March 07, 2013 (Devil’s Thumb Ranch, CO) – Karhu is back in the U.S. after a few years of absence from the market. The brand, which is best known for its line of ski touring equipment, has a huge range of gear for the 2013/14 season, including cross-country skis and boots. The company has now partnered with Craft, known for endurance sport clothing, and is now introducing a new line of eyewear to complete the comprehensive Nordic and back country ski touring equipment line-up.

January 28, 2013 (Salt Lake City, UT) – The Outdoor Retailer Winter trade show was in Salt Lake City from Jan. 23-26 in full force. Hundreds of manufacturers from around the globe converged to show off their hottest winter gear for the upcoming 2013/2014 season. SkiTrax was there to catch a glimpse and provide highlights of some awesome new high tech products that the Nordic world will be dying to get their hands on.

Fischer
The secret to Fischer’s new 2014 Speedmax skis lies in their construction. The entire ski is constructed separately from the base. It has long been known that high temperatures and pressure that are present in conventional ski pressing can damage the molecular structure of the base. Fischer worked hard to perfect their unique process of Cold Base Bonding. By bonding the base to the rest of the pre-constructed ski without heat, the Speedmax skis feature a base that is able to maintain the homogeneity of the original molecular structures. As a result, the base is able to accept more wax and features unrivaled gliding properties. The glue that bonds the base is also temperature neutral, so no matter what the temperature is, Fischer claims that the ski will maintain its flex profile. The Austria-based company hopes that these new skis will take more than a couple of athletes to the podium at the 2014 Olympic Games next year in Sochi.

Swix
Our visit to the Swix booth left us with a couple “wow” moments as the new Triac pole is in a class of its own. The pole is 20% stiffer than the previous model, while maintaining the same great swing weight. The pole features a triangular cross section and is set for a pre-launch at the upcoming World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy before a launch to the public this fall. However, according to Product Manager Svein Pederson, a sample pair has already been out on the World Cup course after he let Petter Northug test a pair a month ago, and the Norwegian star refused to return them.

Swix has also come out with a brand new wax iron. If you thought the T71 iron Swix sold last year was thick, wait until you see the T70 – this is an extreme waxing iron. The 35mm plate can hold high stable temperatures that enable the wax tech to apply high purity fluoros without burning the base. At a $1,000 retail price, the iron should be used by those seeking waxing perfection, regardless of cost.

Swix has developed a great relationship with Gore-Tex for their glove line over the past two seasons and this year they integrated Gore-Tex into a new line of warm, windproof jackets.

Rossignol

The X-ium lineup has some big changes for the 2013/2014 season. Some changes in the camber profiles and pressure distribution on the glide zones are the major changes on the cold skis the S1 (skate) and C1 (classic). The big changes for the skate line come in the S3 where more tip splay and a softer profile will allow the tip to fly over slush, and give the skis a nice, buttery feel. They feature a translucent base with no carbon added. The base is a bit denser, and allows the factory to put in a more stable, deep structure that will hold up over time, and eliminate suction in slush. The classic world cup level line features five different skis. The C1 will run great on cold hardpack while the C2 is a bit softer and is a wider range traditional classic ski. The C2 R-Grip has a synthetic kick zone that has a hairy zone that isn’t very aggressive so hardwax can be overlayed when conditions permit. For warm classic skiing, Rossi offers a traditional warm C3 ski, and just like on the skate side, there’s an additional C3 version with a harder white base on the tip and tail, with a softer traditional black base in the kickzone to hold wax more effectively.

Alpina
Alpina’s latest development comes in the form of the new ESK skate boot. The heel is a bit lower in the KSK Pro than in the traditional ESK. This works in conjunction with the new Rottefella Xcelerator bindings, to provide more force through the front of the foot, in addition to providing a more natural stance. The boot is a bit stiffer than in the past to provide a nice snappy feel. An improved lacing system and a removable cuff also provide the opportunity for a custom-style fit and feel.

Madshus

Madshus’ new Super Nano boots, already seen on the feet of top biathletes Emil Hegle Svendsen and Ole Einar Bjorndalen, along with rising US star, Noah Hoffman, were another show stopper. The new Nanos are significantly lighter and stiffer than previous versions as Madshus utilized more carbon fiber while limiting the amount of extra plastic in the sole. We tried on the Super Nano in conjunction with their new Redline carbon skate ski, and it felt like there was nothing on our feet. The swing weight and light feel were unparalleled and Madshus says the advances in performance don’t compromise the new boot’s comfort or warmth. Built with a lower volume in the forefoot, the Super Nano feels a bit softer on the top of the foot, while providing great stability on the bottom – a great all-around bomber boot worth checking out.

Craft/Karhu
Craft has improved upon their underwear lineup for 2014 with their new High Function models. The new line has improved on the seams with better fit adjustments compared to previous models.

One of the most exciting developments in the cross-country ski industry is the return of Karhu to the North American market. While Karhu never left the race scene in Scandinavia, they are making their return to North America in 2013/2014 featuring the skate 1.0 which is a high performance racing ski. The cold ski comes with a soft and stiff version as does the warm ski. We are really excited to get on the skis and see how they feel.

