- I think a lot of runners are discouraged
that shoes have become such a huge focus in a sport
that used to be seen as so elemental,
it was just about your training, and your fitness,
and you on the open road,
and this shoe technology controversy has changed all that.
People wonder where was this regulation earlier?
They feel like, not all brands were given the same chance
to develop this technology,
that may be the spirit of the rules
was largely ignored for several years.
- [Narrator] On January 31st,
World Athletics Track and Field's World Governing Body
release new regulations about shoes worn
in elite marathon competition,
in the wake of record breaking times
from runners wearing Nike Vaporfly shoes.
The regulations set specific limits
about the height and composition of distance running shoes.
Soles can be no thicker than 40 millimeters,
and any rigid plates must be in one continuous plane.
2020 is an Olympic year,
the January ruling means athletes can wear prototypes
in February's Olympic trials,
but any new shoes must be available at retail by April 30th
if they are to be worn at the Tokyo Olympics.
So, how are shoe companies scrambling
to match Nike's Vaporfly technology?
- Well, I think the first objection by critics
was the timing.
Because, World Athletics had received complaints
about these Nike shoes or concerns at least
for at least the past two or three years.
And yet, it took until January
for them to take any really specific action.
So, I think competing brands were saying,
"Hey, this is an Olympic year.
"This is incredibly important for not only the development
"of our technology but also for our competitors
"who have their highest profile competition."
The U.S. is almost unique in the world
in that it holds trials for the Olympic marathon team.
Most other nations hand select their marathoners,
but in the case of the U.S.,
you have to finish in the top three among women or men
to qualify.
Of course, that makes it incredibly important
that you're in shape, and that you have a shoe
that can beat other runners.
- [Narrator] Earlier this year,
the Wall Street Journal studied the Vaporfly,
asking experts to dissect the shoe
to demonstrate what some athletes and critics
say give the shoes an advantage.
- Second, you can see the full length carbon fiber plate.
And this carbon fiber plate adds a lot of stiffness
and stability to the shoe as well.
- [Narrator] It's a race to spring deadline
for brands to release shoes if they haven't already,
that contain a carbon plate
and comply with the new World Athletics regulations.
While Hoka One own a shoe comparable
to the Vaporfly technology,
and has been out since May 2019,
we'll see debuts from brands like Saucony,
with their Endorphin Pro, which will be released globally
on April 15.
Brooks will publicly launched their Hyperion Elite shoe
on February 29th,
but announced five days before the Olympic trials
that some of their elite athletes will be racing
in the next iteration, the Hyperion elite two,
which will hit the market in late April,
ahead of the April 30th deadline.
Adidas Adizero Pro will be available to the public
in select markets from April 1 and worldwide by May 15.
New Balance released their FuelCell TC in February,
and ASICS will release their Metaracer shoe in spring,
but Nike's athletes may wear the new Alphafly
on February, 29th.
It does have a thicker sole than the Vaporfly,
but the brand has said it will comply
with the new regulations.
- Privately, and especially to one another,
some runners who run on competing shoes,
have expressed concern about whether theirs will match up,
not only with the current Nikes,
but these yet unseen new Nikes.
I think some athletes and brands feel that Nike
has too much influence in the sport.
It's the leading brand in performance running shoes,
and sponsors many, many athletes,
sponsors U.S.A. track and field.
The president of World Athletics
is a longtime former Nike sponsored athlete.
Competitors worry that maybe that relationship
is a little bit too close with the body
that's supposed to be regulating it.
- [Narrator] When asked about the body's independence
from Nike, World Athletics responded in a statement,
"We need to balance what is currently in the market
"at an elite level
"and draw a line by prohibiting shoes
"that may go further than what is currently on the market,
"until further research is undertaken."
And that, "No shoe company was directly involved
"in shaping the regulations."
A Nike spokesperson said in a statement
to the Wall Street Journal,
"We believe the New World athletics rules
"will stifle innovation over the long term,
"ultimately impacting athletes, consumers, and fans".
Brooks said in a comment to the Wall Street Journal,
"Generally we would spend more time between prototype
"and bringing a shoe to market,
"but the recent WA ruling pushed us
"to reassess our go-to-market strategy."
- One of the reasons why these questions about shoes
are so important
is because running isn't only for elites.
Last year in the U.S., about 15 million people
went running at least once.
And if there's a shoe that someone thinks
is gonna make them run a half marathon or a 10k faster,
they might be very interested in buying it.
So, this is not only a question for elites,
but it's also a question for the market.