It's been what you might call an 'indoor sports' winter so far. No weather for tennis - when it's been dry here, it's been way too windy. With many days in sub-zero temperatures, it's been too cold for football, for casual players at least. Of course, rugby players won't care about that; a bit of cold never stopped them. The ground's been too damned icy for running, and the roads too treacherous for cycling.

Intersport's recent Q3 2009 show for their members, on January 6th - 8th at their venue in Solihull, was certainly a success under new General Manager Barry Mellis. The event included a new 'corridor' on entering the exhibition area, with sporting memorabilia and plasma screens giving information and generating a bit of excitement for people arriving.

Winning three top level awards in the space of two weeks is Harrod's remarkable accomplishment.

Amer Sports, the world's largest sports equipment company, has appointed Keith Wishart as the new Managing Director for its operations in the UK and Ireland.

Running gear gurus Ronhill have announced their new Infinite Collection, a brand new range of running wear supported by a distinctive new livery, freshly designed swing tickets and a full marketing campaign.

Following the resounding success of their 2008 Buying Show STAG have announced the dates for 2009. The Buying Show will take place at the stunning  venue, Four Pillars Hotel, Cotswold Water Park, on the 22nd and 23rd of November.

Double Olympic Gold medalist Rebecca Adlington has joined Speedo's ranks of sponsored swimmers, the company has announced. Adlington joined the sport's elite in the summer's Beijing games as she achieved a memorable double in the women's 400m and 800m freestyle. Aged just 19, Adlington is considered a superb role model and she should prove a great asset to Speedo.

Folowing correspondence from Aqua Sphere after we recently published an article about Zoggs, the company wishes SGB - Sports and Outdoor to clarify some issues raised.

With ispo china 09, the 5th edition of the leading professional sports business platform for the entire Asian Pacific Rim returns to the China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing from February 19th until 21st, 2009. On 25,000 square meters of exhibition space, ispo china features leading sporting goods brands and their product innovations.

The SW Sports Trade Golf Society is an organisation open to retailers in the UK, suppliers, reps and agents, with a pleasingly broad aim - to enjoy a good round of golf a few times a year, do some networking, make new friends and have a good time.

Quality US sock manufacturer Thorlo is launching a significant new line of products. Called Experia, the eye-catching new socks combine ultra-lightweight performance with comfort, durability and high breathability.

Another brand that's been 'on its uppers', Carlton is having new life breathed into it. Formerly the world's number one brand in the field of badminton rackets and shuttlecocks, Carlton is now making strides into the market as part of the Dunlop Slazenger group. SGB finds out how, thanks to Matthew Shuker.

There's no denying it, sports supports are not perched at the glamorous end of the retail trade. They are unlikely to ever feature heavily in window displays in general sports retailers in the build-up to Christmas, and some of the fashion-led sports multiples will happily neglect supports. But there is a critical difference between the support product and something a bit more eye-catching, such as a Premier League football shirt: the latter is a product that many consumers want, but the support is what the injured athlete needs. When weekend footballers have a knee problem, they won't even notice the racks of brightly coloured shirts in well-lit areas of the shop. All they will have eyes for is pain relief and pain prevention.

White is, by any standards, by far the most visible colour we can wear, but it's hard to keep clothing actually white. So what's the solution for runners who want to get out there in winter? Fluorescent clothing, of course - which traditionally is usually a fluorescent yellow. Saucony's new range is a striking fluorescent orange, but this is the start of something big for the company's apparel lines. Jonathan Quint explains why...

Making cricket bats is a craft branded with mystique and varnished in sentiment. It has always been a trade carried out by skilled, bare hands, with trade secrets passed down the generations from one craftsman to another in a workshop scattered with willow shavings and saw dust. This tradition has continued to the modern day virtually untouched, even in the globalised, television-obsessed 21st century that has seen international cricketers play a one-day game with $1 million-a-head at stake.

A co-founder of Gunn & Moore, William ‘Billy' Gunn was one of Victorian England's great sportsmen and businessmen.

An interesting area of advancement in ladies swimwear is the 'support' type suit. They involve new fabrics for, say, tummy control and time has been spent on sizing - most importantly the cup size for the larger bust.

What made Woolworths finally close its doors? Why are the merchants of doom prophesying the doubling of empty shops on our High Streets and in our shopping centres? Who might survive and who might fall victim to the economic downturn? Are we over-shopped and is it time to take stock in general terms? To what extent has (and will) shopping on the net influence the future of retailing? Will mouse-fall overtake footfall in the world of sales? And was Jack Lynes' journey to Littlehampton to be a farewell look at a traditional family business on its last legs or could its owner's dreams as he prepares to hand over the business to his ‘best ever Saturday boy' be justified?

Is there anybody one can turn to for reliable and genuine business advice these days or are they all charlatans? Judging by the plethora of letters, leaflets and emails in circulation one would imagine there are thousands of experts just bursting full of ideas to solve any and every problem even the most challenging might come up with. I don't trust any of them. Babblers and snakes the lot of them, you'd be better off trusting a used car salesman or an estate agent these days.

