2012 SIA On-Snow Daily

Winter Park Resort / Devil’s Thumb Ranch OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE 2012 ON-SNOW DEMO/SKI-RIDE FEST

PUBLISHED BY SNEWS TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

Dream Day On Mountain

Clear skies, cool gear, and optimal temps make for ideal testing (p. 2).

THUMBS UP FOR NORDIC Demos, commerce, new ideas and tasty cuisine rule at Devil’s Thumb (p. 3).

UPHILL/ DOWNHILL While you were riding the lifts, they were huffing it to the summit (p. 8).

TEST HARD, EAT WELL! Hungry? Here are top dining options in the Village and on the hill (p. 10).

Working Vacation Just what the doctor ordered: Sunny skies, sweet snow, fun product, big grins.

Download the SIA Show App at the iTunes App Store or SCAN HERE!

ON-SNOW DEMO

/ MOOD OF THE SHOW

Blue skies, high spirits for Demo Day attendees It was a dream day for retailers and manufacturers at the first day of the On-Snow Ski/Ride Demo Fest at Winter Park on January 30, 2012, as clear blue skies and temperatures in the high 30s made for optimal testing conditions. “It’s more than a 50-degree difference in temperatures from last year, and we had about a 25 percent increase in pre-Demo registration,” says David Ingemie, president of SnowSports Industries America.

“Everyone seems really happy to be up here right now.”

It was a sentiment that was echoed at almost every tent: “It’s great to be out of the Convention Center and on the snow, especially with the beautiful day we have,” says Dean Cummings, who was debuting his new line of H20 Skis at the Show and on the snow. Cummings says that having the Demo after the Show makes Colorado an ideal location for new brands looking to open retail accounts and also prove their product on-piste. “We can do so much more in terms of getting exposure for our brand and meeting accounts here that would cost us a lot more in travel if we were trying to accomplish this much on the road,” says Alex Steagall, national sales manager for Klint Skis, which is at the Show for the second year in a row.

With so many skiers and snowboarders spinning laps on the perfectly buffed surface of the Hughes run, demo-ing more than a dozen different boards in a day, Courtney Manlove of BigSkyCountry.com says the whole scene was “Like a fantastic wine tasting party for skis with all sorts of spicy flavors.” Sean McGhie of McGhie’s Ski * Bike * Board in Las Vegas, who was looking to test several snowboard boots says, “It’s like a mix of work and a free vacation to be here.”

Mike Donohue, co-owner of Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, Vermont says that with backcountry and AT 2

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sales booming at his store, he was using the venue to “test as many AT, tele skis, and splitboards as I can today.” As far as one-stop shopping is concerned, he adds that, “the mix of traditional backcountry and more mainstream brands launching backcountry boots and bindings is what makes it worth coming here.” That was also the sense from Jim Kenney, rental buyer for Sun Peaks in Canada, who says, “Along with the ski testing, this is our first chance to ski in Colorado and we’re really looking forward to that, too.”

In the snowboard tents, many manufacturers were looking to demonstrate how well their mixed rocker and camber designs hold on groomed snow, and also talk to retailers who were stoked to be back on the slopes. “In the last couple weeks, the new snow has been fueling an obvious pick-up in our Utah and Jackson retail accounts, which has been really good timing for the Show,” says Nate Love, sales rep for DC. Matt Titus, vice president of marketing for Dalbello and Carrera says, “We have been putting a lot of helmets on the hill, right from the beginning of the day.” And Mike Noonan, Volkl-Marker USA president says, “With the weather difficulties this year we were all affected, but I think probably ski hardgoods were the least affected and we’re really seeing that in all of the equipment going out right now.”

Overall, with all bright light and good visibility, it might’ve been the sunglass and goggle companies enjoying the first day of the Demo the most. “It’s really been a positive mood and we’re stoked to see the kind of sell-through we have seen so far this year,” says Tiel Olsen, who is a sub-rep for Electric Visual, and was showing off new features like the light absorbing Eye Black Treatment in many of its top goggles, as well as the upgraded EG2, which helped set the standard in oversize goggles. While Brad Gobdel, who handles sales in the Rockies for VonZipper, says the venue is especially good for eyewear, “Because so many people are here with their own beanies and helmets that they can really see how well our goggles work with what they already wear.”

