Latest news with #Relay
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Triathlon-Olympic champion Yee mixing things up to stay fresh for assault on LA 2028
LONDON - Alex Yee is already the most successful athlete in Olympic triathlon history and to give himself the best chance of adding to his medals in Los Angeles 2028 the Briton is mixing marathons with high-adrenaline Supertri to keep him fresh in mind and body. Yee's extraordinary late surge to overcome Hayden Wilde and snatch gold in Paris was one of the great moments of the Games. It came after he took silver in Tokyo alongside a gold in the Mixed Relay, adding bronze in that team event in 2024. Still only 27, Yee's goal is to match compatriot Alistair Brownlee by successfully defending his title in LA, but, having been putting his body through the relentless training needed for success across three sports since his teens, he has taken a different approach this year. After adding the 2024 world title to his Olympic haul over the 1,500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run distance, Yee threw himself into his first marathon and duly clocked an impressive two hours, 11.08 minutes to finish 14th at the London Marathon in April. "It was a very special period and allowed me to take a step back from my triathlon training and look at things a little bit differently to see how I could improve," Yee told Reuters in an interview. "I think for me to be able to take that small step away but still be working very much within the context of getting better within triathlon was very exciting but it was also the fact I was able to race one of my dream races, which I grew up leaning over the barriers and watching as a fan after racing the mini marathon." This weekend Yee goes to the other end of the speed spectrum when he races the Toronto leg of Supertri, the fast and furious multi-lap format that features three back-to-back rounds of 300m swim, 4km bike and 1.6km run with eight transitions. 'EXCITING FORMAT' "It's an exciting format for people to watch, it's developing our sport and evolving it and it's something which I want to be part of," he said. "With those races everything comes at you so fast that the mistakes are often magnified and as a result you actually have that really short-term opportunity to learn three times rather than it being one big hit and then you move on. "It might be a very small thing, maybe you miss your buckle on your helmet and then the next thing you know the pack's gone. It's all those little nuances which make up Supertri and make it exciting." Those "marginal gains" picked up from different formats and building marathon endurance are key to Yee's bid for more gold in LA, when the individual triathlon medals will be won on the first two days of the Games. "The sport has evolved and I know if I do what I did for Tokyo and what I did for Paris, if I keep doing the same thing, then the sport will leave me behind," he said. "I need to think about how I can improve and, excitingly, that means that I can work on my run again, which has been something I haven't been able to do for the last five years. "That stuff has really kept me motivated and kept me excited and I think, fundamentally, if you still have that energy and that excitement towards the sport, then it's a really positive thing." Yee says keeping his body healthy and his mind fresh are the key ingredients for future success, but a more holistic approach has replaced a traditional multi-year, detailed training plan. "I would say my roadmap is mainly about the person I want to be in, the mindset I want to be in," he said. "I feel like there is so much more I can deliver and improve on. Then I can stand on that start line and say, 'yeah, I've done everything I can' and I can be proud, no matter the result, of the person I've become on the journey." REUTERS
Forbes
19-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Heathrow's Shift To Blended Retail Is A Big Win For Relay And WH Smith
The French Relay brand (shown here at Lisbon Airport) is coming to the U.K. for the first time. ... More (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) So-called 'blended retail' is coming to London Heathrow Airport following a review of the airport's convenience/travel essentials retail offering to passengers. As a result, new concepts from France's Relay brand, owned by Lagardère Travel Retail (LTR), and from existing partner, WH Smith, will be launching soon. The Relay fascia is debuting belatedly in the U.K., having already spread to many airports in Europe and the United States, with the latter market being served via LTR's subsidiary, Paradies Lagardère. In total, the brand is present in approximately 300 airports worldwide, with the most recent launch at Türkiye's Antalya Airport. The new deal with the two retailers will lead to the implementation of blended stores appearing across all of Heathrow's four terminals (T2, T3, T4, and T5). From summer 2026, Relay will launch a blended travel essentials offer in Terminal 2—The Queen's Terminal, where four stores will have a total footprint of more than 14,6000 square feet. In the upper-level departures area, a 4,500-square-foot unit will have a pharmacy alongside a mix of travel essentials. The largest of lower-level shops (at 5,300 square feet) in the main retail thoroughfare will offer books, souvenirs, toys, and to-go food and drink. LTR will also operate a satellite 'Discover' souvenir concept store and a landside Relay shop in the check-in hall. The CEO of LTR UK & Ireland, Peter Newbould, said he was hopeful the Heathrow contract would open doors. 