Columbia to become exclusive Presenting Partner of the market leader for hiking events in Germany
Monchengladbach and Munich, Germany / Zug, Switzerland – Megamarsch, a subsidiary of Infront and the German market leader for hiking events, is entering a partnership with global outdoor brand Columbia.
Megamarsch persevered through the pandemic, living up to its “We’re going further” tagline. The brand is now continuing its impressive growth rates from the years before COVID-19.
The new agreement with Columbia, which sees them become the first exclusive Presenting Partner, marks the start of a new period of evolution for Megamarsch. Columbia will have access to the biggest hiking community in Germany, Megamarsch will benefit from a broader reach within the sports industry. Columbia will be present at all Megamarsch events and included in all event branding and equipment.
Marco Kamischke, founder and managing director of Megamarsch, said: "For Megamarsch, partnering with a global leader such as Columbia gives us the opportunity to reach an even broader audience and to strengthen our existing community. We are delighted to welcome them on board and feel the values across our events and Columbia as a brand have many crossovers, including the enthusiasm for being active in the outdoors. We see massive potential across Europe and beyond and are looking forward to accelerating Megamarsch's growth with our new global partners.”
Matthieu Schegg, VP EMEA, General Manager at Columbia: “We are delighted to become presenting partner of the Megamarsch. We strongly believe Columbia is the right brand of choice for long distance hiking. Whether participants are looking for a hiking shoe, waterproof jacket or hiking pants or leggings, Columbia has got them covered. If you are confident in your equipment, you can concentrate on the hike, and this is what motivates us every day at Columbia: making the life of our consumers better and easier so more people can have fun in the outdoors.”
Additionally, with Columbia and Megamarsch’s Official Track Presenter Outdooractive having some collaborations in common, these synergies will be used to take advantage of all possible benefits.
The 2023 Megamarsch season kicked-off at the end of February and features a total of 21 events across Germany, Austria, and Spain as well as several special editions.
About Columbia
Columbia, the flagship brand of Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Sportswear Company, has been creating innovative apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment for outdoor enthusiasts since 1938. We have become a leading global brand by channelling our passion for the outdoors and an innovative spirit into technologies and performance products that keep people warm, dry, cool and protected in the outdoors year-round. www.columbiasportswear.de
About Megamarsch
Megamarsch, located in Monchengladbach (Germany), is the number one for hiking events in the German market with the first event in Cologne in 2016. Today, the event takes place around 21 cities and attractive regions in Germany, Austria, and Spain, and is expected to reach more than 40,000 participants in 2023. The hikes span 50/100km and must be completed within 12/24 hours. www.megamarsch.de
