• November 4, 2009

24 Hour Fitness, the largest privately owned U.S. fitness chain, is tying its sponsorship of the 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams to a marketing program around six hopefuls for those teams.

The six include snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, pairs skater Rockne Brubaker, short track speed skater J.R. Celski, Paralympic skier Chris Devlin-Young, speed skater Tucker Fredricks and skier Julia Mancuso.

As members of "Team 24 Hour Fitness," the athletes will appear in the brand's Olympic marketing campaign, make promotional appearances at local clubs, and develop signature workouts for members that will be available in the clubs, as well as online at 24hourfitness.com and the company's YouTube channel (youtube.com/24hourfitnessinc).--Karl Greenberg