Partnering with VnExpress Marathon as a strategic partner, Velosar – a sportswear brand within the Venicii ecosystem – views this not merely as a sponsorship, but as a long-term step to realize its "runner made for runner" philosophy.

Leveraging an international-standard manufacturing platform and the direct running experience of its leadership team, Venicii aims to transform global standards into products suitable for the physique, climate, and exercise habits of Vietnamese runners.

According to Phan Minh Chinh, Chairman of Venicii's Board of Directors, VnExpress Marathon is a rare ecosystem that combines sufficient community scale, organizational capacity, and activity data, enabling a Vietnamese brand to test, refine, and accompany runners long-term.

Phan Minh Chinh, Chairman of Venicii's Board of Directors, discusses the partnership with VnExpress Marathon. *Photo: Tung Dinh*

After the first season of partnership, what factors led Velosar to elevate its collaboration with VnExpress Marathon?

After the 2025 season, we had sufficient data and practical experience to make this decision. VnExpress Marathon is currently a leading professional race system in Vietnam, both in scale and operational quality.

Established in 2019, the system currently organizes an average of 12-13 races annually, with peak periods seeing up to two races in a month. In addition to regular races, VnExpress Marathon has expanded to include corporate races and community activities. This ecosystem has reached approximately 300,000 runners, covering nearly the entire amateur running community in Vietnam.

More importantly, both parties share a common long-term direction: improving community health through sports, rather than limiting it to a short-term sponsorship. For Velosar, VnExpress Marathon is the suitable platform to realize that mission.

What makes VnExpress Marathon trustworthy enough for Velosar to invest long-term, instead of collaborating on a race-by-race basis?

The key difference lies in its systematic approach and technological application. VnExpress Marathon does not organize isolated races; instead, it develops a consistent chain model with a clear and unified roadmap.

Operated by FPT Online, technology is applied throughout, from registration and operations to the athlete's experience on the course. This meticulousness builds trust for our long-term investment, rather than an experimental approach.

The cooperation signing ceremony took place on the afternoon of 28/1 in Hanoi. *Photo: Tung Dinh*

Velosar has an international-standard manufacturing platform. When developing products for Vietnamese runners, what is the biggest challenge you and your team face?

Our brand belongs to the Pro Sport Group's manufacturing ecosystem – a company that owns a high-standard factory system and has previously manufactured for global sports brands like Adidas, Nike, and Puma.

The challenge is not in production capacity, but in transforming international standards into products suitable for the physique, climate, exercise habits, and spending patterns of Vietnamese runners. In our partnership with VnExpress Marathon, all products are developed in the highest quality segment, considering this a "tribute" to the running community rather than optimizing for cost.

How does Velosar want the running community to perceive it through its products?

We want to affirm our "Runners made for Runners" philosophy: products designed by people who understand and experience running themselves. We don't just provide competition apparel; we aim to support an active, healthy, and resilient lifestyle. Through VnExpress Marathon, we have the opportunity to listen directly to community feedback, thereby refining products according to actual needs.

The VM Hai Phong 2025 pacer team wears Velosar brand shirts. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*

As a direct participant in running, how does that experience influence how you and your team develop products?

I am a runner who frequently participates in races. Direct competition helps my team and me clearly identify the stringent technical requirements for running apparel, from breathability, weight, and wicking capability to minimizing friction during high-intensity activity. Every design must answer the question: do runners truly need this?

From there, Velosar's research and development team works with manufacturing partners to fine-tune every detail. We inherit experience from factory systems that have manufactured for international brands, but our goal is to bring those standards to a Vietnamese brand, serving Vietnamese people.

Phan Minh Chinh discusses the partnership with VM. *Video: Van Ngoc*

In the long-term vision, what role does Velosar see its relationship with VnExpress Marathon playing in the brand development strategy and for the Vietnamese running community?

We view this partnership within a long-term framework. Over the next 5 years, Velosar aims to support the Vietnamese running community's development towards greater professionalism. Within 10 years, we aspire to build a Vietnamese sports brand with a strong position in the international market.

VnExpress Marathon is a crucial partner in this journey, as both parties pursue sustainable development, apply technology, and center human experience. This collaboration also opens possibilities for expanding into the vRace virtual running platform, lifestyle sports product lines, and a combined online and offline sales model.

As Vietnam's running movement grows robustly, the combination of a manufacturing enterprise, a race organizing platform, and the running community is seen as a direction to elevate quality, rather than merely increasing in quantity.

Lan Anh