'By making Relay a success at Heathrow, we will open up further opportunities to develop our three business lines across the U.K. market,' he said. LTR's new joint-CEO, Frédéric Chevalier, has described Heathrow as 'renowned for its progressive and inventive approach to commercial activities,' and having Relay stores there will certainly shine a light on the concept, which is expanding. Meanwhile, WH Smith gets the bulk of the new concessions. It will open travel essentials stores in T3 and T4, and extend its presence in Terminal 5. The U.K.-listed retailer will also become the main airside health and beauty provider in T3 and T4, and will provide a pharmacy offer across each of the three terminals. A coffee and bakery offer will also be part of the mix. The change, once completed, means WH Smith will operate more than 20 stores at the London hub. Research drives Heathrow move Heathrow said that the changes are based on feedback from thousands of passengers about how retail can support time-pressed travellers. Hence the decision to put key product categories such as news, books, health and beauty under one roof in each terminal. The airport's retail director, Fraser Brown, said the new retail strategy would be 'transformational.' On extending its relationship with WH Smith, he added: 'For nearly 80 years, Heathrow and WHSmith have had a successful partnership, bringing new and innovative retail experiences for passengers.' WH Smith has tried-and-tested blended retail stores at Heathrow. This one is in T2. Andrew Harrison, CEO of WH Smith UK Travel, described its one-stop-shop format as 'a proven model' and added that the company would, following this deal, be 'taking a significant step forward' in its health, beauty, and pharmacy proposition at Heathrow. Research commissioned by WH Smith in 2023 to understand passenger views on its offering at the London hub identified a demand for a broader essentials offering where passengers could find a range of products in one place. The same year, Heathrow commissioned some of its own research using Trinity McQueen, a consultancy specializing in behavioral insights and market research. It found that the strongest motivator for passengers to pick up travel essentials from the airport is knowing they could get everything they needed quickly (just under a quarter of 1,075 participants said this). A week ago, Heathrow unveiled a sizeable £10 billion ($13.5 billion), five-year investment plan to improve service levels. As part of the fully privately financed project that will add— for the first time in a decade—new terminal space for lounges, shops, and restaurants within its terminals. On completion, assuming the airport gets approval from Britain's civil aviation authority, Heathrow will be able to serve 10 million more passengers a year, a 12% increase in capacity. This will support airlines' growth plans and help keep the hub in pole position as Europe's busiest gateway.
Associated Press
18-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Future-Proof Her Business Summit Offers Tech-Savvy Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs
GeekPack® Founder and CEO, Julia Taylor, along with some of the expert speakers featured at The Future-Proof Her Business Summit Top Experts Share Real Strategies for Business Growth without the Overwhelm Colorado - July 17, 2025 - Founder & CEO of GeekPack®, Julia Taylor, is pleased to announce The Future-Proof Her Business Summit, July 21-23, a free three-day virtual event designed to help women entrepreneurs navigate AI overwhelm, uncertainty, and create a roadmap for smart business growth. Participants will learn from experts in mindset, AI, and business growth in a series of short yet informative sessions. The Future-Proof Her Business Summit is designed to help women business owners adapt, grow, and stay relevant during these fast-changing times. Whether you're a solopreneur or heading a small team, these sessions will give you strategies to help navigate change with confidence. The Future-Proof Her Business Summit features an array of engaging guest speakers, including: What makes this summit so unique? By the end of the Summit, participants will have a clear roadmap of how to grow their business with ease; a fresh perspective on how to integrate AI tools into their operations to save time and money; a sense of empowerment that anything is possible; and a community that is there to support, and uplift women who are making the world a better place through business. 'I created these events after seeing so many entrepreneurs spinning their wheels, feeling overwhelmed, and unsure how to navigate rapid AI changes,' states Julia Taylor, Founder & CEO of GeekPack. 'This summit is about giving women a renewed sense of confidence, clarity, and a tangible plan to grow their businesses without burning out.' 'Starting a small business takes grit and ambition, but keeping it going means always having your eye on the money,' says Yoseph West, Co-Founder & CEO of Relay. 'At Relay, every move we make is about enabling anyone to build a long-lasting and profitable business. Partnering with GeekPack is an obvious match. They support a vibrant community of dedicated entrepreneurs focused on building their long-term futures. Together, we're not just simplifying financial management, we're sparking sustainable growth for business owners everywhere.' The Future-Proof Her Business Summit is a free, virtual summit running July 21-23, 2025. Each day features sessions with subject matter experts and daily action steps to create business momentum. Participants will walk away with practical strategies, cutting-edge tools, and a clear road map of what to do next for their business. Proudly sponsored by Relay, Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, and our Community Network Partners. Free registration is available at: About GeekPack Since 2018, GeekPack has been transforming the lives of women by equipping them with the skills, strategies, and support to confidently build businesses that thrive