The following release was provided by ATRA member and event standards partner Suunto and features two U.S. trail runners who have been added to its ambassador team.
Vantaa, Finland – Suunto, the global leader in premium, innovative products for adventure have announced United States-based trail running athletes, Zach Miller and Abby Hall, will be joining the brand’s global roster of athlete ambassadors. With these signings, Suunto puts further emphasis on its renewed commitment to both the sport of trail running and the American market, which includes the recent announcements of the brand’s partnership with the UTMB World Series, and the recent overhaul of its North American distribution.
“Today is an exciting day for the Suunto family as we welcome Zach and Abby – two incredible American Trail Running Athletes,” said Dan Suher, Head of Suunto Americas. “With recent product advancements – Suunto Vertical Solar and Suunto Race, along with new ambassadors, it should be clear to all, that Suunto is committed to growing both its brand and the sport of Trail Running here in the US and beyond,” added Suher.
Meet Zach and Abby: Suunto ambassador team members
Zach Miller has been a start on the global ultra running circuit for over a decade despite his young age of 35. His illustrious career boasts victories and podiums at notable national and global events including JFK 50, CCC, TNF Endurance Challenge (3x), Tarawera and most recently a runner up finish at the 2023 Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).
Suunto ambassador team member Abby Hall. Photo: Rabbitwolf Creative.
Like her new teammate Abby Hall possesses an incredible trail running resume. Abby has finished on the podium at CCC in back-to-back years (’21, ’22) and has several victories, podiums and top-10 finishes to her credit at races ranging from 25km to 100 miles. Despite a freak injury, breaking her leg in the summer of 2023, Abby has worked herself back to full strength and has big goals for the 2024 season and beyond.
“What excites me most about working with Suunto is how the device helps me to explore and navigate the terrains in which I train,” said Zach Miller. He further added, “While I am not on to get too caught up in the numbers, I find it valuable to keep track of certain statistics when preparing for a race.”
Additional Suunto ambassador team members
In addition to Zach and Abby, Suunto has extended its partnership with arguably the greatest Mountain-Ultra-Trail athlete on the planet Courtney Dauwalter who during the summer of 2023 accomplished the unthinkable, winning Western States 100, Hardrock 100 and UTMB in back-to-back-to-back months, including course records in the first two events.
These amazing American athletes are part of an even broader roster of top trail running athletes globally which include:
• Francois D’Haine – France – 4 x UTMB Champion (’12,’14, ’17, ’21)
• Toni McCann – South Africa – 2023 OCC Champion
• Pau Capell – Spain – 2019 UTMB Champion
• Katharina Hartmuth – Germany – 2023 UTMB Runner-up
• Christian Meier – Canada – 2023 TDS Champion
• Miao Yao – China – 2019 CCC Champion
Both Zach and Abby, along with their Suunto teammates, will race and train with the brand’s latest GPS watches Suunto Race and Suunto Vertical and Bone-Conduction headsets, Suunto Wing and Suunto Sonic. Featuring industry leading battery life, off- line maps, a full suite of training and racing metrics, these products will help the athletes get the most from their adventures both in and out of competition.
Suunto ambassador team member Zach Miller. Photo: Courtesy of Suunto.
About Suunto
Suunto stands for adventure, pioneering innovation since 1936 when Finnish orienteer Tuomas Vohlonen invented a more accurate compass. Today, Suunto leads in design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers, compasses, and digital services used by adventurers and athletes worldwide. Since 2022, Suunto has conducted Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for new watch models to understand environmental impact, offsetting remaining emissions with Verified Carbon Units. Suunto products combine robustness with everyday aesthetics reflecting Nordic identity, with headquarters and a factory in Vantaa, Finland.
Editor’s Note: Enjoy Sarah Barber’s review of the Suunto Vertical.
