NEW YORK, Jul 25, 2001/ --- Watch out Nike and Adidas: In the race to rule the sneaker roost, Reebok and K-Swiss are gaining speed. Both companies have exceeded Wall Street estimates in their second quarter earnings.

Massachusetts-based Reebok announced that it beat analysts' high-end estimates, earning 24 cents a share. California's K-Swiss outdid estimates by a whopping 6 cents a share, boasting 39 cents.

Both companies have brought in athletic star power to help them get ahead.

Reebok, former top dog in the sneaker scene, has achieved renewed success with Australian golfer Greg Norman's footwear and apparel as well as its pro-football apparel, part of a new licensing deal with the NFL. Sales of these lines rose 56 percent to $81.9 million.

K-Swiss is targeting 14- to 24-year olds-with its new ad campaign featuring New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks in his K-Swiss training shoes. "Like Bonnie and Clyde, we went where the money is," said company CFO George Powlick. And like Bonnie and Clyde, they've made out like bandits, with worldwide revenues of more than $55 million this quarter.

K-Swiss has also announced that it will be adding more apparel to its arsenal. London's designer darling David Wyatt has been hired to create a capsule collection of men's and women's sportswear.

Shares of number-one Nike are down 17 percent. The company recalled 425,000 pairs of sneaks this week after reports of injuries.