Mysterious Invention Could Revolutionize Skiing - Secret Testing in Norway

Skiing: Mysterious Invention Could Revolutionize Skiing – Secret Testing in Norway – NRK Sport – Sports News, Results, and Broadcast Schedule

Athletes must sign confidentiality agreements, and the testing is top secret. Two Finnish brothers hope to revolutionize skiing.

TESTED IN NORWAY: Swedish ski star William Poromaa tried the skis that could revolutionize skiing while at Sognefjellet.

Photo: Instagram/William Poromaa / ANTTI LÄHTEENMÄKI / YLE

Published on 07.11.2024, at 22:05
We report from Stockholm, Sweden

World Cup in Falun on March 16, 2024: Johanna Matintalo handled wind and challenging snow conditions superbly. She stands elated in the finishing area after claiming a strong 2nd place in the 10-kilometer race, her best World Cup finish.

Matintalo shines in interviews with Finnish media, as does her compatriot Kerttu Niskanen, who won the race. However, the tone is completely different among the Swedish and Norwegian competitors.

– This was rubbish, says Frida Karlsson, who, like her teammates, struggled with the skis. "Sandpaper" and "the worst skis ever" were among the descriptions.

Matintalo shares her shocking result but becomes evasive when questioned about the skis. Did they contribute to her victory? The reason for her vague response is simple: Matintalo has signed a non-disclosure agreement and is prohibited from revealing what is under her skis.

Backed by a Marine Engineer

Behind the skis are a Finnish brother pair, who are terrified that their latest invention will be revealed. Asa and Pasi Vironen run the ski brand Custom Ski, and the details surrounding the new skis are top secret. NRK reached out for more information but was unable to hear back from the brothers themselves.

Instead, an email arrived from Frese Gustafson, an engineer involved in boat racing.
– I’m the one you need to communicate with, he explained.

The brothers allegedly do not speak English, and NRK wondered if Gustafson could answer questions instead.
– We are not doing interviews on this matter yet, Gustafson responded, but he hopes to return with more information in the future.

The brothers want to protect their business idea and have applied for a patent for the new skis in Finland. The hope is to sell the invention to a larger company, but for now, the patent application is still under review.

Fortunately, NRK found some who have been able to try the skis.

Secret Testing in Norway

"Testing days at Sognefjell. Anyone who guesses correctly on the number of skis will get a prize," wrote Swedish cross-country skier William Poromaa on Instagram this summer.

Among the skis tested were the top-secret ones from Custom Ski.
– I can’t say much, Poromaa told NRK.
– It’s secret. I’ve tested them a bit, and they have something exciting in the works.

Do you know what the exciting element is?
– No, that’s what I don’t know.
How did you notice that something was different?
– I’ve stood a bit on them at Sognefjell, but I have no idea what was what. What I can say is that something under the skis made it easier to ski, says the Swede.

Poromaa resisted the temptation to peek under the skis to see what he was actually on.
– I wanted to show respect and not do that. They’ve been very clear that they wouldn’t want that, so one needs to listen.

Pulling Back the Curtain

About 20 Finnish athletes have reportedly signed confidentiality agreements before using the skis.
– It’s very hush-hush and secretive around this, says the Swedish national team coach Anders Byström.
Pasi Vironen has slightly lifted the veil on what they’ve developed in an interview with Finnish YLE.

– It doesn’t involve waxing since there are no chemicals in the process. It’s not about grinding or patterns under the skis, but something entirely different. It repels dirt and filth very well. For now, it’s best to just call it a treatment in the grip zone.

When YLE visited the brothers, they were not allowed to take close-up photos of the skis. However, they were allowed to feel the product, which they described as a kind of smooth tape. How it provides better grip for athletes remains a mystery for now.

– It’s about protecting against industrial espionage. One single picture in the wrong hands can be devastating for us. We have a patent application in, we’ve spent a lot of money and even more time on the product, says Vironen to YLE.

World Championship Warning

According to Sweden's wax manager, Custom Ski's fundamental business idea is to convert old wax skis into skin skis. "A sort of skin ski 2.0," he describes.

But Svanebo doesn’t know if this is the case with the new invention. The national team coach Byström is still uncertain whether we are facing a ski revolution.

– We know too little about that. But we are a traditional sport that does what we've always done. It's only positive that new things are coming, he believes.

Perhaps Matintalo holds the answer? The cross-country skier has finally been allowed to speak a bit more about the skis.

She reveals that she used the skis in Lahti and Falun last season. "Best in test" is her verdict, and Matintalo believes that the product under the new skis held better toward the end of the race than traditional ski treatments.

Now, the Finn hopes to succeed with the skis during the World Championships in Trondheim.
– It would be nice to have a competitive advantage under certain conditions and types of weather. Why not take advantage of it when the World Championships approach and one doesn't know what weather is in store? she says to YLE.