—Peter Kray

PHOTOS BY (ROM LEFT) BEN FULLERTON; DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

On-Snow Ski/Ride Demo Fest offers up perfect testing conditions.

DEVIL’S THUMB

/ ON-SNOW DEMO

Nordic experience shines at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Buyers, manufacturers enjoy new product, venue.

It’s worth making a trip to the Nordic side of the OnSnow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest simply for the complimentary breakfast and lunch at Devil’s Thumb Ranch (think chicken Caesar and cornbread with honey butter served up with a panoramic view of the Indian Peaks). Oh and then there’s the skiing. Devil’s Thumb is featuring 1K and 2K loops where buyers can get out and test the latest skate and classic product from Atomic, Salomon, Madshus, Rossignol, Fischer and Alpina. Plus, new exhibitors Smith Optics and Start Poles have set up in the demo tents this year. And the location at this Nordic specific resort is key to the direction the industry is headed.

“We want to grow the Nordic market,” says Reese Brown, Nordic director at Snowsports Industries America (SIA).

“You know, we have the racer and we have the treehugger with the scraggly beard, but we want to key in on the Devil’s Thumb experience—the family, the 30- or 40-something who is in decent shape but not a racer. You skate or classic, you come in for lunch and hot chocolate by the fire, you get out and ski some more.”

To that end, Brown makes sure each buyer leaves with a thumb drive crammed with all the information they could need from the Demo, and he has set up a full itinerary of presentations including SIA’s director of research Kelly Davis speaking on how to use market research to grow Nordic business, a social media marketing seminar and famed teacher Jim Sanders leading classic and skate clinics. “It’s imperative to help our manufacturers grow the business,” says Brown.

Buyers and media were certainly taking advantage of those opportunities and the beautiful weather. Media like Mountain magazine editor and ski tester Marc Peruzzi were hitting the loops and switching out gear to get a taste for everything from waxless base patterns to carbon-cuffed racing boots to Alpina’s youth-oriented, urban-flavored Nordic Action Series boots.

“We are trying to change our demo fleet for next year. It’s invaluable for us to be here. We have seen a big increase in Nordic over the past 6 years—from people from Oklahoma

who have never skied to racers looking to demo skis—so we have to be here to take the next step,” says Toni Westerholm of the Crested Butte Nordic Center.

It wasn’t just buyers getting on the trails. The Demo gives manufacturers the chance to pitch and prove the claims of their equipment in person. “It’s huge to get people on product. From an open to buy standpoint you have some of the biggest shops in the country here. We can get out and ski with a retailer and put them with our new waxless base on one foot and a waxed base on the other to show them just how well it works,” says Bill Sterling, Salomon Nordic sales manager.

After four days in the Colorado Convention halls, the Demo gets Nordic skiers actually skiing. And in this industry, that is the best way to sell. “I can write press releases all year about how great these products are but unless we get our customers out on the product they can’t enthusiastically sell it themselves. So this Demo is invaluable. And it works both ways—they ask us some hard questions and give us some really valuable feedback,” says Connor Folley, Madshus marketing manager.

Free lunch and skiing on new gear with some business in between. Isn’t that what this industry is all about?

—Doug Schnitzspahn

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ON-SNOW DEMOS

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/ PHOTOS

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PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) BEN FULLERTON; DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN; BEN FULLERTON; DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN; BEN FULLERTON (4)

ON-SNOW DEMO

/ AT MARKET

AT up-vasion Technology in AT boots helps market break into the mainstream.

AT, or alpine touring, is no longer a niche. In fact, touring has become an essential part of the fabric of alpine skiing.

