December 8, 2005 – Halti, the Finnish market leader in outdoor clothing, has signed a marketing agreement with the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. The agreement means that Halti will be one of the major sponsors of the World Ski Championships to be held in Sapporo, Japan in 2007. At Sapporo, skiers will compete in the Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping and Combined World Championship events.

The agreement is a continuation of Halti’s efforts to increase its visibility in international sports events in 2007. At the beginning of the year, Halti announced a cooperation agreement with the 2007 Alpine Ski World Championships in Ã…re, Sweden. Through the new agreement, Halti will strengthen its position in Finland, the Nordic countries and Central Europe.

“We are very proud that we have reached the point where we can have a big impact on the world of winter sports. We believe that a partnership like this will strengthen Halti’s visibility among the major international brands. The agreement means that the intense product development in our cross-country skiing clothing will attract global attention and it will give Halti a higher, more all-round profile in winter sports,” says Martti Uusitalo, Halti’s Assistant Managing Director.

For Halti the agreement will also mean strong investment in international product marketing and exports. The agreement with guarantee Halti high product visibility through television, for example.

“In winter 2007, Halti will be one of the most visible brands in winter sport. We will be involved from the beginning of February, with the Alpine World Ski Championships in Ã…re, all the way to the closing ceremony of the Nordic Ski World Championships in Sapporo,” continues Uusitalo.

The visibility brought by the agreement is best illustrated by the viewing figures for the 2003 Alpine and Nordic World Ski Championships, which attracted a total of 700 million viewers.

The partnership gives Halti the sole right to textiles designed for the event and to other products belonging to Halti’s product groups. Halti will be responsible for official products for the Championships and will provide clothing for 3,500 volunteers.

Halti also has an option to conclude a similar agreement for the 2009 Liberec Nordic Ski Championships in the Czech Republic.