Sage Canaday joins SCOTT, takes 2nd at UROC100

SCOTT Sports is proud to announce the addition of Sage Canaday, 26, of Sheridan, OR to our International Running Team.  A runner of uncommon versatility, Sage is capable of podium finishes in road, trail, or mountain races.  After running track and cross-country at Cornell University, Sage has largely focused his post-collegiate career in road racing, including two trips to the U.S. Olympic Trials for the marathon.  In 2012, Sagee shifted his focus from road racing to trail and mountain running, with breakout performances nearly every step of the way.

In his Ultra debut, he took 2nd overall at the Chuckanut 50k in Bellingham, WA, which included 8 additional minutes of running after missing a turn and running off-course.  In June, Sage won the Mt. Washington Hill Climb (New Hampshire) in 58:27, the fastest time ever run by an American on the all-uphill 14k course, which served as the qualifier for the U.S. Mountain Running Team (USMRT).  Sage then traveled with the USMRT to Ponte di Legno, Italy for the World Championships in September, finishing 12th overall and helping the U.S. men's team to a 4th place overall finish.

In his July debut at the 50 mile distance, Canaday broke the course record in a northwest classic, the White River 50, taking over 9 minutes off of Anton Krupicka's course record.  To cap off an already stellar campaign, Sage debuted at the 100k (62 mile) distance in this past weekend's Ultra Race of Champions (UROC) 100k in Wintergreen, VA, finishing second in an elite field of ultra-runners.  Running much of the race with fellow Cornell alum and 100k debutant Max King (Montrail), Canaday and King separated from the field at mile 20 and never relinquished the lead, King finishing in 7:57:02 and Canaday second at 8:12:05.

After the race, we had a chance to sit down with Sage and get his take on the year, what's next, and his partnership with SCOTT.

After an amazing series of results in 2012, what are your thoughts on next year?

Sage Canaday: I would like to improve upon my results going into the start of the year.  This was really my first year competing in mountain and ultra marathon trail races and I feel like I've learned a lot recently through racing.  I'd like to apply the experience I gained this year towards future competitions on the international scene and compete for the win in every race I run.

How did the Race Rocker perform at the UROC 100?

SC: The SCOTT Race Rocker performed very well over 100k at the UROC race.  I felt nice and speedy because the shoe is so lightweight and responsive.  The Race Rocker is a very versatile shoe that transitions well between the trails and the pavement which is an ideal attribute for a course like UROC.  The low-profile design of the Race Rocker and the eRide technology kept my stride rate light and fast throughout the race.  I am also very excited to try out many of the other shoes in the SCOTT footwear line!

What made you choose SCOTT over other brands?

SC: I believe that SCOTT truly embraces the active outdoor lifestyle with their innovation and such a diverse line of products.  As a high level endurance athlete who runs on the roads, trails, and mountains, I felt that SCOTT's footwear and apparel would give me the edge that I needed to compete against the very best in the world.  I like how the product fits and feels and I am excited about how SCOTT continues to push the boundaries of innovation and sport.