“So many alpine manufacturers are getting into sidecountry and touring and AT, I don’t think you can just call this an alpine demo anymore,” says Jonathan Degenhardt, sales operations manager for La Sportiva, which was getting attendees out on a new line of insanely light ski-mountaineering style boots.

To understand just how gaga the alpine world has gone for free-heel, just spend some time in the alpine brand tents.

One of Salomon’s biggest stories at the Show this year, for example, is the new 16 DIN tourable Guardian. The AT binding is lower to the ski, features a wider platform and is easy to flip into tour mode.

“It was our main focus at SIA. Our booth was the busiest I have ever seen it, and this on-snow demo has just been bananas,” says Nick Papailiou, who handles sports and community marketing at Salomon. “We knew this was a natural transition to where skiing is headed. People are looking forward to more than resort skiing. So the Guardian has been a no-brainer for us.”

Traditional AT brands have also seen the shifting market create new opportunities, even if the rate of innovation on part of skiers’ may not always be so clear-cut. “We are here for the gray area. Our category is very hard to define—sidecountry, slackcountry, backcountry—and if we play in their sandbox and we play in theirs, that’s just fine. Our role is to change the game as much as possible,” Chris Sword, Dynafit president, says in regards to the number of new brands entering the market. The brand’s new Vulcan boot beefs up its ultra-light TLT 5 touring boot so. “The reaction we get when traditional alpine, frontside skiers try our boot and they are blown away by just how light it is and how well it skis.”

But not everyone wore rose-colored glasses when it came to AT. One retailer, who asked not to be named, described it this way: “There’s a huge platter out there and they keep pushing the appetizer. We have a lot more to offer our customers than touring boots.”

To which those on the increasingly long AT train say, the customers they are a changin’.

—Doug Schnitzspahn 6

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SNOWBOARD

/ ON-SNOW DEMO

Camber makes a comeback

PHOTOS BY (FROM LEFT) DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN (3); CRYSTAL SAGAN

Boardmakers find the perfect combination for a versatile ride.

Some would say that the Demo was the best place to test all-mountain boards. After all, if they performed well on Monday’s packed powder, it would be a tribute to their ability to ride in any conditions. At the exhibitors’ tents, there was also a movement towards boards with a bit less rocker than in previous seasons and more ability to hold on in all conditions.

“Camber rocker is definitely taking off. Everybody wants at least some rocker but they need camber too. Last year we had people looking for more rocker and this year people seem to be cutting it back a bit, not to full camber but at least to including some. Some of that is based on the weather but some just has to do with a change in the type of board customers want,” says Ry Dean, Colorado sales rep for Rossignol Snowboards, who said that the big mountain boards with magna traction were the most popular rides at a demo.

Flow has redesigned its entire Flow Fusion board/boot/binding system in order to create a more stable ride in its new rockered boards the Maverick and reverse-cambered Rush. ABT or Augmented Base Technology features a silicon inset in the bas to dampen the ride.

The NX2 biding is easier to get out of and sports a TPU base pad to dampen the toe and heel. The new boot features a Vibram outsole that the brand hopes gives the system a barefoot feel similar to Vibram’s famed Five Fingers.

“Just having something for everyone is the way to go,” says Dan Watts, Flow’s creative director. “The rocker trend is not going away but kids that are going bigger have camber boards, so having a

diverse offering for everyone is working well for us.”

But that didn’t mean that the monster boards were being ignored.

“I think it’s the best opportunity to try out our bigger powder boards. If they perform well in less than ideal conditions you know they will perform well everywhere else,” says Lisa Branner, co-owner of Venture. The brand features quadratic sidecut alongside rocker in order to give its boards more edge hold.

And that versatility in a ride resonates with buyers.

“Any rep will tell you that none of these pro riders are on full rocker boards.

Everyone wants some combination of camber and rocker. Our biggest business is beginners who can really use a bit of rocker, but we get all types coming in so it is important to offer a big variety in boards,” says Eric Shriner from Play It Again Sports in Latham, New York.

The takeaway? Look for boardmakers to continue to play with the amount of camber underfoot to craft rides that can better suit the conditions customers face day-to-day on the hill.

