weanswer@SkiPost.com

  Front or Rear Rachet?

Dear SkiPost, I've heard and read a lot of positive comments and reviews about Marwe classic roller skis because they have the ratcheting wheel on the front. So, if having the ratcheting wheel on the front is "the way to go" as many people believe, why do the other companies have the ratcheting wheel on the rear? DS    

Dear DS,

I've skied on pairs of classic rollerskis with the rachets on the front, and with rachets on the back. And, once, for the sake of knowledge, on a pair of skis with one rachet on the front and one in the back. If you are skiing with decent technique, my belief is that it doesn't matter either way. If you are late kicking, you generally are keeping both of your wheels on the ground too long, so it doesn't matter that way either. (I don't think it's even possible to apply enough pressure to make this effective, but I could argue that, with the front wheel being the last part of the ski to contact the ground, you could actually late kick longer with the front's rachet.) The most compelling argument I could come up with for the front rachets is that those wheels are slightly heavier than the unracheted ones, so they help keep the front wheels down and tracking straight. 

So both front and rear ratchets have their positive attributes. So as you say, the Jury appears to still be out. 

Jason Cork

CXC Team-Coach

 How should I prep my new skis?

A ski's very first wax jobs are the most import wax jobs to be done on a new ski.  This is because a new ski's base is dry and at this point the most susceptible to damage from overheating.  You need to fill the base with a soft wax that melts at a low temperature and can fill the base. This base wax will then easily bond other harder waxes that are applied later while absorbing the more extreme heat from higher melting point waxes that are added later. SkiPost works with Start so we will make recommendation based on the Start wax.

1) Wipe the bases with evaporating wax remover moistened fiber tex, to remove surface dirt.

2) Melt Start BW Base Wax on the base.

3) Let base absorb the wax with a mild 110 C temperature moving the iron from tip to tail on base.

4) While still warm gently scrape all removable wax warm with sharp acrylic scraper to remove surface dirt.  

5) Repeat procedure with Start BW 2-3 times, but now let the wax cool down before scraping.

6) Dedicated waxers/racers should follow with Start BWG-Graphite to activate the properties of the graphite bases 1-2 times.

Follow with Glide waxing, but if is cold out do not move new skis straight to Green but step down with progressively harder waxes first.

Application of Base Wax Gliders Video  

    Donate $75 to CC or NC Pillar Projects get Calendar as NNF Gift!

Preview Calendar Here

Support Tomorrow's Stars Today

To place a team or retailer wholesale order contact nccsef@gmail.com  

Tour-de Twin Cities

Jan 21-29, 2012

The SISU Foundation (SISU),  in  partnership with the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation (COLNSF), today announced a new urban ski event: the Tour de Twin Cities (TdTC).  Starting Jan. 21, 2012 and running for nine days, the Twin Cities will be host to the United States' top elite racers, in addition to regional college athletes, aspiring Midwestern juniors hoping to qualify for Junior National races, local citizen racers and developing youth skiers.  The event also will provide opportunities for beginners and novice ski enthusiasts who prefer a slower pace and simply want to get outside and enjoying the sport of cross country skiing.

The TdTC begins Jan 21st at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis for two days of individual start racing.  A mid week, night sprint race on Wednesday January 25th also will be hosted at Wirth Park. The TdTC will then move east to Battle Creek Park in St. Paul where racing will continue with a mass start classic race on Saturday Jan 28th.  The week's events will culminate with a pursuit start freestyle event on January 29th to crown the winners of the various events.   Racers will be vying for more than $16,000 in prizes.  Community tours and family events will be spread throughout the week. 

TourDeTwinCities.com 

RCS Carbonlte

RCS Carbonlite Info Here

New Web Site For Fischer

FischerSports.com

Fischer Skis U.S. today announced it has unveiled an all-new Web site at www.fischersports.com to provide ski enthusiasts with improved navigation, expanded product information, new videos, an updated dealer locator and more. The significant addition of resources and improved overall usability make the new Fischer Skis Web site a one-stop resource for anyone looking for information - and inspiration - related to Alpine and Nordic skiing.

The Fischer Web site features a fresh new design with crisp graphics and intuitive navigation for superior usability. Upon entering the site, visitors may select the Alpine or Nordic portals. From there they can explore every facet of Fischer's world-class products, technologies and athletes; learn about the company's rich history and commitment to environmentally-supportive practices; and find inspiration whether they prefer skiing on or off the slopes or tracks.

Fischer's online product information has been expanded to support savvy ski enthusiasts in researching all of the season's products and offerings in detail. The product finder tool helps skiers determine which equipment best suits their needs in just three steps. Technology sections highlight the industry's greatest innovations in either Alpine skiing, such as Fischer's new Vacuum Fit boot technology, or Nordic, such as the revolutionary introduction of Nordic Rocker Camber.

Salomon Equipe 10 S-Lab Skate Cold, the most versatile S-Lab ski and ideal for cold compact snow. Its Cold Crystal camber with 44/43/44 sidecut drive long non-shifting glide zones that quickly induce a dry friction reducing thin film ski-snow interface. Equipe 10 S-Lab Skate Warm is ideal for skiing over warm compact snow, its Moisture Management  Camber with 44/43/44 sidecut drives shorter, shifting, tip splayed, warm based glide zones.  Equipe 10 Skate Soft Ground makes the ideal 2nd pair complement to a skier's Cold or Warm ski.  Its Floating Camber with 44.5/44/44.5 sidecut and extra-low torsional rigidity drives low-pressure, shifting glide zones that allow the ski to rapidly float over un-compacted or under-compacted wet mush or cold powder.  from www.Salomon.com.  

NNF Fundraising Dinner

with

Olympians Andy Newell and Liz Stephen 

plus NNF Director Dave Knoop

in support of the

National Nordic Foundation

Oct 30, 2011 4 P.M.

Meet, listen to, and share a gourmet meal with

Andy, Liz and Dave as they share their life enriching lessons of the trail.

"For the Lessons of the Trail Are the Lessons of Life"

Dinner at

The Kaeding Household

55 Kaeding Road

Worcester, VT

$50.00

Suggested Minimum Donation

Benefits the NNF

Dinner Limited to 30 Lucky Guests

RSVP to 802-249-8345 or gus.kaeding@cxcskiing.org

 Jessie Diggins 

Stillwater MN Fundraiser

Please consider joining Jessie's supporters by purchasing a $100 supporter badge, and enjoying a great dinner at Chilkoot Café and Cyclery on November 11th.  Jessie will be on hand to share the highlights of her 2011 season and her plans for 2012.  All proceeds from the event will go directly to support Jessie's travel and training expenses.  Call for more information or to reserve your spot by calling the Chilkoot Café at 651-342-0429. 

Discount Trail Passes 

for 

YELLOWSTONE SKI FESTIVAL

Nov. 22 - 26

Everyone is invited to West Yellowstone, Montana Nov. 22-26 for the Yellowstone Ski Festival, a week-long celebration of cross-country skiing.  Each year thousands of skiers, from Olympic athletes to first timers, descend on this small mountain town to make their first tracks of the season over the Thanksgiving holiday on perfectly groomed corduroy. 

 Preseason discount trail passes available for Yellowstone Ski Festival

 START Pine Tar/Waxing Clinic & Pasty Dinner

OutThere Nordic Sports

 Rice Lake, WI

Friday, November 11, 2011 at 6:00pm

RSVP here

 Start Now, Finish Faster

SkiErg World Sprints

 Saturday November 12th at Noon 

Boston, MA

Ski Erg World Sprints