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Orca
1992 - INNOVATION FROM THE BOOT OF A CAR
Scott Unsworth, a former New Zealand age group triathlon champion, had to stop competing due to a chronic back injury. Whilst working as a swim coach, and from his first hand experience in competing in triathlon, Scott realised that the wetsuits used at the time were completely inadequate for swimming.
In 1992 Scott started up a company called Performance Speedsuits Ltd, based out of his parent's house in Auckland, New Zealand. He began to develop his "Speedsuits", which featured greater flexibility and buoyancy than other existing wetsuits. The business started with Scott selling his Speedsuits from the back of his car at swim meets and triathlon events.
The Speedsuits quickly gained a following amongst athletes and the business started to grow. Scott was taking his first steps towards introducing what would become Orca, to the world.
1994 - DESIGNED BY ATHLETES, FOR ATHLETES
A young New Zealand triathlete named Hamish Carter became one of the first athletes to sign up with the company that is now Orca. Over the next 13 years Hamish Carter went on to become one of the best known triathletes in the world - culminating in a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Hamish is one of a number of athletes that Orca has had a long term relationship with. Orca does not simply supply athletes with their apparel; it uses their knowledge and expertise during the research and development of new products.
Many of Orca's most innovative new designs and features are the direct result of working with professional athletes - who else could provide the insight into what really works on the race course?
