New Year 2018: 3 Medal Trends Already Visible in January Briefs 🏅

First-Monday-of-the-year orders set the tone for spring. Three shifts in race-director briefs landing this week will define what runners post about in 2018.

Bigger Diameters, Same Budgets

After Rio 2016 set the visual baseline, 70mm is replacing 65mm as the default finisher-medal size for 2018 spring races. The cost increase is small (~฿10/medal); the perceived weight gain is significant. RS Trophy now stocks 70mm round blanks year-round to support the shift.

Spinner Centers Move Into Mainstream

Medals with a free-spinning enameled center disc are starting to appear in mainstream race briefs after Instagram's algorithm shift in late 2017 rewarded video over photo. The motion is irresistible on Reels and Stories. Production cost adds only ~฿15/medal. Specify a brass bushing (not plastic) so the spin still feels smooth in year three.