Goodbye, Dresden!

Goodbye, Dresden!

Leaders, Newsfeed
Es ist vorbei. The FIS World Cup just said goodbye to the great city of Dresden after five seasons. It was a valiant and in many ways interesting try. A brainchild of local television personalities, from the start it was set up to be a high quality visual product. It was actively supported by local authorities - first and foremost by Saxony's prime minister Michael Kretschmer - we remember how he used to come to expect the readiness of the snow tracks and thank the volunteers personally at the beginning. It had a budget to envy, being supported through tourism promotion funds and by local businesses. It had a dedicated crew of people working to make it happen all year around ( most organising committees work part time) [caption id="attachment_18914"…
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Let’s talk about Zihi. Because their motto is Best training plan is one you can do – and we dig that attitude

Let’s talk about Zihi. Because their motto is Best training plan is one you can do – and we dig that attitude

Newsfeed, Training & Outfitting
...So, you came home from work totally exhausted and instead of planned 20k out in a rain you just want to eat Pringles in front of TV? Yes, you can! Because your coach adopts to your current moods and desires - yet promises to prepare you for your race the best way possible. Sounds too good to be true,right? But that's what folks who are behind a startup called Zihi are promising - or so we understood. Except that the " coach " here is a fancy algorithm, utilising the latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML). Down below you find a record of a long remote chat with the guys behind Zihi ( they are based in Madison, Wisconsin). We are not big fans of long interviews…
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Rumor Mill: Fischer Speedmax Helium

Rumor Mill: Fischer Speedmax Helium

Newsfeed
Fischer is about to roll out a new model of race skis called Speedmax Helium. It will sit a notch above currently top-shelf Speedmax 3D. The very word helium hints at some tinkering with trapped noble gas bubbles but we don't know for sure so won't speculate. We won't reveal what color palette the Austrians chose, we found it rather surprising - but that's a matter of taste, clearly. Our sources - multiple - expressed their concern at expected price sticker that would put Helium into unchartered uber-premium category. Having said that, here on Dailyskier.com we always argued for a need of uber-premium products that would attract attention of well-off customers the way Rolex watch attracts them. It would be expected that selected few athletes would run on Heliums at…
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Davos where top talent congregate this week

Davos where top talent congregate this week

Leaders, Newsfeed
World's best playground this week is in Davos, Switzerland. The Swiss resort is practically oozes raw power. Except that this week it not about world's richest and most powerful - it's about fittest and best looking [caption id="attachment_18849" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Bolshunov looks concentrated. He won 15k F in Davos last year [/caption] [caption id="attachment_18851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Johannes Klaebo [/caption][caption id="attachment_18844" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gus Schumacher from Team USA practices uphill [/caption] [caption id="attachment_18853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stars of tomorrow who boldly decided to shine today: Veronika Stepanova,20, and Helene Fossesholm, 20[/caption][caption id="attachment_18843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Television reporting these days means being able to run after world's best skier with a camera.Repeatedly[/caption] [caption id="attachment_18848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Head coach of Team USA Matt Whitcomb calls Davos " home away from home" - the Americans…
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Johannes Klaebo and leader’s burden

Johannes Klaebo and leader’s burden

Leaders, Newsfeed
On Thursday Johannes Klaebo has reappeared right where everyone expected him: in front of his teammates, doing speed work on Friday's sprint course in Lillehammer, ahead of the pack of his teammates. They looked powerful and fearsome indeed. But Johannes was and remains in a limelight this week for enterily different reason: the only one in the Norwegian squad to publicly disagree with NENT/ Viaplay playing a dual role in the country's skiing this season: as a broadcaster and as one of the national team's main sponsors. He rebelled - and lost. On Friday the world shall see the triple Olympic champion sporting Viaplay logo. The Norwegian media uniformly say Johannes looked dejected, even defeated on hastily held press-conference today ( and refused to discuss anything to do with Viaplay).…
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