Skis for Champions

Star biathletes taking top honors in a race do not owe their success to chance; it is the result of submitting to rigorous and disciplined training, daily physical and mental condition, and choosing the ultimate in equipment. Particularly important are the skis on which the athletes move quickly and surely from one shooting range to the next; among other requirements, the skis must be able to withstand high dynamic stresses of this top-competitive sport. This is why Norwegian cross-country ski manufacturer Madshus has for some years been using Evonik’s ROHACELL®, a high-performance rigid foam made from polymethacrylimide (PMI), as an integral component of the ski core.

The crème de la crème of biathletes are now gathered in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where the new world champions of the slopes and shooting ranges will be crowned till February 22, 2009. The Olympic champions Kati Wilhelm and Michael Greis have stepped up on the winners’ podium, as has Norway‘s biathlon icon Ole Einar Björndalen. All three rely on high-performance skis from the Norwegian manufacturer Madshus—and so, essentially, on a product by Evonik.

World and Olympic champion Kati Wilhelm regularly goes to a sports facility in Sweden to test new ski models in the ski tunnel, because when it comes to competing, it is not just about fitness and physical strength. The quality of the skis makes a difference, too. “Because they play a very important role in competition, you also have to invest a lot of time in selecting and testing things so that you get perfectly designed skis that are suited to the conditions. Indeed, you’ve got to rise to the challenge successfully with your skis,” emphasizes Kati Wilhelm with a wink of the eye.

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