While sports equipment imports rose 3.3 percent to $2.3 billion during the nine months, total sneaker importdollars rose 9 per cent to $5.38 billion for the nine-monthperiod, according to data compiled by the SGMA. Exerciseequipment (up 65 per cent) and racquets (up 28 per cent) led allcategories. Gym/exercise accounted for $542 million worth ofimports versus $328 million during the first nine months of 1995.The categories with sizable import increases were offset by asharp fall-off in in-line skates, ice hockey equipment andbaseball/softball goods.