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Events

Top brands and retailers for SIA Nordic Demo

On January 30-31, 2012 SIA’s Nordic Demo will play host to retailers from across the globe at Devil’s Thumb Ranch for the Nordic portion of the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest following the 2012 Snow Show in Denver, Colorado (Jan 26-29).

This year’s Nordic Demo was created specifically for the Nordic community, giving retailers the chance to demo and compare the latest in skate, cross-country and touring technology on the 100km beautifully groomed trails at Devil’s Thumb.

“As a retailer, the Nordic Demo is a critical event for making the best decisions on specific brands and models to carry for your customers,” commented Reese Brown, SIA Nordic Director. “Retailers will get to try out the product as well as ski and socialize with key principals from all the manufacturing companies,” added Brown.

This year’s Nordic Demo will feature more equipment, brands, models and sizes than any other demo in the country.

During the two-day Nordic Demo, retailers can also attend seminars and events to network and share ideas with like-minded retailers from around the country.

“SIA stands out as the best Nordic Demo for the industry we have ever attended. The dealers who attend assure us that this is an invaluable event for determining their buying decisions for the coming year,” said Rick Halling, National Product Manager, Atomic.

Current list of Nordic Demo exhibitors: Alpina Sports, Atomic Nordic, Atlas Snowshoes, Fischer Sports, Madshus, Rossignol Nordic, Salomon Nordic and Swix Sport USA.

“We’re bringing state-of-the-art ski and boot technology for testing – retailers won’t want to miss out,” said Steve Kvinlaug from Alpina Sports.

To register for the SIA Snow Show or Nordic Demo, go-to: siasnowshow.com/Registration. For more information on the Nordic Demo, please visit siasnowshow.com/NordicDemo or contact Reese Brown at RBrown@snowports.org

Sports

Austria celebrates early success

Austria has celebrated the second gold medal in one day at the Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympics.

Sixteen-year-old Marco Schwarz from Carinthia in southern Austria put in a commanding performance to win the Men’s Super Combined.

Marco was already first after the super G, 7 hundredths ahead of the Slovene Miha Hrobat and Norwegian Martin Fjedberg, before extending his lead to 67 hundredths after the slalom.

“I managed to get over crashing out yesterday and concentrated on the run today,” he said at the finish.

“Standing up there in the starting house, I knew it was time to really go for it – and it looks like it worked. Today a dream came true for me: to stand on the top of the podium at such a huge event.”

Trainer Gert Ehn is proud of his rising star: “Just how he stood up there, with start number 30, and the way he coolly did the run, that really delighted me. I think it’s a great thing and shows that we need not worry about the skiing talent.”

Secretary-General of the Austrian Olympic Committee, Peter Mennel, was delighted for the victorious young athlete.

“It was clear that we have good chances in the alpine disciplines. But three medals already is more then we expected for Team Austria. It’s a big boost for the whole team.”

Alpine Skiing, men’s Super Combination (super G, slalom):

1. Marco Schwarz/Austria 1:40.45
2. Miha Hrobat/Slovenia 1:41.12 (+ 0.67)
3. Sandro Simonet/Switzerland 1:41.45 (+ 1.00)
7. Elmar Mathias Graf/Austria 1:42.67 (+ 2.22)

Feature

Mongolian team to compete at Innsbruck

Mongolia will send two athletes to Innsbruck for the first Winter Youth Olympic Games beginning in the Austrian city on January 13, 2012.

A farewell ceremony was held for speed skater A. Enkh-Ariun, 15, and cross-country skier D. Usukhbayar, 16, at Olympic House in Ulaanbaatar last month.

The event was attended by Dr D. Zagdsuren, Mongolian NOC President, S. Lambaa, Minister of Health, Ch. Naranbaatar, Chairman of the Physical Education and Sports Authority of Mongolia and representatives of other national federations.

Mongolian youth have participated previously at the first summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and won two gold medals in gymnastics and freestyle wrestling.

Innsbruck is a memorable Olympic city for Mongolia, as the country made its first Olympic appearance there at the 1964 winter games.