Toko: Boulder MT Tour and Noque Reports

FasterSkierFebruary 7, 2012
Rebecca Dussault at the Boulder MT Tour.
Boulder MT Tour: Report from the Winner
I supported Rebecca Dussault at the Boulder MT Tour.  We tested the day before and found our wax tip to be spot on.  (LF Blue, HF Blue/XCold Powder 1:1 mix, JetStream Blue rotocorked on, fine structure).  The most important element of our wax tip was Nordlite XCold Powder which is very effective at making skis break free earlier in slow cold snow.  In addition to mixing it with the HF Blue, a mix of Nordlite XCold Powder and JetStream Blue can also be ironed in together in extremely cold slow snow with great results (this is what we did at US Nationals this year in one race).  After the race, Rebecca told me that she had the fastest skis out there – nice!
Congratulations to Rebecca on her victory!
Ian Harvey
Noque: Report from the Winner

I supported CXC athlete Natalia Naryshkina for the 51km classic marathon. I had tested and skied on the Noque trails the day before and found that once in the woods, conditions were perfect for hardwax. I arrived at the start in Ishpeming early to set up the tent using the Toko van as a wind block. Fellow Toko Tech Team member Mike Young and I prepared several test skis. The start area had received an inch of new snow while the second half had gotten a light mist overnight. In typical U.P. fashion we knew that the tracks in the second half of the race would glaze and therefore need more kick. The start area was open and the little snow from overnight was drying out from the stiff winds so we skied out a few km’s from the start to test. I first double checked with glide. I had put straight JS Red over HF Red on a pair and JS Red/Yellow Mix of HF Red on another. The straight JS Red was the call. We worked through the kick wax next. Straight Nordic Red just couldn’t hang on with the glazing tracks and straight Nordic Yellow and Nordic Red/Yellow mix as too grabby. We settled on two thin layers of Nordic Yellow short under foot with 3 covering layers of Nordic Red, being careful not to mix the layers but to cover the yellow. Natalia arrived at about 8 with her skis for the 9am start. Waxing someone’s skis you don’t know is tough, especially when they are the favorite to win. She had some kind of kick on the skis but didn’t know what in a vaguely marked kick zone. I quickly took the wax off and sanded the bases followed by a thin layer of Base Green Binder heated in with my torch and corked smooth. I put two thin short layers of Nordic Yellow on and covered it with only two layers of Nordic Red to start. I gave the skis to Natalia to test. I told her to ski out a few km’s to make sure she got in the woods where the tracks were glazing. She came back and the skis were grabby. Too long, I quickly scraped off the first inch of kick wax and corked smooth the transition. After another test run the skis were much better but not bomber kick. One more layer of Nordic Red did the trick, “perfect” she said. I then corked in a quick speed layer of JS Red to make sure she had maximum glide for the first few kms. Mike and I hung around at the start helping people with too much or not enough kick get their skis to a happy place. After everyone was off I went to the finish and wait to see how Natalia would go. She blazed the woman’s field, winning by 4min! She said the kick was great the whole way! Holding up through several icy lake crossings.  Congratulations to Natalia and to all of the Noque participants.Ben Lund, Toko Tech Team

 

Noque: Report from the Winner

I did a pre-layer of Toko HF Blue.  Then I put a layer of Toko HF red on top.  For fluoro I used JetStream Red Powder ironed in.  Then 2 layers of JetStream Red Block corked on top of that.  For kick I had a green klister binder with a little Nordic Basewax Green and then covered it with a blue wax.

Santi Ocariz winner of the Noque 51km Classic race

Alaska Ski for Women: A Great Event!
The Alaska Ski for Women is North America’s largest women-only cross-country ski event. This is a partner event where women of all ages and abilities come out to Nordic ski approximately 2.4 miles (4K), many in colorful costumes while raising funds for local non-profit organizations that help stop the cycle of domestic abuse against women and children.  The event is held on Super Bowl Sunday which is a day that has seen much domestic abuse against women.  There are skate, classic, and duathlon races as well as a fun costume race which had a total of 1200 participants this year!  Toko has provided on site wax service to the participants for the last 12 years.  We are grateful for this event!
Wax volunteers on Super Bowl Sunday supporting the Alaska Ski for Women
Rossignol Tech Rep Ira Edwards "manning up" .
Cute Costume
Alaska Toko Rep Patrick McGownd assisting.

 

 

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