Karhu boots are based on the Rottefella sole and binding system. Due to the excellent vertical flex of the boot’s sole structure, kick power is transferred efficiently to deliver the maximum power to the forefoot and toes.

Karhu has further developed the fit, materials and skiing comfort of both their classical and skating ski boots. Light cuffs and other technical solutions will satisfy the needs of a demanding skier. The warm inner sock and flexible lace cover material possess water repellent properties.

November 17, 2011 – The International Ski Federation (FIS) and Swedish sportswear manufacturer CRAFT have extended and deepened their cooperation. In the coming years, CRAFT will continue as a Premium Sponsor of the FIS Tour de Ski and will further intensify its brand exposure at all FIS Cross-Country World Cup events.

CRAFT and FIS have collaborated for many years and the new agreement represents a continuation and expansion of the existing partnership. The strengthened cooperation provides CRAFT with first-rate exposure at all FIS Cross-Country World Cup events as well as expanded exposure at the FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear.

“CRAFT was one of the founding partners of the FIS Tour de Ski which by now, in its sixth year, has become an unquestionable highlight of the annual FIS Cross-Country calendar. We are pleased to see CRAFT extend its engagement to cover the entire FIS Cross-Country World Cup season and help further grow the great momentum the discipline is currently enjoying worldwide,” commented FIS President Gian Franco Kasper.

“Cross-Country Skiing is stronger than ever and the partnership with FIS, together with the collaboration with the Swedish, Finnish and Polish national cross-country ski teams allows us to strengthen our position as the world-leading manufacturer of cross-country ski clothing,” says Magnus Månsson, CEO at CRAFT. “It provides us with great opportunities to expose our brand on all key markets”.

April 08, 2011 (Planegg, Germany) – ‘After the season is before the season’ was the motto for more than 20 representatives of the organizing committees, representatives of Infront Sports & Media as well as FIS and FIS Marketing AG who conducted a debrief on the fifth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear in Planegg, Germany on April 1.

A detailed review, including results from surveys with different stakeholder groups and discussions on several topics like marketing & promotion, accommodation and logistics, was held to make sure that improvements will be effected so that the next edition of the Tour will be even more successful than the last one.

“The Tour de Ski had his fifth birthday this year and the “child” keeps growing and developing. We can be proud of the TV ratings, amazing online interest and the number of spectators on site, but we also realize that we still have space to improve further. The Tour de Ski already delivers high value to the sport of Cross-Country Skiing – it is the premium product after the Olympic Games and the FIS World Championships. But to achieve the status of a premium brand we have to continue to work closely together with the National Ski Associations and local organizers.

At the same time, the FIS Cross-Country Committee and the Sub-Committees have the task to develop the Tour rules further and make a logistically easy and interesting Tour calendar,” explained Jürg Capol, FIS Cross-Country Race Director. “Especially next year, when the Tour de Ski is the main highlight in the Cross-Country season, the Tour Organizers and the FIS Cross-Country Committee will work hard to make the Tour even more attractive.”

December 26, 2010 – The fifth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear will kick off soon beginning on New Year’s eve day, December 31st – 10 days, 8 races, 4 venues in two countries – that will be the Tour de Ski 2010/2011.

The start will be in Oberhof (GER) on December 31st with the prologue in the free technique and a handicap start race on January 1st (that means that the athletes start with the time difference from the first Stage) over 10km (women) and 15km (men) in classical technique. The program of the 2011 FIS Tour de Ski will continue on January 2nd with a classic sprint on the Sunday and on January 3rd there’s a short Pursuit race for ladies over 5km + 5 km and for the men over 10km + 10km in Oberstdorf, the venue for the 2005 World Championships.

After four intensive days of competitions the athletes will clearly deserve the first rest day on January 4th. In Toblach, the racers will face first the challenge of the free technique sprint on January 5th before for the second Handicap Pursuit race, on the schedule for January 6th. From Cortina d’Ampezzo to Toblach, the male athletes will be racing in a free technique handicap start over 35km. Out of the experiences from the last year, the ladies’ will start this time in the stadium of Toblach and make a three times 5km loop for 15km.

After the second rest day, the Tour will conclude in the valley of ‘Fiemme’, the host of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 2003 and 2013. On January 8, 2011, the athletes will compete in a mass start race over 10km (ladies) and 20km (men) in classical technique. The last competition on January 9th, the already famous ‘Final Climb,’ will start in the Cross-Country Stadium Lago di Tesero and end on Alpe Cermis, with the last climb stretching over 3.7km with an altitude of 425m. Both genders will contest the same course and race 9km in free technique.

The snow conditions are promising everywhere. All venues just have a short warm period but thanks to cold weather at the beginning of December all have enough snow to prepare good courses. With the start of Christmas the weather will change and a cold period is expected. The fifth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear is ready – come and join us on the Tour 2010/2011!

More information HERE.
For starting times & schedule click HERE.

Tour de Ski rankings 2010/2011

Women
1. Justyna Kowalczyk, POL
2. Petra Majdic, SLO
3. Arianna Follis, ITA

Men
1. Lukas Bauer, CZE
2. Petter Northug, NOR
3. Dario Cologna, SUI