Blink Skifest is not just the world’s biggest summer event in skiing & biathlon – it’s also sort of a catwalk of the newest equipment issued to world’s best athletes by their material sponsors.
Showstopper of this year’s Blink Skifest – Alpina ESK 2.0 Summer RacingAs evident from photos, they closely resemble august ESK 2.0 Winter – lest insulationAlthough Russian-based Spine was showing a prototype of full-carbon rollerski boots on similar Rottefella platform on ISPO this year, these Alpinas are officially world’s first production rollerski boots with carbon soles. Finally!.These new Salomon S/LABs don’t quite look production-ready, more like a prototype….…but since they were worn by several members of Team France, we assume something is in the works….Blink and IDT go years back together with Lena-based company supplying hundreds of rollerskis for the event. This year the elite was competing on Klaebo Gold Edition, company’s premier skis of 2019 designed together with Johannes himself. Kind of ironic the absolute leader of the world xcskiing of the last seasons wasn’t in Sandnes himself while his main competitors were using Golds. Here’s Federico Pelegrino, the winner of Sprint F, signing his competition pair for the company’s museum.Jimmy Clugnet, silver prize winner in sprint demonstrates the rollerskis that he regularly uses for training this year – Nordeex Snowfeel Low Profile Concept. The French rollerski producer has began an international expansion by signing, among the others, Clugnet and the entire Italian biathlon team.Catlike Kilauea is the newest top-line helmet by the Spanish manufacturer, worn by the very best of Team Norway skiers. Kilauea is one expensive helmet – but, apart from safety features, has a fantastic ventilation – something that is appreciated even more in skiing than in cyclingHere’s unusual angle on Kilauea helmet – courtesy of Simen Hegstad Krüger trying to catch his breath after winning Lysebotn Uphill raceNorthug the brand is, evidently, crushing the competition the way Petter himself was doing that in his best years – many a top skier appeared on Blink wearing the new brand’s glasses e.g. Sjur Roethe hereHelene Fossesholm is not just a skiing sensation – but that of a mountain bike too. And now she brings cycling fashion into skiing. Case in point: Shut Up Legs socks so popular in cycling circles this season
What we were disappointed not see on Blink this year:
– New Rossignol top-line boots that are already being tested by their best athletes.
– New all-carbon Spine Ultimate boots that are seen being used by top rollerski sprinters ( PU wheels).
– Nothing to report about debuts in ski poles – there were none, alas