—D.S.

Office Booyz & Girlz rock Re-railer park Malakye.com’s Office Booyz & Girlz non-contest blew up Winter Park’s Re-Railer Park on Monday, with more than 70 riders hitting the contest’s “One Hit Wonder” for prizes, fun, and some well-needed time out of the office. .“It was insane this year,” says Chad Mihalick from Malakye.com., who along with independent rep Seamus Santoro, was dressed as a donut for the event. Mihalick says that some of the top tricks he saw this year were a backflip backscratcher, a no-hand method double pump, a girl who body slid the box “and one dude who pulled his pants down while he was in the air.” .Prizes for the event included everything from trophies to plaques to big blue gonads for winners to hang from the tow-hitch on their trucks. “Everybody really came together to rock with the boys for the contest,” says Mike Lewis, editor-in-chief of TransWorld Business, who helped judge. .Created as a way for snow sports industry professionals to get out on the snow and have fun together after four days on the floor, the Office Booyz & Girlz event continues to draw crowds, and according to Santoro, “This year was the best showing yet. No one’s a loser at Office Booyz & Girlz. The worker bees really came out this year, and honey was produced.”

—Peter Kray snewsnet.com | ON-SNOW DAILY

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ON-SNOW DEMO

/ UPHILL/DOWNHILL

Uphill/Downhill race gets international class Italian team adds sizzle to ski mountaineering race.

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of things,” says Wray. “This market is booming right now, and the addition of the Italians and more participants only adds to the excitement that’s being generated throughout the market.”

Colleen Nipkow, marketing manager of Scarpa, says that the popularity of the Uphill/Downhill Challenge, is an apt reflection of what is happening at mountains around the U.S. “A lot more areas are allowing uphill traffic because skiers are asking for it,” says Nipkow. “And this not only helps to promote the sport, but it’s also just a really great event.”

After the race, a raffle of hot new gear from skis to bindings to jackets all donated from SIA exhibitors was held to raise funds to support the United

States Ski Mountaineering Association. The raffle was followed by the awards ceremony for the top teams individual racers. Here are the results: COSMIC Male (two laps) Matteo Eydallin: 45.52 COSMIC Female (two laps) Sari Anderson: 57.31 Individual one lap male Mike Hagen: 30.54 Individual One Lap female Eva Hagen: 37.02 Teams Team Hagen: 1:43.28 Team Scarpa: 1:57.21 Team Dynafit: 2:11.05 —Peter Kray

PHOTOS BY BEN FULLERTON; COURTESY (PANCAKES)

The addition of the Italian International Race Team to this year’s Uphill/ Downhill Challenge added a welcome international flair to the event. After competing in the Colorado Ski Mountaineering Cup (COSMIC) race in Crested Butte, Colorado over the weekend, the team came to the OnSnow Demo Ski/Ride Fest.

“It was my first time skiing in the U.S.,” says Lorenzo Holzknecht of the Italian team. “There wasn’t a lot of snow in Crested Butte, but it really was a great event.” Holznecht says although the number of participants and high-level AT racers in Europe is still higher than that of the U.S., he was glad to be in America to help promote the sport. “I think in the beginning we were feeling the altitude a little bit, but we still felt good and it was very nice to be part of it.”

Along with his teammates, Holzknecht competed in the Individual Elite/COSMIC racers category, which meant that he did two laps on the 1700 vertical foot course for a total of 2400 vertical feet. Industry competitors, who raced as either individuals or teams of three, raced one lap on everything from AT to telemark gear to splitboards.

Dave Wray of SIA says that the multi-disciplinary nature of the contest really helped wrap up a concentrated focus on the turn earning market that started in Denver at the Show with the Backcountry Experience. “It was huge for the whole snow sports side

PHOTOS

/ ON-SNOW DEMO

SIA board members Mike Adams and David Currier flipped pancakes to close out the last morning of the Snow Show, and to provide plenty of carbs for the Demo.

