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BNS News
| August 2, 2011
Vol 3 Issue 5
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Summer 2011 has been an eventful one here at Boulder Nordic Sport. The Boulder store has changed locations, skis have been tested and selected in Europe and there have been some major staffing changes with many positions still to be filled. Here is an update on what's been happening as we move toward the quickly approaching 2011-2012 ski season.
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 | New Boulder Store
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Changes Coming Fast at the New Boulder Location
Our old location closed at the beginning of June and we opened for business at the new store July 10. It's huge. With a split-level arrangement, the new store is nearly three times as large as our former location-including the old sheds and storage containers out back. Moving is never easy, but the new store will make it well worth it. There is still a great deal of work to be done, though. We've even imported Shane MacDowell from the BNS East location to help out.
 | | The storefront. New signs on the way... |
Nearly all of the interior space needs some sort of work. Drywall is being hung, floors installed, air and water lines plumbed, walls painted, and furniture built. Our Tazzari grinder has also found its new home with the help of a pallet jack, lots of climbing equipment, bits of plywood and a good deal of sweat. We've started setting up the ski service area as well.
 | | Belaying the stone grinder |
The upper level of the store will house all of our retail operations and is bigger than the entirety of our former location. This area will also feature a "community space" that will have a couch and TV with double poling machines. This new setup will also allow us to host after-hours events.
 | | The future of BNS retail |
The lower level of the store will be our service department's new home. The expanded shop area will allow for more efficient work and even has space for another stone grinding machine.
Everything should be good to go well before the season is upon us. We're in the thick of construction and setup, but we're still open for business. Summer hours are Monday through Thursday 12-4, but we're often around more than that getting everything up to speed. Stop in and check out our progress...and some rollerskis, too. We're at 3600 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder.
 | | Future service area |
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| Visiting Madshus |
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Madshus Invests in New Technology
Roger, Nathan and Patrick went to Norway in June to test Madshus skis, boots and poles on snow at Sognefjell. The BNS crew got to test out some of Madshus's new ideas for wet skis that we expect to see in production down the road. For this season, skis and boots remain mostly unchanged with some minor tweaks from last year. Madhsus's pole offering for this season, however, is dramatically different.
 | | Nathan testing Madshus skis at Sognefjell |
The new Madshus 2011-2012 pole has us excited. They are lighter, have a reduced swing weight and are stiffer than past models. The grip has been redesigned along with a new strap provides a very solid and comfortable feel. The engineers at Madshus have also changed the angle of the grip, eliminating the canting of previous models. Performance-wise, these poles are just a notch below the Swix Triac and top-tier One Way offerings and cost about $150 less.
The trip to Norway was a great opportunity to spend a couple of days with the Madshus developers and race service crew. This enabled us to get a sense of how they are fitting skiers and choosing skis for different conditions as well as what directions they are pursuing with experimental skis and equipment that will become the next generation of Madshus.  | | Nathan and Roger outside the Madshus factory in Biri, Norway |
The Madshus factory and production process is impressive and it is always fun and informative to get the tour. Norway has the highest cost per worker of any country in the world, so it is remarkable to see the dedication of Madshus to keep their high-end ski production in Norway. The passion the workers have for the sport and the products they produce is apparent as you move through the factory. Nearly every workstation has a signed photo from one of the top Madshus athletes thanking individual workers for helping in their success. Many of the workers are skiers or former ski racers. The cafeteria and factory floor have life-sized images of racers alongside the employees; the connection between the people who produce the skis and their product is clear.  | | Holding a foam ski core, Per Wiik explains the manufacturing process to Roger and Patrick |
Madshus had its best year ever in 2010-2011 and they are investing in new tooling that improves their already impressive manufacturing process. Madshus replaced an older section of their production line with automated robots that trim the skis into their final shape after they come out of the mold as well as a new automated stone-grinding line that will dramatically improve production grind quality. These new machines are able to do much finer and more precise work, improving quality and the finish of the ski while increasing output capability. With the introduction of the 2010-2011 Nanosonic model, Madshus dramatically improved the skis in several ways. A new core material increased thermal resistance in the skis and nearly eliminated the issues we have seen in the past models with burnt cores and warped bases. This new core material also has much higher dampening qualities than previous material. The same composite foam goes into helicopter blades and the new Airbus A380. A bonus of the new material is that it can be milled into more precise shapes, allowing Madshus to engineer a 3-D ridge of material on the front of the skating ski to tune the stiffness of the ski. With the increased stiffness provided by the shape, they were able to eliminate material in the front of the ski, reducing weight and making the ski feel much lighter on the foot. There were a few issues with early skis where the tip was perhaps too stiff. After a few adjustments, final product has gotten great reviews from racers, our customers and us.  | Several batches of skis nearing the end of the production line
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The Madshus skating skis come in three different models: R, HP & SC. The R model is a high-camber ski with sidecut that is quite stable, but most racers use this ski rarely--when stability is the highest priority, as in very icy conditions. The HP model is a lower resting camber ski with a harder finish and medium pressure zones; working well in harder, colder conditions. The SC stands for "soft conditions," but is more appropriate as a universal ski. It has a higher resting camber and shorter pressure zones that work best in soft and/or wet conditions. In general, Madshus skate skis have a unique feel when compared to the other brands. Madshus skis are amazing on edge and skiers who are dynamic and always moving back and forth between the skis seem to be suited well to Madshus. They are very quick to build speed and accelerate. Madshus classic skis come in two models, 102 (warm) and 103 (cold). The 102 has a new camber shape, called the VR camber, which has a lower height unloaded with a higher height loaded. We got a small selection of VR skis last year after testing them on snow in June. Everyone who got a pair raved about them. They work very well for klister conditions and also as a universal hardwax ski in all but the coldest conditions. This effectively allows a skier to get grip with a stiffer ski that keeps the wax off the snow while gliding. The success of the traditional Madshus cold classic ski is still found in the 103, which has a longer pocket that is higher at rest, but lower under load. The 103 is very smooth and easy to kick and fantastic in cold and soft hard wax conditions.  | | A Madshus employee inspecting Nanosonics |
