July 10, 2014 – We are happy to announce that Marwe roller skis will become the official brand for CXC programs and that’s welcome news. The Finnish-based brand is imported in the United States and Canada by importer Finn Sisu.

Kevin Johnson oversees the program for Marwe and said today…”Most people don’t know this, but Marwe is a leading industrial rubber manufacturer in Finland. They got into the roller ski business when one of their executives realized that roller ski wheels wore out much too fast. They got together with Peltonen to make the shafts in their ski factory and Marwe supplied the know-how for the wheels.  With Marwe you get a smooth riding roller ski with wheels that are incredibly durable giving you an experience that closely mimics skiing on snow.”

CXC Head coach Bill Pierce has had more than a decade of experience using Marwae roller skis and is thrilled by the new partnership.

“ I have been training and coaching on Marwe roller skis for about 15 or so years and I’ve been on and demoed almost every other brand that is sold in North America. My preference is based on years of quality experience and service from the product and the supplier. The Skate 610C and the Combi are the skis I prefer. Both have a light weight feel and flex of something similar to snow skiing.

“The honey comb shaft construction softens the ride and feel of the ski and makes for a pleasant experience on rougher surfaces. The stiffer the shaft of a roller ski, the more road vibration and discomfort that comes through the ski to your feet. The wheel durability on all Marwe skis is unlike all other brands. Skiing 4-6 times per week during the dry land season I have been able to get years from the life of the wheels.

“Most of our training time on skis is classic and the Combi is the ski of choice for myself and my athletes. Though most of the classic work is double pole, the time spent striding or kicking feels much more like snow than the longer classic skis produced by most companies. Having the front wheel closer to the binding point of the ski gives the athlete more control and more of a snow like feel for kick follow through and forward drive to a gliding ski. The bottom line is the Combi is lighter and has a more realistic snow feel than other longer classic skis.  My choice of Combi over Classic for striding is just my personal experience and preference from years of skiing on both.”

Read the full story here.