Welcome to Las Vegas, NV and the Snow Sports Industry Association’s 2008 Trade Show.
Las Vegas? THE place for all things new in the snow sports???
SIA has made Las Vegas home for 35 years. But times are a changing and in 2010 this Snow Show of Shows will move to Denver. Good bye Sin City, sand, gambling, and the shows. Hello, HAPE, hello snow.
Alpina Sports has been an SIA member since Before Snowboarding, when there was only one winter sport and the “S†stood for Ski. The SIA show is about showing and selling your wares for the following snow sport season. It bills itself as “the largest, most concentrated and authentic trade event in the snow sports industry.†See and be seen. Make contacts. The sales reps are meeting retail buyers and making pre-season sales. The marketing people are meeting with the media to sell the stories behind their products. And of course, we’re all looking for the free stuff. Glen Plake’s handing out free hats made of hemp. And there’s always free beer in the snowboarder’s area.
Dorcas Wonsavage, ASC’s Nordic Team Director, attended the Show this year, where Alpina Sports presented their new brands for 2008 — Exel poles, Peltonen’s Nordic performance skis, and Bjorn Daehlie outerwear — as well as Alpina Nordic skis and boots, and alpine skis and boots, Crispi telemark boots, Masters alpine poles, Rottefella bindings, and Start ski wax. Daehlie himself visited the Show, shortly after his 41st place in the Marcialonga, to promote his brand in North America and help serve up some smoked salmon and aquavit, at CCSAA’s annual Nordic Village celebration. He kindly gave interviews to Ski Trax and Crosscountry Magazine, and signed cards for all who asked.
