UK Ski Test midway pointTwo days into the main UK ski test, in Bormio, Northern Italy, with 18 brands and 27 retail groups attending, and it's looking good for next year's ski and boot ranges.
For the first time in two years we haven't been hammered with powder. Normally Fall-Line would be distraught at such conditions but, being Italy, there's plenty of lift-accessed off-piste in good condition seven days after the last snow. And, being Italy, the pistes are in great condition, all two and a bit vertical kilometers of them...
The last run tonight, in the company of Sally Bartlett, Tino from Scott, Jay from Movement and Fall-Line team memebers James (snowboarding) and Guy was a typical proving run for whatever we found on our feet come the end of the day. Off the upper mid-station, drop skier's right through an almost untouched powder pitch (bit chewy but very skiable), then 200m of medium-pitch piste followed by 500m of better-condition barely-tracked boot-high powder. Then drop right onto the World Cup Downhill run and home in time for tea and medals.
Most of the testing is done at a slightly less frantic pace, but you get the idea – every run covers every possible aspect of a ski's performance in the majority of conditions. Steep piste pitches, easy run-outs, rollers, backcountry, trees (if you want it - need to head a bit further to the right) and a park and pipe. All in one run if wanted.
Sandwiches of some excellence are €4.50, coffee is 1€ and beers seem steep at 4€. This is a fine place to ski, for all the right reasons.
So far we're in lust with several GS-a-like skis because the pistes are so good, and a couple of the 100mm skis are proving their worth in the mixed conditions. The mid-fats aren't quite floaty enought to bust the soggy pow, so are catching us out more than in past years.
No details as yet - barely half the poool has been examined! No real steer on the Fall-Line Ski of the Year for that reason - more info to follow....
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Posted by Dickie Fincher - Tue, 02/03/2010 - 9:00pm
Two days into the main UK ski test, in Bormio, Northern Italy, with 18 brands and 27 retail groups attending, and it's looking good for next year's ski and boot ranges.
For the first time in two years we haven't been hammered with powder. Normally Fall-Line would be distraught at such conditions but, being Italy, there's plenty of lift-accessed off-piste in good condition seven days after the last snow. And, being Italy, the pistes are in great condition, all two and a bit vertical kilometers of them...
The last run tonight, in the company of Sally Bartlett, Tino from Scott, Jay from Movement and Fall-Line team memebers James (snowboarding) and Guy was a typical proving run for whatever we found on our feet come the end of the day. Off the upper mid-station, drop skier's right through an almost untouched powder pitch (bit chewy but very skiable), then 200m of medium-pitch piste followed by 500m of better-condition barely-tracked boot-high powder. Then drop right onto the World Cup Downhill run and home in time for tea and medals.
Most of the testing is done at a slightly less frantic pace, but you get the idea – every run covers every possible aspect of a ski's performance in the majority of conditions. Steep piste pitches, easy run-outs, rollers, backcountry, trees (if you want it - need to head a bit further to the right) and a park and pipe. All in one run if wanted.
Sandwiches of some excellence are €4.50, coffee is 1€ and beers seem steep at 4€. This is a fine place to ski, for all the right reasons.
So far we're in lust with several GS-a-like skis because the pistes are so good, and a couple of the 100mm skis are proving their worth in the mixed conditions. The mid-fats aren't quite floaty enought to bust the soggy pow, so are catching us out more than in past years.
No details as yet - barely half the poool has been examined! No real steer on the Fall-Line Ski of the Year for that reason - more info to follow....