JOIN THE CHAMPS - STUTTGART 1986

At the height of the 1980s, the European Athletics Championships came to Stuttgart in a western Europe that was still divided. The East German/Soviet bloc dominated the Neckarstadion track. The supremacy of these two nations, which began in 1954 in Bern, would last until the 1994 Helsinki edition, where Russia would stand alone on the podium. Four years later in Budapest, Great Britain would bring an end to the dominance of the Eastern superpowers.
29th May Running, Specialproject
Karhu US
Karhu US

STEFANO MEI, ALBERTO COVA, SALVATORE ANTIBO – ITALIAN LONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS 

"Mei, Cova, Antibo... It's all a streak of Azzurro.” One of the greatest commentators in Italian history, Paolo Rosi, uttered these words as he watched the historic Italian triple win in the 10,000m at Neckarstadion. A light rain in Stuttgart accompanied one of the key moments in Italian athletic history, shaped by three different personalities and running styles. Stefano Mei, the first to cross the finish line with a time of 27'56''79, also won a silver in the 5,000m at that same edition. He returned to the podium in the 10,000m in Split in 1990, capturing a bronze. Today, he is the president of the Italian Athletics Federation.

KARHU EVOLUTION 

As with the previous decade, the aesthetics of the ‘80s carried over into the products and, consequently, the overall imagery of KARHU. The legendary bear came in rainbow colors, and the slogan "Join the Team" was coined. We’ve revived and revisited that for the recent "Join the Run" campaign and the title of the editorial series "Join the Champs". 

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FULCRUM

KARHU technology also added another jewel to its crown. 1986 saw the birth of the Fulcrum, an advanced propulsion system designed to move you forward by offering a balanced cushion, increased support, and more energy at toe-off. The Fulcrum was created through a cutting-edge project in collaboration between the brand's R&D department and the University of Jyväskylä.

TO THIS DAY, THE RESULT OF THIS PARTNERSHIP IS THE SIGNATURE "ROLLING EFFECT" IN KARHU SHOES, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR CREATING A SMOOTHER RUN.
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Photo Credits - IMAGO / Pressefoto Baumann / Kicker/Eissner, Liedel