in a digital world. With a flourishing community reaching over 162,000 aspiring and growing entrepreneurs, GeekPack's engaging events and programs provide valuable expertise for building successful, future-ready businesses. Founder Julia Taylor's impact has been recognized by the Tory Burch Foundation and the Cartier Women's Initiative, where she was honored as a 2024 Fellow. Learn more at About Relay Relay is an online banking platform that puts business owners in complete control of their cash flow. By helping them clearly understand what they're earning, spending, and saving, Relay empowers entrepreneurs to make smarter decisions about their business and reach peak profitability. Disclaimer:Relay is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Thread Bank; Member FDIC. Media Contact Company Name: GeekPack Contact Person: Halley Moore Email: Send Email Country: United States Website: Press Release Distributed by To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: The Future-Proof Her Business Summit Offers Tech-Savvy Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs
Perth Now
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Relay star Lily James eyes 'unlikely roles'
Lily James is keen to play "unlikely roles". The 36-year-old actress - who stars alongside Riz Ahmed and Sam Worthington in the thriller film Relay - has revealed that she's eager to challenge herself in her professional life. Asked if she would've been interested in Relay if it was more "conventional", Lily told The Hollywood Reporter: "Honestly, I was so excited to work with [director] David Mackenzie and Riz that I almost would've done any old thing that they put in front of me. "That being said, you love to find work that's surprising and characters that take you in a direction you didn't anticipate. And particularly at this point in my career, I want to keep pushing myself to play unlikely roles, roles that surprise me, and have something to get my teeth into. So that [unconventionality] was definitely what was very appealing about this role and story." Lily recalled being wowed by the Relay script, and she hopes that film fans are similarly surprised by the plot. The actress explained: "Relay felt like this really gripping, dark thriller that exposes the world of whistleblowers and the idea of this greater control and always being watched. It felt really surprising, and I was thrilled to get to work with such a unique filmmaker in David Mackenzie. His movies feel so cinematic and grounded and bold and original." Lily also relished the experience of working with Riz, describing her 42-year-old co-star as "one of the most exciting actors out there". Lily and Riz managed to develop a great chemistry, even though they rarely filmed together. She said: "Riz is also one of the most exciting actors out there, especially when you see what he's able to convey with no dialogue in the first 20 minutes of the movie. "The connection we were able to build despite our characters very rarely being in the same room together was a real challenge. And when I watched the movie for the first time at TIFF on the big screen, I was like, 'Wow, it's incredible that there's this great electricity between these two characters when they barely meet.' So it was quite a sleight of hand that David pulled that off in terms of filmmaking." Meanwhile, Lily previously admitted that she still suffers self-doubts. The actress told The Talks: "I don't stay up all night getting nervous about work. I do get frightened of not being good enough. "I'll get quite anxious after days where I've had a big emotional scene, I worry that I haven't given enough or I get frightened that I haven't been true enough. So that's a kind of fear that lasts pretty much the whole shoot. But it's doesn't make me nervous, weirdly — except in auditions."
Stuff.tv
14-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
This accessory may be the easiest way to listen to Hi-Fi audio from your phone
Got a killer pair of headphones, but nothing to plug them in to? Or maybe, you want to listen to Hi-Fi audio on your cans, but your device (such as a smartphone) can't output the audio. You'll need a DAC – they're usually quite fiddly, but not this one. Campfire Audio's Relay accessory is a dinky new DAC/AMP that slides into your pocket without kicking up a fuss. Yet it still promises to deliver the kind of sound usually reserved for amps the size of bricks and the weight of top dollars. From the outside, Relay is sleek, aluminium-clad, and unapologetically premium. Inside, it's packing an AKM 4493 SEQ DAC chip, which might not mean much to your average Spotify-on-a-smart-fridge user, but those who've flirted with the idea of Hi-Fi on the go will be excited. The chip adds a bit of analogue charm to your digital music – promising a hint of warmth and a smidge of character. This thing can basically connect to any device. It has a USB-C connector and works with Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android. It even plays nice with gaming PCs, in case you want to take your gaming to the next level (pun fully intended). There's a real sense that Campfire Audio has tried to make the Relay not just portable, but usable. You get both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs, high and low gain modes, six filter options, support for up to 32-bit/768kHz playback, PCM and DSD formats, and even media playback controls. Campfire even included a bunch of thoughtful extras. You get a short USB-C cable that won't tangle, a microfibre cloth for the inevitable fingerprints, and a plush little bag to keep it all snug. The Campfire Audio Relay DAC/AMP is available now directly from the brand, Amazon US, Amazon UK, and specialist audio retailers. It'll set you back £229/$229, which is pretty comparable for this kind of device.
