02May 2017 by DS News Team
Pellegrino: “It’s like a relaxing spa outdoors”

Pellegrino: “It’s like a relaxing spa outdoors”

Leaders, Newsfeed, Trivia
"It's like a relaxing spa outdoors. In this society that goes faster and faster, I recommend everyone to go to the mountains, surrounded by nature, to slow the pace, with a pair of skis" Not, perhaps, what you would expect from the world's top ski sprinter but thus speaks Federico Pellegrino. A 26 year old from Aosta has appeared on the pages on the Italian edition of the Vanity Fair magazine last week to talk about his life and career. https://www.vanityfair.it/sport/storie-sport/2017/04/29/federico-pellegrino-oltre-agli-sci-ce-di-piu There the leader of the Italian cross country ski team talks about his path to the world championship crown in Lahti this year. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTWkdo-g6Yy Pellegrino singles out influence of his girlfriend, a fellow Team Italia sprinter Greta Laurent, as the most important factor in his success: " She straightened…
Read More
01May 2017 by DS News Team
Choosing the Most Important Item in XC Skiing

Choosing the Most Important Item in XC Skiing

Training & Outfitting
The most important piece of skiing equipment is actually boots. Surprised? Well, consider this: the wrong skis might slow you down, but won't give you foot cramps or frozen toes; a broken pole, although a big nuisance, can be replaced on the racetrack. The first thought that comes to your head when you look at the prices of the xc ski boots is probably: “wow, that's some very expensive stuff”. Well, they are expensive. In fact, top ski boots are more expensive that top skis. The fact of the matter is, almost all mid-level and top ski boots are still designed and crafted in good old Europe, and the price reflects their manufacturing costs. Another reason they are so expensive is because they are remarkable pieces of engineering. The top…
Read More
01May 2017 by DS News Team
Nordic Skiing in the US: Explosive Growth of Popularity

Nordic Skiing in the US: Explosive Growth of Popularity

Newsfeed, Travel & Mass Sport
Nordic skiing is among the fastest growing in popularity outdoor activities in the United States, along with stand-up paddling and BMX biking. These findings are part of the massive Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report, just released by the Outdoor Foundation, a US nonprofit. Nordic skiing has shown a very impressive steady annual growth averaging 13 % during the last 3 years. In 2016, some 4,640,000 Americans hit the cross country ski trail compared to only 3,400,000 in 2013 – a rather whopping hike of 40.3%! Notably, the increase in cross country skiing participation is happening against a backdrop of less snowy winters: a recent Scientific American report declares that “55 percent of the stations showed a decrease in winter precipitation falling as snow", with Oregon, Iowa and New Hampshire being…
Read More
27Apr 2017 by DS News Team
Salomon and Atomic Sales Grow Massively in Q1

Salomon and Atomic Sales Grow Massively in Q1

Gear News, Money & Finance, Newsfeed
Amer Sports , the owner of Salomon and Atomic, have released its Q1 2017 financial report. The Winter Sports Equipment department, as Amer Sports calls its ski/poles/boots producing brands, has reported a massive year-on-year growth – the sales went up stunning 18 percent to €52.1 million – even if other company departments' sales were flat or depressed. Says Heikki Takala, president and CEO, Amer Sports "...We made strong progress in Winter Sports Equipment, and started to rebound in Fitness...” The Finnish sports equipment and apparel maker stresses that the growth to “was aided by good snow conditions in many key markets” Sure, the last winter in Europe was much snowier than the previous ones, but making good skis – and having elite racers win on them - couldn't possibly hurt…
Read More
27Apr 2017 by DS News Team
Drinking Scandal in the Korean Ski Team

Drinking Scandal in the Korean Ski Team

Leaders, Newsfeed, Trivia
With less than 10 months to go the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, The Korea Ski Association have decided to part ways with the team's Russian coach Mikhail Devyatyarov and his aides  Lee Jun-gil and Pak Byung-joo, Yonhap news agеncy reports. Devyatyarov is the Olympic champion of Calgary'1988 where he won 15k classic race. He previously coached the Russian sprint team before accepting last July the KSA's offer to train the Korean skiers for the Olympics. The decision not to renew coaches' contracts stems from the recent scandal in the Korean cross country skiing team at the the Asian Winter Games. Four Korean male skiers were caught drinking during the competition in Sapporo, Japan last February. Those involved were suspended from the team for six months, leaving the door open for…
Read More