• The Miami Herald/AP, Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:45 AM

Nike is partnering with discount shoe retailer Payless ShoeSource to market a high-performance $34.99 running sneaker. Exeter Brands Group, a subsidiary of Nike, will design and produce the shoes under the Tailwind collection, while Payless will be the exclusive retailer.

Tailwind collection -- which consist of five styles -- hit 400 Payless stores on Monday and will expand to 1,500 by July. The Tailwind shoe is breaking new ground in the $3.5 billion athletic shoe mass market because of the footwear's technology, says Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at NPD Group.

Nike's athletes Brandi Chastain, 38, a World Cup champion; Hope Solo, 25, Olympic soccer goalie; and Logan Tom, 25, an Olympic volleyballer are the spokeswomen for the brand. They will be featured in its marketing materials and videos on the Web site tailwindpayless.com.

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