2010 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack will be first-ever Ironman World Champion to appear on the Wheaties box. (Photo courtesy of Wheaties)

MEDIA RELEASE

Wheaties has announced the champion of the world’s most challenging endurance event, the Ironman World Championship, will be featured on the famous orange box in the coming months. This announcement marks the first time an Ironman World Champion has been honored with an appearance on a Wheaties box.

Chris McCormack finished the grueling 140.6-mile race in 8:10:37. This marks McCormack’s fourth top-10 finish and second championship at the Ironman World Championship. McCormack also holds five Ironman Australia titles.

“We are so excited to welcome Chris into the Wheaties family and celebrate his tremendous achievement in winning this highly competitive championship,” marketing manager Dan Stangler said. “The Ironman triathlon competitors are some of the toughest and most fit endurance athletes in the world, and each competitor to complete an Ironman competition is a champion in his or her own right. It is with great appreciation for what they do that we are showcasing a true Ironman champion on the Wheaties box.”

“Wheaties has long been known as the ‘breakfast of champions,’ which makes it an excellent choice for Ironman competitors,” said Ben Fertic, chief executive officer, Ironman. “The state-of-the-art nutrition in Wheaties FUEL can help today’s world-class athletes train for success.”

Wheaties FUEL was chosen as the official cereal of the Ironman Triathlon because it provides balanced nutrition that helps athletes prepare to win.

Wheaties Fuel provides a blend of carbohydrates: simple carbs for rapid supply of energy, complex carbohydrates from whole grain to provide long-lasting energy and help fuel working muscles, and fiber to curb hunger while limiting feelings of fullness. B-vitamins help unlock the energy contained in the carbohydrates. Wheaties FUEL also contains an excellent source of iron. Iron helps transport oxygen to working muscles.

The cereal was developed by a team of elite athletes in various sports of triathlon (Hunter Kemper), decathlon (Bryan Clay), basketball (Kevin Garnett), baseball (Albert Pujols) and football (Peyton Manning), and a leading sports nutritionist (Dr. John Ivy, University of Texas) to help fuel wins.

Wheaties FUEL, as a sponsor of the event, also unveiled Wheaties FUEL Prepare to Win Ironman nutrition tips from Ironman competitors from all over the world. The inaugural video is available to view on the Wheaties Facebook page, as well as on www.Wheaties.com

The brand has challenged Ironman athletes from around the globe to submit their nutrition tips via video submissions to the Wheaties Facebook page, to share their personal learnings with other athletes.

Wheaties FUEL will be supporting its role as the official cereal of the Ironman Triathlon with national television, print and online advertising. The brand will also have on-site activation at upcoming Ironman events in the form of signage, sampling stations and a presence on the run course to help fans encourage their athletes through the finish.

Born out of a fortunate mistake in 1924, original Wheaties was created when a health clinician accidentally spilled a wheat bran mixture onto a hot stove. The result was tasty, crispy wheat flakes that became known as Washburn’s Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes.

A year later, the cumbersome name was shortened to Wheaties.

Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was the first athlete featured on a Wheaties Box, when he appeared on the back cover in 1934. In 1958, American champion pole-vaulter Bob Richards was the first person to appear on the front of the package, jumpstarting the phenomenon of “being on the Wheaties box,” which has since been graced by some of the greatest athletes of all time, including Bruce Jenner, Walter Payton, Mary Lou Retton, and many others.

— Find out more:
www.wheaties.com