Interbike repositions Awards to focus on innovation

2017’s Interbike Awards will shift focus away from suppliers and athletes in a bid to highlight instead innovation in product, retail and advocacy.

Held on the Thursday 21st, September, Intebike president Pat Hus outlined that current market conditions require a shift in what the industry focuses on.

He said of the newly badged Interbike Innovation Awards: “Current market conditions being what they are, we realized that we needed to evolve the awards into something different and more economical than what we had done in the past,” said Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike. “We definitely believe in the value of the IB awards, and feel strongly that this new approach will enable us to continue to celebrate all of the great innovations that our industry creates each and every year.”

19 awards will be handed out this year, distributed across mountain, road, electric and triathlon categories. The most notable change will be that the products recognized will now be for the upcoming 2018 sales season instead of looking back at 2017 cycle. Only brands that are participating at Interbike or Outdoor Demo will be considered and all submissions must be made by no later than July 15th, 2017.

Interbike will once again partner with Hi-Torque Publications to evaluate and select the winners in mountain, road and electric. New for this year, all triathlon product award recipients will be selected by LAVA Magazine.

Ten Retailer Innovation Award winners will be chosen via a submission process for shops that have implemented innovative ideas and strategies to their business with positive results over the past 12 months. Priaes for the retailer include travel costs paid, profiles in the U.S. trade press and an opportunity to present their ideas for retail at a TedX format presentation at Interbike.

Further awards will be allocated to rewarding innovation in booth design at the show, as well as People For Bikes leading a new Advocacy Innovation Awards that will recognise the efforts of three exhibitors or retailers.

Those interested in submitting their business for any of the aforementioned awards can make contact here.

Interbike returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center beginning with OutDoor Demo in Boulder City, Nev., September 18-19, 2017, followed by the Interbike Expo September 20-22, 2017.