A SealSkinz veteran, Cathy Sassin is one the world's top adventure racers. Cathy led her international Team Spie to victory in the 1999 and 2000 Elf Authentic Adventure and was the United States' highest finishing athlete in both the Eco-Challenge and the Raid Gauloises in 1997.
In her extensive racing career, Cathy has learned that a thorough foot care system can give her a leg up, "In any race your feet are constantly wet, the integrity of the skin is compromised, and people's feet start to break down. We're constantly being exposed to foreign bacteria, which can cause serious infections if you're not prepared. Luckily this hasn't happened to me, but most teams have had horrendous foot problems- excruciating foot problems. These injuries can happen very easily and they sideline teams in the middle of races all the time.
"Once you're in the race and your feet are constantly wet, nothing helps other than the constant maintenance throughout the race. I use Wigwam liners, SealSkinz socks, and Leki poles. You have to do whatever you can to maintain the integrity of the skin on your feet."
Cathy's racing has taken her paddling and spelunking through Borneo, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. She has trekked the sands of South Africa, jungles of the Philippines, volcanoes of Ecuador and the glaciers of Patagonia and British Columbia. She has bushwhacked through Maine and raced across the Spanish Pyranees.
Sassin has placed in the top five in over 75% of her racing career. She has been featured as a member of the Eco-Challenge, Raid Gauloises, Elf Authentic Adventure and the X-Games on CNN, The Discovery Channel, ESPN, ABC's Wide World of Sports, MTV, NBC Dateline, and numerous publications and programs around the world. Last November, The Women's Sports Foundation honored Cathy as one of the top 100 female athletes of 2000.
When Cathy is not tackling the great outdoors, she acts as a spokesperson for several gear companies, including SealSkinz® waterproof socks and gloves, which Cathy credits as helping her meet the challenge of even the most ferocious conditions.
A graduate of UCLA in kinesiology, Cathy lives in Santa Monica, California where she is the director of the Intrafitt Performance Nutrition Center at Gold's Gym.
