#DONTCRACKUNDERPRESSURE IRONMAN 2018 CHALLENGE WITH ARAB WATCH GUIDE
TAG Heuer partners with Arab Watch Guide (AWG) Founder Hassan Akhras as he prepares to power through his first IronMan in 2018
Sports and the values it conveys are deeply-rooted in TAG Heuer’s DNA. Furthering this strong association with the sports arena, the brand will be backing established local watch influencer as he gets ready to take on his share of #DontCrackUnderPressure moments
DUBAI, 9th February 2017 – In line with one of the philosophies at the heart of its brand’s key positioning, Swiss Watchmaker TAG Heuer announced its collaboration with AWG Founder Hassan Akhras at a breakfast event at Pascal Tepper in Dubai Media City.
The announcement came as no surprise seeing as Hassan Akhras is not only a leading figure and influencer on the city’s watch scene but has also decided to take on a new challenge by competing in IronMan 2018, which comprises of cycling, running and swimming – three sporting disciplines that TAG Heuer is strongly involved with. TAG Heuer has a strong link with cycling and this became evident after it unveiled its partnership with the BMC Racing Team last year and bore the title of Official Timekeeper of the Dubai and Abu Dhabi tour. The brand also has a long-standing association with prestigious marathons including the New York City Marathon, the Chicago Marathon and the Paris Marathon for which it has been the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch. Swimming too is relevant to the brand and its Aquaracer collection is perfectly suited to the sport.
TAG Heuer’s partnership with Hassan Akhras will mainly focus on his preparation in the build-up to the much-awaited event next year, while he retains his primary job of watch blogger. The brand has come to be known with icons who all reflect the common values of mental strength, a disruptive attitude and ambition. Hassan Akhras, is in this sense, a perfect fit as his year of training will be replete with its fair share of trials and extreme #DontCrackUnderPressure moments that will test the boundaries of his endurance.
What makes things more exciting is the fact that Hassan Akhras, while being athletic, is by no means a professional athlete. In terms of training, he is being coached by GROWINGS coach Trace Rogers and will be taking some trips to Ras Al Khaimah and Khor Fakkan to train. He has participated in a pre-triathlon two weeks ago in Khor Fakkan and is geared up to take part in more such events in the UAE to build stamina.
Speaking about this interesting partnership, Anne-Claire Richomme, Marketing Manager TAG Heuer Middle East, said, “Pushing boundaries and breaking rules are integral to our rich heritage and what Hassan Akhras is attempting to do with the IronMan 2018, is in that sense a perfect fit with our brand ideologies.”
Hassan Akhras too was extremely enthusiastic about having found a partner that supported him and said: “Since I decided to dedicate all of 2017 to the training and journey towards IRONMAN 70.3, I needed a partner that would share my vision, my goals and my beliefs. It also made complete sense that my main partner would ultimately come from the watch world as I am a collector and watch blogger. I was looking for a brand that believes in never quitting, never letting go under pressure, no hiding; an avant-garde brand. It was TAG Heuer that came to mind and I decided to pitch my idea to their team, hoping they would share my enthusiasm for this journey and get on-board. Fast-forward to a few weeks ahead and here we are announcing our official partnership for next year’s IRONMAN 70.3 Challenge Journey.”
About TAG Heuer
The Swiss Avant-Garde watchmaker since 1860. Avant-garde is in our culture and philosophy. Our unique heritage is built on pushing boundaries and breaking rules: harnessing mental fortitude to overcome technology restraints and create daring watches with real racing spirit and a performance touch. The brand has marked the history of watchmaking, especially in the field of luxury chronographs with an unequalled mechanical accuracy.
The new models reveal a new dynamic in terms of both the fast lead times and a completely transformed environment. TAG Heuer is currently one of the world’s rare watch brands to be able to communicate in the four different worlds: Art, Lifestyle, Sport and Heritage. Our ambassadors include the F1 Red Bull Racing Team, living football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, it-girl Cara Delevingne, electronic music icon David Guetta, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, American quarterback Tom Brady, NBA Chinese Superstar Jeremy Lin and Chinese singer GEM all of whom reflect common core values of mental strength, disruptive attitude and ambition. Our slogan #DontCrackUnderPressure is far more than a claim – it is a mindset.