We're excited to continue building our experience with Madshus. We've had a great deal of feedback from customers who we've set up with Madshus skis, but would always like to hear more. Skis are constantly changing, even within a production year, and so any information we can use to improve the way we fit and select skis for people is more than welcome. You can send feedback to us on Madshus or any of the other products we carry at www.bouldernordic.com.Get your name on our pick list today by filling out our on-line ski request form or call one of our shops. | | Madshus' custom-made flex testing machine |
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| Staffing Changes |
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Busy Transfer Season at BNS - We're Hiring
Spring is always busy with ski industry & coaching jobs shuffling around and BNS is no exception. Four of our staff have moved to new opportunities. We've hired one replacement and are searching to fill many positions. See job descriptions at the end of this email if you're interested. Departures Eric Pepper, BNS Wax Brand Manager and Race Service Director left BNS June 1 to take a position coaching with Ski Club Vail. Eric has been with BNS since opening day in 2006 and while we are sad to lose him, we know that he will be great in his new position. We're happy he's found a fantastic new job and will return to coaching. Amy and Zach Caldwell returned to their home in Vermont in May after two seasons with BNS. They will operate a grinding and ski selection service under the Caldwell Sport brand that Zach ran prior to the 2007-2008 season. Though BNS and Caldwell Sport will have no business affiliation, we wish Zach and Amy the best of luck and thanks for their years with the company. In addition, part-timer Audrey Mangan joined BNS last season was just hired by Fasterskier.com as their racing correspondent. Audrey split time coaching the Boulder Junior Team and working at BNS in 2010-2011. New Arrival On the flip side, we welcome former University of Denver Assistant Coach, Hennie Kashiwa, as BNS Brand Manager. Hennie left DU this past spring to broaden his experience and continue developing his skills in the ski industry. He will manage marketing for the BNS, Holmenkol and SkiGo brands while helping with the Boulder retail operations. We look forward to adding Hennie's experience and fresh ideas to our Boulder Team. Available Positions Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) is hiring! We are looking for prospective employees who are excited about skiing, the BNS brand and are looking to be a part of the leading cross-country ski racing source in the United States. With stores in Boulder, Colorado and Portland, Maine, BNS also operates a mobile race service trailer that travels to events around the US as well as an e-commerce web site at www.bouldernordic.com. BNS imports and distributes the SkiGo, Holmenkol, Guru, Innovax and Magnar brands into the USA. Interested candidates should send a resume with cover letter and salary requirements to jobs@bouldernordic.com. Retail Manager - Boulder Nordic Sport seeks a Retail Manager for its Boulder, CO store. The Retail Manager will administer all aspects of retail operations including merchandising, employee scheduling, shipping, receiving and order fulfillment. Qualified candidates are detail oriented, good with people, have strong computer skills and have experience managing in the retail environment. Ski industry or specialty sport store experience is helpful but not necessary.
- The Retail Manager position is a full-time, year-round position. Salary range is $45,000-$65,000 plus bonuses and benefits, depending on experience. Summer flex time is also possible.
Retail Associates - Boulder Nordic Sport seeks Retail Associates for its Boulder, Colorado store. Part- and Full-Time Retail Associate positions are available September 15-March 15. Retail Associates will have a wide range of responsibilities ranging from sales and merchandising to fulfillment of internet orders.
- Compensation: dependent on experience.
Ski Stone Grinding and Service Technicians - Boulder Nordic Sport seeks experienced cross-country ski service technicians for its ski service department at our Boulder, CO and Portland, ME locations. There are also openings for Stone Grinding Technicians in Boulder. Qualified candidates should be good at working with their hands and have experience working with skis. Service Technicians will be trained by BNS's Racing Service experts and will gain experience at our shops and at events performing ski service.
- Compensation: dependent on experience.
Stone Grinding & Ski Service Manager - Boulder Nordic Sport seeks a stone grinding technician who can be trained to run stone grinding operations and development at its Boulder, CO store. Responsibilities include operating and maintaining the stone grinding machinery, managing service technicians, developing and testing new grinds as well as working with athletes and teams to track grind performance. The right candidate could also take on some or all of the Racing Service Coordinator's responsibilities (see below). The ideal candidate will have strong experience with cross-country ski racing service, be good with machinery and comfortable and skilled working with their hands. The Stone Grinding Manager position is a long-term, full-time position.
- Salary: dependent on experience. Summer flex-time is possible.
Racing Service Coordinator - Boulder Nordic Sport seeks a Race Service Coordinator to manage its cross-country ski racing service operations. The Racing Service Coordinator will manage the service team and marketing presence at events across the country. Responsibilities include coordinating Cross-Country Ski Racing Service at events across the US with BNS regional tech reps as well as travel to larger events to help perform service and organize the BNS team on-site. Depending on the candidate's skills, this position can be a part-time seasonal position or can be combined with the Stone Grinding & Service Manager position to be full-time, year-round. The ideal candidate will have strong experience with cross-country ski racing service and be an expert ski technician proficient in kick and glide waxing, structure and testing. Additionally, the Racing Service Coordinator needs to be skilled with people, organization, communication and managing complicated projects.
- Salary: dependent on experience.
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Contact Information
Boulder Headquarters: 720.227.9400
3600 Arapahoe Ave; Boulder, CO 80303
BNS East: 207.541.7438
200 Anderson St, Suite 5; Portland, ME 04101
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