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AT THE ON-SNOW

/ DINING

Test Hard, Eat Well!

Skiers and riders love to eat, especially after a long, grueling day spent testing all of the 2012-13 gear. Here’s the low down on chowing down in the Village of Winter Park and on the hill.

Cheeky Monk This Belgian beer café offers a taste of Belgium right in The Village at Winter Park. The owner is always on the lookout for the rarest and best beers, and currently offers an impressive drink menu, featuring 14 Belgian imported beers on draught and 20 Belgian imported bottles. Beers are hand-selected to pair with the flavorful dining menu highlighting the uniqueness, style, and taste of each beer. Cheeky Monk offers such well-known beers as Lucifer Golden Ale, Bacchus Sour and Hopsinjoor Blond Ale, as well as rare offerings from the Trappiste Monasteries.

Coffee and Tea Market Watch mountain action while enjoying home-brewed caffeinated concoctions along with daily servings of homebaked sweets. Stop in for breakfast or lunch. Coffee and Tea is located in Bal-

cony House at the base of Winter Park Mountain.

specialties and après deals daily.

Five Mountain Tavern Derailer Bar at West Portal When guests hear the Derailer Bar train whistle blow at 2 p.m., it’s time to head in for Winter Park’s favorite après ski scene and “blow off a little steam.” The Derailer Bar is a two-level bar offering a full-service lunch menu featuring pubstyle food and a variety of daily drink specials and the home of the Frickle!

Doc’s Roadhouse in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge Serveing up the best roadhouse fare in the county, this full-service, sit-down restaurant is Winter Park Resort’s hottest lunch spot, featuring burgers, sandwiches, and salads as well as an extensive kid-friendly menu. Doc’s is also home to the best deck around! Doc’s also features the best burgers, the resorts larges draft beer selection, homemade Belgian Beer and appetizers during après ski at Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Café.

Offering family-friendly dining and entertainment located at the top of the Village Cabriolet and inside the Vintage Hotel. Open daily at 2 pm, The Five Mountain Tavern offers a variety of pasta dishes and daily specials to satisfy the hearties of skier appetites. The full bar offers a selection of draft beer daily drink specials.

Goodys A big hit with kids of all ages, this oldfashioned soda fountain, creperie, and ice cream parlor offers a wide array of sweet treats and drinks.

Lime Cantina Your source for great tacos and mighty margaritas. Lime is located near the gazebo and pond and is a great place to catch all the action.

Moffat Market at West Portal Station This large, railroad-themed food court features such stores as The Moffat Tunnel with its delicious grill fare; Grand Central Station’s New York-style pizza; Umami Thai; and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Starbucks in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge The perfect stop any time of day for frosty cold beverages and hot caffeinated concoctions to warm your core.

Hot breakfast sandwiches and gour10

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF WINTER PARK RESORT

OFF-HILL DINING

met lunch sandwiches are served here.

Opens daily at 8 a.m.

The mountaintop Sunspot hosts the 2 Mile High B-B-Q on Monday night.

The Back Bowl Soup Company Located in The Village at Winter Park, the Back Bowl offers several homemade soup choices daily along with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches made on a variety of breads, with your choice of cheese and spreads. Classic deli offerings will also be available.

ON-MOUNTAIN EATING The Lodge at Sunspot This two-mile high mountaintop lodge features panoramic views of the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountains and is the host for the On-Snow’s 2 Mile High B-B-Q on Jan. 30. The Lodge at Sunspot features Colorado proud products to offer truly inspired dining option.

The Provisioner Providing an upscale food court with home fare in an exceptional setting.

Grab gear at The Sunspot Mercantile; warm up with a drink from the Coffee Shop & Bakery; or just relax by the fire in the Sunspot Lounge.

Snoasis Market Located on mid-mountain Winter Park, Snoasis is a blast to the past with its music, colors, and deck space, and it’s the resort’s best place to sit back, take in a specialty drink and watch as skiers and riders defy gravity in the Dark Territory terrain park.

