FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3rd, 2026 CALGARY, AB –
The Canadian Sport Institute Alberta (CSIAB) is proud to announce its newest Community Partnership with Hettas, a Canadian performance footwear company designing running shoes specifically around women’s biomechanics.
As part of the partnership, CSIAB athletes and staff will have access to products at a preferred rate. As well, Hettas and CSIAB will work together to increase athletes’ access to innovative, research-informed performance products while continuing to support the development of women in high-performance sport.
“Hettas is excited to partner with CSIAB and support the athletes who train and compete at the highest levels of sport,” said Linsday Housman, Founder & CEO of Hettas. “Our mission is rooted in creating better performance products for women by starting with women’s bodies, movement, and experiences. We’re proud to work alongside an organization that shares our commitment to athlete development, innovation, and creating better opportunities for athletes to perform at their best.”
The Hettas Alma collection currently includes three performance running shoes – the Alma Cruise, Alma Tempo, and Alma Speed – each designed for different training and racing demands while maintaining the same women’s-specific fit. The footwear incorporates technologies including a Pebax® plate, supercritical foam, a breathable TPU mesh upper, and a women’s-specific heel design.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Hettas as a new CSIAB Community Partner,” said Gary Davies, President & CEO of CSIAB. “Its commitment to understanding women’s biomechanics and developing products from the ground up strongly aligns with our focus on athlete-centred, evidence-informed performance. We’re excited to provide our athletes with access to products that have been specifically designed with their needs in mind, and we look forward to building this partnership in the years ahead.”
Hettas was founded with a simple belief: women deserve performance footwear designed for their bodies, rather than products adapted from male-based designs. The Vancouver-based company combines research, biomechanics, and innovative design to create footwear engineered specifically for female athletes.
Hettas began its research journey in 2021 through a partnership with Simon Fraser University’s Run Lab, examining female runners through biomechanics research and hands-on testing. This work informed the development of the company’s first footwear collection and continues to shape its approach to product development. Hettas shoes are built using a women’s-specific last, with design features focused on fit, stability, impact reduction, and performance.
Hettas’s commitment to female-focused research and product development reflects a broader effort to address gaps in sport science and performance research. The company continues to collaborate with researchers and athletes to better understand women’s movement and performance and translate those insights into products designed for female athletes.
To learn more about the Hettas Community Partnership and how CSIAB athletes and staff can access the program, please contact Annie Goncin, Manager, Athlete Services & Digital Media, at agoncin@csialberta.ca.
About Hettas
Hettas is a Canadian performance footwear company based in Vancouver, BC, creating running shoes engineered specifically around women’s biomechanics. Founded on the belief that women are not a niche, Hettas combines research, design, and innovation to develop footwear built from the ground up for female athletes. Through ongoing research and collaboration with academic partners, athletes, and practitioners, Hettas is working to close the gap in female-focused performance footwear and create products that support women’s strength, speed, and resilience.
About the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
The Canadian Sport Institute Alberta provides world-class training environments across Alberta. With the support of our partners, we deliver leading sport science, sport medicine, coach education, and athlete services to help Canada’s high-performance athletes achieve success on the world stage. Through collaboration, innovation, and performance excellence, CSI Alberta is committed to elevating the athlete experience and supporting Olympic, Paralympic, and national team success.
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Media Contact
Annie Gagnon
Director, Marketing & Communications
Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
c: 613.262.9644
e: agagnon@csialberta.ca
Annie Goncin
Manager, Athlete Services & Digital Media
Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
c: 647.767.6862
e: agoncin@csialberta.ca