Dec 11, 2007

View at www.skipost.com/salomon/dec11

What We Learned at the Bozeman SuperTour:

By Andrew Gerlach - Factory Team Director-Salomon Nordic Racing

Salomon Skis Boots & Bindings and Athletes work together within Unified and Perfect Fit System

We are asked each week what makes Salomon nordic equipment different from other brands. The answer starts with our unified engineering system. Remember that Salomon is the only Nordic equipment brand which manufactures its own skis, boots and bindings. No other Nordic company can make this claim. By developing and owning the technology for our complete SNS binding system, by building proprietary boots based on our SNS binding, and by manufacturing our own skis (at our Amer Sports Factory) based on our unified engineering, we are able to offer all skiers a unified ski boot binding system and a perfect fit.

The same unified system is a key ingredient in Salomon sponsored athletes' domination thus far in the 2007-2008 season. 6 of 8 USSA SuperTour races have been won on Salomon skis, boots and bindings and by 4 different skiers.

It must be emphasized that Salomon US sponsored racers received the identical production skis that Salomon retailers and consumers receive, selected from the same warehouse and selected solely from the Salomon Perfect Fit Chart. Please notice these Athletes did not receive special flexes but rather received skis based solely on the Perfect Fit Chart and then ordered in soft, medium or stiff.

Caitlin Compton won December 9th's freestyle race on a 179 Stiff-Cold Equipe 10. Caitlin weighs 125 lbs. Looking for an all condition ski at her weight puts her directly in the middle of the 179 stiff. We ordered and delivered to her a 179 stiff for all around tracks. And she won on a 179 stiff - ski.

Yes, each pair of Salomon Equipe 10 skis come with a sticker detailing their unique Mid Flex (MF) and Camber Height. But with our new tolerant ski designs, uniform cores and ultra precise manufacturing we know what the MF is going to be (+- 4 kg) before the ski is ever made. The range from our softest skate ski to our stiffest skate ski in any length/stiffness is 10kg (7kg for classic.) Thus when the Perfect Fit Chart suggests a ski in the middle of 179 stiff fit box, we knew that any 179 stiff would work well.

We believe this is the first time a ski manufacturer has ever dared, let alone succeeded, in outfitting their sponsored athletes and race teams using fit charts and not hand selected skis. Evidently Salomon's new unified system and perfect fit philosophy and engineering are working.

Bozeman SuperTour
Athletes choosing Salomon skis, boots and bindings win 3 out of 4 races.

Sprint Women
1st Laura Valaas - US Ski Team- Salomon Skis Boots Bindings
2nd Lindsay Williams - USST- Salomon Boots Bindings
3rd Katie Ronsse - DU *
4th Kasandra Rice - APU
5th Kristina Strandberg - Factory Team- Salomon Skis Boots Bindings

Sprint Men
1st Snorri Einarsson - U of Utah *
2nd Even Sletten - U of Utah *
3rd Kevin Hochtl -

Freestyle Women 12Km
1st Caitlin Compton USBA - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings - +28:46
2nd Liz Stephens - US Ski Team - +:17
3rd Taz Mannix- US Ski Team - Salomon Boots Bindings +1:19
4th Kristina Strandberg-Factory Team - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings +1:26

Classic Men 15 km
1st Garrott Kuzzy - Team CXC - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings - 33:54
2nd Zack Simons - +: 20
3rd Brian Gregg - Team CXC - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings - +:44

Overall SuperTour Leaders

Women

1st Laura Valaas- US Ski Team - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings 96 Pts
2nd Lindsey Williams - US Ski Team- Salomon Boots & Bindings 74 Pts
3rd - Kristina Strandberg - Factory Team - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings 64 Pts

Men

1st Garrott Kuzzy Team CXC - Salomon Skis Boots Bindings 82 Pts
2nd Even Slatten U of Utah * 75 Pts
3rd Snorri Einersson U of Utah * 64 Pts

* Collegiate Athletes can have no ski brands affiliations.

 

THE JOY OF VICTORY
Peter Larsson (Swe) Team Sprint Sweden World Cup 07/08 Düsseldorf (GER)
Salomon Skis, Boots, and Bindings