13 June 2011

IPICO Sports System to Time the 2012 Tokyo Marathon

Company’s Japanese partner expands market penetration

Peoria, Illinois, USA - June 13, 2011 - IPICO Sports announces that The RECS, Inc., a division of Tokyo based R-bies Corporation, will utilize IPICO Sports systems to time the sixth edition of the Tokyo Marathon on February, 26, 2012. Since its debut in 2007, the Tokyo Marathon has rapidly grown in both size and significance. In 2010, over 335,000 applicants entered the lottery for 32,000 available positions in the marathon, and 3,000 available positions in the accompanying 10 km race.

With the largest disclosed prize purse in Japan, the Tokyo Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. The event will also be used as part of the selection process for the members of the 2012 Japanese Olympic Marathon Team. IPICO Sports began working with The RECS, Inc. in 2007. In July 2009, The RECS, Inc. expanded its partnership to become responsible for the distribution of IPICO Sports automated tracking and timing solutions for use in the active sports and wellness markets in Japan.

The RECS, Inc. has extensively used IPICO Sports systems in many major events throughout Japan over the past few years. Based on this demonstrated success, R-bies Corporation recommended the use of IPICO for the Tokyo Marathon 2012, and then the Tokyo Marathon Foundation accepted the proposal.

Tad Hayano, Director General, Chief Operating Officer, and Race Director of the Tokyo Marathon and the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, said, "We are very excited about the IPICO Sports products, with their advanced automated tracking and timing solutions for active sports. We are delighted to be working with this company. We have thoroughly tested the IPICO Sports system in other events through RECS, and we are very confident the system will meet and exceed our expectations."

IPICO Sports President and CEO Gordon Westwater said, "We recognize the significance of the active sports market in Japan, and we are very pleased to be working with R-bies, the industry leader in Japan, to impact that marketplace in a very significant way. As part of our expansion plans in Asia, we consider that working with the Tokyo Marathon and being selected by them and by R-bies as their preferred timing system, to be very important."

R-bies Corporation President Jiro Hashimoto said, "We will do our best to achieve great success at the Tokyo Marathon 2012 using IPICO timing. Their innovative solutions offer our customers in Japan many benefits. We have worked closely with IPICO during the last three years, and we look forward to the successful introduction of their solutions into the active sports market in Japan."

IPICO Sports' next-generation tracking and timing solutions are developed by IPICO Inc. IPICO has succeeded in the RFID sports market due to its unique technology based on the IP-X^TM RFID Air-interface Communication Protocol. This technology was developed to overcome the limitations faced by conventional Reader-Talk-First (RTF) protocols in the market. In addition, the patented Dual Frequency technology eliminates signal loss and tag read collision. The Dual Frequency technology works especially well for objects high in liquid, carbon and electronic content, such as the human body. The complimentary superiority of these technologies provides the ability to read multiple tags while dealing with motion, distance, crowding, demanding environmental conditions and a variety of materials - all variables commonly found at many sports activities. Since an initial market introduction in March 2007, IPICO Sports systems are now used in over forty countries, and continue to develop and grow a loyal following throughout the globe.

For further information contact Michael Lynch on +64-6-878-5310 or email michael.lynch@times-7sport.com

About R-bies

R-bies Corporation (formerly Runners Inc.) was founded in 1975 and is the leading event management company in active sports in Japan, and it also provides online registration services for events, video and photo services, sports equipment development, and produces numerous print media publications. Through its event management and sports timing divisions, The RECS, Inc., it timed over 900,000 participants in more than 400 major events in 2010, including the Tokyo Marathon, Nagoya International Women's Marathon, Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon and Hokkaido Marathon. Visit http://runnet.jp/

About Times-7 Sport
Times-7 Sport provides sport technological solutions to the sport marketplace around the world. Using owned and partnered products, Times-7 Sport develops sport timing and data capture solutions across a wide segment of health and wellness markets, including participation sports. Times-7 Sport prides itself on designing functional, practical and durable products packed with outstanding value and cutting edge design features that meet and exceed customer expectations.