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NEWS
STORY
New curvaceous skis are smoother on the
slopes. The fact they look so sexy is just a bonus
Snow-sport enthusiasts are looking for
something extra from their skis these days. No longer are skiers keen on tall,
hipless waifs -- the long, thin, rigid planks of yore. They are pining for
something with more to grab on to, a little sexiness. When, in 1989, Elan
launched the first hourglass-shaped "parabolic" skis -- which
revolutionized both the sagging rep of the sport and skiers' on-slope technique
-- the sport found a completely new edge. In recent years, skis have gotten even
wider, and terms such as fat and mid-fat, have become as ubiquitous as phat once
was in snowboard patois.
The sensuality of these gliding wide loads
comes from the side cuts -- the ski designer's version of liposuction -- that
slenderize the middle of the ski, providing a more alluring shape and easier
turns. Skiers are now apt to describe their tips, waists and tails as if they
were ogling a pair of identical brunettes.
The most challenging design alteration for
skiers (especially males obsessed with size) has been the shortening of skis. By
making planks more curvy and flexible, the skis' active edge -- the portion of
the ski that's on the surface of the snow during a turn -- has been increased.
Carves became easier and faster. Ski makers could thus reduce the length of
their high-tech planks -- from more than 200 cm to 170 cm for the average male
ski; and from 180 cm to 160 cm for the average female. But with this new
shortness, a fresh issue arose: vibration.
To diminish the vibration and torsional
bending (the twisting motion from tip to tail) on the new skis, manufacturers
have had to make innovative leaps. External dampeners, which can look like long,
metal four-legged spiders on the front and back of skis, absorb the extra
shudder. Head's new line uses a version of its tennis racket technology, an
implanted computer chip, dubbed Intelligence, which analyzes, then electrically
cancels out the vibration. For strength and rigidity, skis are now made out of
layered high-tech materials such as aluminum, titanium and carbon fibres instead
of steel and fibreglass, and filled with cores of new wood products, which allow
for an exceptional lightness.
And now that it's all about turning this way
and that, two-plankers are crossing boundaries into other sports. While interest
in snowboarding has planed in the past few seasons, park and pipe skiing has
grown exponentially. In the mid-1990s, freestyle skiers such as Quebec's Vinnie
Dorion, J.P. Auclair and J.F. Cusson turned their sport on end when they forsook
the freestyler's typical bumps and jumps and hopped into the half-pipe. Then
park-and-pipe skis were invented -- with twin tips -- so they can slide
backwards and forwards, like snowboards.
In terms of pure esthetics, the single-hued
palette of burnt-orange, popular last year, has been extended with computer
grey, retro greens and patriotic reds, whites and blues. The head-turner of the
year, though, has got to be Rossignol's Scratch FS, with its James Bondian,
naked-woman silhouette. It's an unabashed nod to the new mantra of the slopes:
Curves, curves, and more curves.
- - -
GOES BOTH WAYS
Salomon Teneighty
dimensions: 114/80/108 mm
$570
The Teneighty was the first of its kind: a
park-and-pipe ski that can take on the whole mountain. With Salomon's Spaceframe
technology, this switch-hitter can slice the slopes as well as it can land
backwards off big air. Its twin tips are more flexible for better push-offs for
tricks, while its tail has added power for turns. On top of its aluminum/fibertex
foil, the Teneighty's look is modern as can be: Autumnal shades of orange and
bright red show off bold geometric shapes.
QUICK AND DIRTY
Head I.SL
dimensions: 109/62/97 mm
$720
Strap on these torpedo-grey racers and get
ready for all-out slope war. The SLs are lightning-fast boards, held together by
a grey-weave design over an ultra-strong titanium coating. Head's implanted
Intelligence technology instantaneously eliminates vibrations by generating an
electric counter-force, allowing the skier to deftly carve up the mountain
without a tremor. The dimensions here are curvy, but this ski is all business.
Think GI Jane in the heat of battle.
ROMP IN THE PARK
Rossignol Scratch FS
dimensions: 110/80/103 mm
$550
The naked woman silhouette on the Scratch FS
is full-on snowboarding style. So is the acronym used to describe Rossignol's
new technology--T.H.C. (It stands for Triple Hybrid Core. It's not a marijuana
reference, as one might suspect). Rossignol's microcell/isocore/wood
construction limits vibration and weight in the ski without losing its muscle.
These park-and-pipers are designed with twin tips for bi-directional landings
and serious trick manoeuvreability.
X-RATED ENCOUNTER
Völkl Supersport T50 Four Star
dimensions: 112/67/97 mm
$850
For those high-octane skiers who wish to
experienced the exhilaration boarders can get flying down flagless courses
without crossing over to one plank, there is a two-plank solution: Völkl's
Supersport T50. These babies are ideal for sports such as Skiercross -- the
roller-derby of the slopes -- with their slightly wider waist for the soft
stuff, and tips and tails that respond like racers. As for style, the T50 is
Euro all the way. The fiberglass layer is topped with titanium and garnished
with simple blue-and-white art. The most fashion-forward of this year's crop.
BUBBLY ON ICE
Atomic Sugar Daddy
dimensions: 126/99/116 mm
$850
"All-mountain" skiers like to push
off from the peak and go wherever they please -- the more deserted the piste,
the better. They're in search of one thing only: what they call
"champagne" powder. The Sugar Daddy excels on this light, fluffy,
extreme weather kind of snow, but treats you to high-class carves on the more
packed stuff, too. Designed by Atomic's Freeride Team, the model is equipped
with two parallel tubes running tip to tail, which help to hold turns and make
for a lighter ride. The Daddy is barrel-chested to shove away powder, and not as
slim in the middle: Hard to complain when he treats you so well.
- Matt Beam
Saturday
Post 7 Dec 2002
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