…You obviously noticed them guys with enigmatically looking SRS letters on their bibs, that are a fixture of any FIS World Cup stage. Looking trim and fit enough to be taking part in the races themselves, they are most often seen doing what looks like interval training , visibly oblivious to the hustle & bustle around them.
Those are “company test pilots” – the people who help develop & test world’s most advanced skis at any given moment in time – and prototypes for the future big events. Their job is easy to define yet extremely difficult to implement: to make sure that their firm’s athletes have absolutely best skis at all times. The skis that will sail them to the podiums.
Today we talk to Simon Caprini, Rossignol’ senior racing manager – the man Alex Bolshunov, Pål Golberg, Emma Ribom rely upon and call friend.
Ski testing has two big subdivisions: a) testing actual athletes’ skis, typically 6 to 10 pairs for 2-3 athletes, about 20-25 pairs in total b) testing of prototypes – additional 15-16 pairs. Testing classic skis, clearly, takes longer
May 3rd 2021 will be my anniversary at the company: 10 years. All these years I eat once a day (plus sometimes a glass of beer in the evening) I spend a lot of time away from home – testing on glaciers and ski tunnels offseason, going to the World Cup stages in the season. I drive my minivan loaded with skis some 70-75000 kilometers each year. It’s not an easy job – but it’s is a job you live for!
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