A rough winter and economic downturn really should mean good times for the outdoor industry, and perhaps the British tourist industry too, which might even see pre-foot and mouth numbers bettered. Who knows? It seems that once one feels they have a handle on the 'credit crunch', there's another slump, apparently unforeseen. Another bank slides down, shares tumble, and to quote the Scottish fella from Dad's Army, "We're all doomed!"

KORS, the Kendal Outdoor Retail Show has announced the exhibitors at its 2009 show, featuring a comprehensive list of quality distributors and brands. New exhibitors this year are Big Stone and Equip.

The 4th Annual Sheffield Adventure Film Festival takes place from Friday Feb 27, to Sunday March 1st, and the organisers say that mountaineers, rock-climbers, mountain bikers, paragliders, skiers, BASE jumpers, surfers, skateboarders, trekkers, kayakers and adventurers will be flocking to Sheffield for the 4th Annual Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. The weekend promises a packed programme of films, lectures and fringe activities, with Sheffield's Showroom independent cinema acting as the hub.

CÀRN, an exciting new British brand of male and female outdoor footwear designed and developed in the UK by British designers, hits UK stores in time for the Spring Summer 2009 season and encompasses three key aspects of outdoor pursuit - trail running, approach and trekking.

New research published by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has revealed that almost half of the British population is now more likely to book an outdoor break during 2009, due to the economic downturn. In a survey conducted at the start of January, 49% of adults who were asked stated that the credit crunch has made them more inclined to go on an outdoor based break in Britain, rather than head abroad. The continuing weak state of the Pound against the Euro and Dollar is also convincing more consumers to stay in this country.

Momentum is once again gaining speed for this year's Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) with a wide cross section of outdoor brands keen to commit their presence at the Autumn event.

From February 2009, TKC Sales Ltd is the new distributor for the UK & Ireland of New Zealand brand Silkbody.

A hard, cold winter is proving a massive bonus for ice climbing and mountaineering hardware specialists Grivel.  The Mountain Boot Company, which distributes the brand, has reported that December was the best month for Grivel sales in the whole of the company's history in the UK.  The Mountain Boot Company has required an enviable reputation for its superb stock flow and customer service but they had to order extra shipments for December to keep up with the huge demand.

Outdoor industry veteran Chip Coe has joined TEKO as Chief Executive Officer and stockholder. "I am very proud to be able to announce Chip joining TEKO both as the CEO and as an investor," said Gordon Fraser, TEKO's Chairman and majority stockholder. "It is fantastic to have such an experienced and passionate individual to lead the company in an industry that we love so much.  Chip clearly identifies with the tremendous value and innovation that TEKO brings to the market as a sustainable and highly technical sock brand."

Nikwax, the market's leading waterproofing manufacturer, is launching a brand new high-performance waterproofing wax for leather in 2009. Nikwax has spent more than two years developing and researching the new formula. It replaces the traditional wax paste in a tin and provides superior performance and a more convenient application than the tin wax.

Global sports brand HI-TEC has appointed John Calis as European Sales Director for both their HI-TEC and MAGNUM Business.

The value of the pound against the Euro, dollar and most other major currencies has hit rock bottom. Unemployment is rising. Stock prices have crashed. Pension funds look ropey. Saving rates are dismal; even Premium Bonds look like a poor bet. House prices have slumped. It's all doom and gloom. Or is it? Could there be silver, or even a copper lining to this very dark cloud? Is there light at the end of what feels like a very dark tunnel?

It's one of the best-known names to come out of the British Isles in the last century, and Land Rover will forever be associated with rugged landscapes and the outdoors life. With this in mind it seems that footwear and lifestyle clothing is an ideal extension of the brand, as Pieter Gommans explained to SGB...

"The brand evolved around innovation," explains Andy. "As Chris Brasher was walking on the roof of Wales in traditional walking boots he experience discomfort and had to take them off. He said, "Why can't walking boots be as comfortable as training shoes?" At the time he was involved in the distribution of New Balance and Reebok, so he took it on himself to look at the reasons why walking boots were so uncomfortable.  Chris then developed a lightweight product with a membrane construction to deliver waterproof performance - something the marketplace had never seen before through innovative technology brown leather boots were made lightweight. A lot of the products that he introduced are still running and are the benchmark products of the industry today."

brasher announced recently that 2008 was the best sales year in its 30-year history, as it unveils plans for its Autumn Winter 2009 range.

There's a lot of companies producing base layers out there. Some of them are simple, some highly technical; some are a 'me too' product, others have come about as a result of years of research and experience. Most of the product you'll come across is excellent, and reputations have been built on this; Helly Hansen, Skins, Under Armour to name but a few.

With predictions in mainstream media suggesting that holidaying in Britain will be "de riguer" in 2009, the OS Outdoors Show couldn't come at a better time. Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts ranging from outright beginners to weathered old hands will descend on this exciting, vibrant show. Geraldine Reeve told SGB what visitors can expect.