Leading international skaters sleep on Dutch bed
Royal Auping supports skaters on their way to the gold medal

Deventer, 11 March 2011 – Starting in March 2011, skaters from the Kia Speed Skating Academy in Inzell can rest upon an Auping bed. The Dutch bed manufacturer is an ambassador of the new training facility and accommodation for top athletes in Inzell and, in this way, encourages the development of international skating.

The Kia Speed Skating Academy offers skating talent from less prosperous countries the opportunity to perform at top level. Skaters from countries such as Romania, Hungary and the Ukraine will soon be able to undergo training and stay the night in the ‘Auping silence area’. The Kia Speed Skating Academy teaches skaters about all aspects of life as a top athlete.

Better performance
By request from the originator Marnix Wieberdink, the Dutch bed manufacturer is supplying 62 mattresses and mesh bases for the sleeping quarters of the sport hotel, which offers accommodation to the skaters free of charge.

“Joop Zoetemelk once said: ‘You win the Tour in bed.’ And he’s right: for a top athlete, it’s important to be well-rested at the right moments”, says Marjan Reitsma, Communications Manager at Auping. “Signs hanging on the entrance doors to the silence area read, appropriately, Quality beds for better performance. The Auping silence area helps ensure that the athletes can deliver the best possible performance. A bed that provides good support, ventilation and pressure reduction is important for a healthy, vital and well-rested body. We are very proud that the sport hotel has asked us to participate and to be able to promote international skating.”

About the Kia Speed Skating Academy
The Kia Speed Skating Academy is an initiative of SportNavigator.nl to provide support to skaters in less-prosperous countries. In addition to skating training, under the guidance of record-holder in the 500 meter sprint Jeremy Wotherspoon the boarding school also offers lessons in nutrition, material and other aspects of life as a top athlete. SportNavigator.nl guides top talent from more than 29 countries and represents 17 world champions and 26 Olympic medallists. The Kia Speed Skating Academy is set to open its doors on 10 March 2011. More information about Auping at the Kia Speed Skating Academy is available at: http://www.kiaspeedskatingacademy.com/en/facebook/marjan-reitsma.html.