The future for a Hamilton company looks as golden as the medals worn by the Canadian Olympic men's eight rowing team.

"We were on top of the world when they won," said Joe Camillo, owner of Niko Apparel.

The specialty clothing manufacturer supplies Regatta Sport, a St. Catharines retail store jointly owned by Camillo and Chris Cookson, a former world rowing champion.

Regatta Sport became the official supplier and sponsor of the Canadian rowing team after the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 when the men's eight finished a devastating fifth despite being favoured to win.

Nike, the official sponsor at the time, did not renew the relationship.

"They had a lot to prove this go around," said Camillo, also a former national rower. "Nike and Adidas, they should have picked the Canadian team. (They) lost a great, great marketing opportunity."

Regatta Sport not only seized the opportunity, it sent Cookson to personally measure each member of the rowing team in Victoria, B.C., to ensure proper fit.

The company also included a bonus for each team member who ended up on the podium.

To supply the rowing team was big, but the men's eight gold win and the bronzes taken by the men's lightweight four and the women's lightweight double on the same day are mammoth.

"To see (the men's eight) on the CBC, splashed on the front page of every newspaper and see how well those suits fit was great," Camillo said. "They were all cut- and made-to-measure pieces."

The RS logo along with a signature swish was just as visible.

Other people noticed too, resulting in phone calls, e-mails from customers and other businesses interested in Niko and Regatta Sport.

"Regatta Sport's logo was splashed across the country. It'll solidify our brand as a leader in manufacturing," Camillo said. "It validates our belief that a Canadian apparel company can compete and win."

It was a team effort that led the men's eight rowing team to a gold at the Olympics and it was a team effort that created the suits they wore.

No medal for the 30 or so sewers and design team, just a pizza party, some celebrations and pride in being a part of a big Olympic win.

Of course, there's also the promise of more work, Camillo said.

"It's going to be good."

lmarr@thespec.com

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