Lunch Rock Located at 11,200 feet above sea level, this mountaintop spot specializes in casual food, barbecues, deck dining, and incredible views of Parry Peak. Open daily. The deck is awesome on sunny days...and we provide the beach chairs!

AT THE BASE OF MARY JANE Club Car Mary Jane’s Club Car restaurant is the locals’ favorite and still the best kept secret around! Serving the best Bloody Marys in the valley, Club Car is perfectly situated at the base of Mary Jane Mountain and is open daily for lunch and après ski.

P.S. don’t miss the mud pie!

Pepperoni’s Pizza and Sports Bar Located in the Mary Jane base lodge, Pepperoni’s Pizza and Sports Bar offers

guests a true sports bar appeal and features some of the best slices in the valley (not to mention Colorado’s largest membership mug club)!

Mary Jane Food & Drink Court This base area food court delivers hungry “Janers” with satisfying soups, delicious deli sandwiches, stromboli, pasta, burgers and more. The salad bar is back this year, featuring all of your favorites.

You will never have to have the same salad twice! snewsnet.com | ON-SNOW DAILY

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AT THE ON-SNOWS

/ EXHIBITORS

Look Who’s Here

More than 120 brands on display at Winter Park, Devil’s Thumb Ranch Winter Park: Alpine/ Snowboard Thirty-Two Boots 4FRNT Skis 540 Snowboard Aerial 7 .APEX Ski Boots Arbor Armada Skis Atomic USA Bataleon Snowboards Bern Unlimited Black Diamond Equipment Blizzard Bolle’ Burton Capita Snowboards Carrera Helmets and Goggles CelsiusSnow USA Contour Wearable

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Camcorder Contract Snowboards Dahlgren Dalbello AT Dalbello Ski Boots DC Deeluxe DPS Skis Dragon Alliance Dynafit Dynastar Skis Dye Precision Optics Elan Electric Visual Endeavor Snowboards Faction Skis Fischer Skis U.S. FK/SKS Tools (Ruffolo Enterprises) Flow Snowboarding Flux Bindings

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Forum Full Tilt Boots G3 Genuine Guide Gear Garmont GeigerRig Giro Helmets & Goggles Gnu GOODE Skis & Poles GoPro H2O Outdoor Gear (H2OG) Hart Skis Head Wintersports High Society Freeride Icelantic Skis Jones Snowboards K2 Helmets, Goggle, Poles K2 Skis K2 Snowboarding

Karvena Helmet’s & Goggles Kastle Skis Kerma Ski Poles KLINT La Sportiva N.A. Lange Ski Boots LEKI USA Lib Tech Lib Tech NAS (Skis!)

Line Skis Liquid Image Summit Series Look Bindings Majesty Skis Marker AT (Marker USA) Marker Bindings (Marker USA) MOD/MOD Live Moment Skis Native Eyewear Never Summer Snowboards Niche Snowboards Nitro Snowboards Nordica NOW Snowboarding Oakley OSBE USA Helmets OZ Snowboards POC Helmets & Goggles Point6 Socks Pro-Tec Recon Instruments R.E.D Ride Snowboards Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate

Rossignol Alpine Rossignol Snowboards Roxy Snow Salewa Salomon USA Salomon Helmets & Goggles Salomon Snowboards Sandbox Helmets SCARPA Scott Shred Helmets/ Goggles Shred Ready Signal Snowboards SKILOGIK Skullcandy Smith Optics Smokin’ Snowboards Snowjam Spice Snowboards Spy Optic Sun Valley Ski Tools

Superfeet Worldwide Technine/Brandbase Tubbs Snowshoes Tyrolia Union Bindings Unity Snowboards Vans Venture Snowboards Voile USA Volkl AT/Tele Volkl USA Von Zipper Wigwam Socks YES Snowboards

Devil’s Thumb: Nordic Demo Alpina Sports Corp Atlas Snowshoes Atomic Nordic Fischer Skis XC Rossignol Nordic Madshus Salomon Nordic Smith Optics Swix Sport USA