Swix: American Birkebeiner Preliminary Wax Recommendation

IMPORTANT RACE WAXING CONSIDERATIONS

Forecast

Friday night cold and partly cloudy. 0% chance of snow. Low 4F / -15C. 1-3mph NE wind. Saturday partly cloudy. High of 32F / 0C. Temps around 14F / -10C by 9:00 a.m., and 25F / -4C by noon. Humidity near 80% overnight, and dropping through the day. 5-7 mph N wind. 0% chance of snow.

Course Conditions

Track has firm base. Snow is moderately abrasive due to the sharp new snow crystals and transformed snow that is being brought to the surface by the tilling of the grooming machines. Some dirt is present.

WAXING CONSIDERATIONS

1. BASE PREPARATION

Clean glide zones with Swix Base Prep 99 using the “hot scrape” method. Scrape and

brush using Swix Fine Steel brush (T192/T188). This is very important to “open” up the base pores to receive race wax. If you are going to be using Swix Cera F, you may want to try our new base cleaner & conditioner, I0084 to enhance flouro base bonding. After cleaning, apply one layer of Swix MB77 base conditioning wax. Scrape and brush with the Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

2. DURABILITY

For a race of this length it is very important to use several layers of wax and make sure the base pores are 100% saturated and proper base hardness is achieved. We are recommending HF, HFBW and Cera F waxes because of their strength, durability, and wide temperature ranges.

3. BRUSHING

Be sure to treat each wax layer as if it is a final race layer. We recommend using the

Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R) as the first brush after scraping. This is by far the best brush to use for removing excess wax from fine structure. Final polish with a Blue Nylon Brush (T0160) is recommended.

4. SKI SELECTION & STRUCTURE

Use a medium flex ski with a fine structure. If you need to add structure, use the Swix T401 Super Riller and apply a .50mm linear rill, and/or, use the new Swix T403 Structure Tool and apply a .3mm broken structure. Do a final brushing after applying rill with your blue nylon polishing brush.

Glide Wax:

SPEED-AT-ALL-COST WAVES Elite & 1-5

Base Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF4BW. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T1790/T179R)

Race Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF6. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Overlay: Apply Swix FC07 Cera F Powder. Iron in with one pass (5-7 seconds) w/ iron temperature at 155C. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush up powder using Swix Black Nylon brush (T0194/T199). Iron second time as above. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Wild Boar Brush (T0164B/T198B) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/T186).

SPEED-AT-ALL-COST WAVES 6-10

Base Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF6. Scrape and brush with Swix Still Brush (T1790/T179R)

Base Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF6BW. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Overlay: Apply Swix FC07 Cera F Powder or FC78 SuperCera. Iron in with one pass (5-7 seconds) w/ iron temperature at 155C (165C for FC78). Let cool 5 minutes. Brush up powder using Swix Black Nylon brush (T0194/T199). Iron second time as above. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Wild Boar Brush (T0164B/T198B) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/T186).

PERFORMANCE PRO WAVES 1-5

Base Wax: Apply a layer of Swix LF4 OR HF4BW. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T1790/T179R)

Race Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF6. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Overlay: Apply Swix FC7BS Turbo Solid. Rub on layer & lightly cork in. Rub on 2nd layer. Iron in with temp. at 150C, one pass length of ski. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Wild Boar Brush (T0164B/T198B) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/ T186).

PERFORMANCE PRO WAVES 6-10

Base Wax: Apply a layer of Swix LF6 or HF6BW. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T1790/T179R).

Race Wax: Apply a layer of Swix HF7BW. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Overlay: Apply Swix FC7BS Turbo Solid. Rub on layer & lightly cork in. Rub on2nd layer. Iron in w/ temp. at 150C, one pass length of ski. Let cool 5 minutes. Brush out with Wild Boar Brush (T0164B/T198B) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/T186).

PERFORMANCE WAVES 1-5

Base Wax: Apply one layer of Swix LF6. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Wax: Apply two layers Swix HF6. Scrape & brush out using Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/T186).

PERFORMANCE WAVES 6-10

Base Wax: Apply one layer of Swix LF6. Scrape and brush with Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R).

Race Wax: Apply two layers Swix HF7BW. Scrape & brush out using Swix Steel Brush (T179O/T179R) and finish polish with Blue Nylon (T0160/T186)