Working with Lionel will push our research and development team to keep innovating. We’ve launched a new HELIX this year, but the best athletes are the pioneers. They’re always looking for ways to get faster and be the best they can be, and we really value being able to put that energy into our products. - John Duquette
Wearing the HELIX wetsuit, Sanders finished up the 2017 season with a sub-8 performance and the win at IRONMAN Arizona. He kicked off 2018 winning 70.3 Pucon and was 2nd just two weeks ago at a highly competitive 70.3 Oceanside.
He will be wearing the HELIX wetsuit and the PZ4TX swimskin in competition. He will train in our practice swimwear and Core Shorts.
Sanders joins our world-class professional triathlete team which includes Heather Jackson, Eric Lagerstrom, Dylan McNeice, Sarah Haskins, and recent IRONMAN South Africa champion Kyle Buckingham.
You can follow his athletic journey on his blog.
