Sony Partners With Off-Road Triathlon World Champion Lesley Paterson To Zero In On Athletes

SAN DIEGO, July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics today announced it has entered into a marketing relationship with three time off-road triathlon world champion Lesley Paterson. From running and training with Sony's water-proof, all-in-one Walkman® Sports MP3 Player to capturing footage on her mountain bike with Sony's Action Cam, a mountable point-of-view HD video camera, Paterson credits her competitive accomplishments to relentless six-hour daily training sessions with the help of Sony's products for sports enthusiasts.

"Lesley Paterson is the perfect fit for our outdoor and sports/fitness strategy with her passion for the sport of triathlon," says Kerri Fox-Metoyer, vice president of Strategic Partnerships. "Lesley never misses a beat while training or on the trail with the water-proof, all-in-one digital music player and Action Cam. She is the voice for casual fitness enthusiasts to hard-core triathletes and we are fortunate to have her on board."

For Paterson, using cutting-edge electronics is a vital part of her life and daily training regimen, whether in the form of a bike computer, GPS running tracker, or Sony Walkman. "After finding the sport that truly suited my strengths and reinvigorated my love of all things swimming, biking and running, I found that Sony's water-proof Walkman and Action Cam help motivate me during my training," says Paterson. "For many people, music is vital to enable a vigorous workout and having the ability to capture video enables me to share my training methods with my fans."

Paterson will also track her progress and communicate with her fans on Sony's latest smartphone, Xperia® Z, now available exclusively on T-Mobile®. Xperia Z offers the best of Sony in a sleek, water-resistant smartphone, which is perfect for her active lifestyle. Using her Xperia Z, Paterson will build unique content for Xperia® Lounge - Sony's latest Android™ application that is a destination for accessing new content and VIP experiences from Sony's world-class portfolio of partners and sponsors across music, sports, films and gaming.

Paterson grew up playing rugby and soon after fell in love with the sport of triathlon.  Since the age of 14, Paterson has competed all over the world for the British and Scottish triathlon teams. After relocating to San Diego with her husband, Paterson found her passion in Xterra®, the premier off road triathlon and trail run series.

In the past 18 months, Paterson won the 2011 and 2012 Xterra off-road triathlon world championships in Maui, as well as the 2012 ITU cross-tri world championships. Already in the current 2013 season, Paterson has won the first three Xterra regional championships in the United States, along with Xterra Philippines, and a number of professional mountain bike races, including the Whiskey 50 and a US Cup race.

Paterson not only races professionally but also has her own coaching business, where she offers individualized coaching programs for triathletes of all levels. In addition, Paterson offers BraveHeart Brain Training, customized plans to help athletes overcome race nerves, build motivation and confidence, and develop in-race mental toughness.

Adding to the synergy with Sony is Paterson's creative passion in film. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama and a Master's degree in Theater, Paterson made a footprint in Hollywood with about 17 independent films under her belt. Paterson formed her own production company called Sliding Down Rainbows Entertainment Inc., and has produced several short films.

Additionally, with her sights set firmly on a fusion between the entertainment and health/fitness industries, Paterson recently filmed a fitness DVD aimed at endurance athletes focused on developing her legendary six-pack abs, entitled: "Six-Minute Six-Pack," which will be available in the fall.

For more information about Lesley Paterson, please visit her website at http://www.lesleypaterson.com/, or http://www.facebook.com/Lesleypatersoninc and through her blog at http://www.lesleypaterson.com/blog-news/.

About Sony Walkman Sports MP3 Player
With its water proof design, the NWZ-W273 Walkman Sports MP3 Player withstands not just water but the sweat from intense workouts, making it perfect for everyone from the health conscious to performance sports athletes. The new NWZ-W273 device is designed with intuitive controls to easily adjust volume to play, pause, or change songs on-the-go. With its 4G of on-board memory, users can easily drag and drop DRM-free music files from iTunes® for Mac® or PC, Windows® Media Player, or Windows Explorer. The NWZ-W273 player delivers up to eight hours of audio playback on a full charge. It also offers a convenient quick-charge function. Even if the battery if fully depleted, with just three minutes of charge time, the device can provide music for up to 60 minutes. Sony has always been committed to extraordinary audio performance, and the NWZ-W273 player lives up to that tradition with its crystal clear highs and deep bass. In addition to the powerful sound typically found in Sony's high-end headphones, the player features a new tension band for a supportive fit and comes with small, medium, large earpieces – ideal for secure, long-term wearing comfort during running, cycling or swimming. The Sony Walkman Sports MP3 Player is currently available in blue, pink, white, and black at Sony online at www.sony.com/sportswalkman, in Sony Stores, select Best Buy stores and in authorized retailers nationwide for about $99.99. For images and information, please visit www.sony.com/news.

Please visit www.sony.com/sportswalkman or Follow #SportsWalkman on Twitter for the latest Sony Spots MP3 Player news. Please also stay tuned to the Sony Blog for upcoming news.

About Sony Action Cam
The Action Cam is Sony's wearable point-of-view video camera for action filming in premium full HD 1080p and a class-exclusive 4x slow motion video mode in 720p HD. With industry-leading image quality due to its Exmor^® R CMOS Sensor and ultra-wide angle Carl Zeiss^® Vario-Tessar^® lens, the Sony Action Cam also features advanced image stabilization, Interval Still Recording mode for photo capture, weighs only three ounces, and has the option of Wi-Fi^®. It ships with a ruggedized, waterproof housing that has a universal tripod mount and shock resistance rating for up to five-foot drops, plus dirt and dust resistant seals to help make it impervious to mud, snow, rain, and grime.

The HDR-AS10 Action Cam and the HDR-AS15 Action Cam with built-in Wi-Fi^® capability are available for about $199.99 and $269.99 respectively. These cameras and their accessories, including a variety of mounts to suit any type of adventure, are sold at http://store.sony.com, Sony retail stores and other authorized retailers nationwide. The official press release can be found at www.sony.com/news. Visit blog.sony.com/sonyactioncam for a video first look and follow #ActionCam on Twitter for the latest Action Cam news.

About Sony Mobile Communications
Sony Mobile Communications is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation, a leading global innovator of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for both the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Through its Xperia™ smartphone portfolio, Sony Mobile Communications delivers the best of Sony technology, premium content and services, and easy connectivity to Sony's world of networked entertainment experiences. For more information: www.sonymobile.com

SOURCE Sony Electronics