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17 February

Filed Under (Alpina) by

By Dorcas Wonsavage
Published: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:02 AM MST

Welcome to Las Vegas, NV and the Snow Sports Industry Associations 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, were all looking for the free stuff. Glen Plakes handing out free hats made of hemp. And theres always free beer in the snowboarders area.

Dorcas Wonsavage, ASCs Nordic Team Director, attended the Show this year, where Alpina Sports presented their new brands for 2008 Exel poles, Peltonens 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 CCSAAs annual Nordic Village celebration. He kindly gave interviews to Ski Trax and Crosscountry Magazine, and signed cards for all who asked.

Bjorn Dahlie and Dorcas Wonsavage

As the music blared from the booth next door, Wonsavage noted: The response to our taking on Exel and Peltonen has been very positive. Most people get a nostalgic look in their eye, and begin with, My first pair of skis/poles were Were very excited to show that they are at the top of the game in quality and technology. They also compliment our Nordic performance boots and Start ski wax. And to be able to offer the high-quality outerwear that Bjorn has developed is an incredible treat. He has been very generous in sponsoring the U.S. Nordic Teams for the next four years. The athletes are ecstatic!

The general mood of the show this year was happy, but cautious. Its been snowing all over North America and Europe, so last years gear is finally selling and retailers have shelf space to fill. But they dont want to get burned. Global warming is a key selling point for many of the brands either their company has reduced Co2 emissions in product production, in their office/warehouse, or they are using renewable resources like hemp, or bamboo. Even this years Show included a Paperless Media Room everyones press releases and media kits were available only online.
Wonsavage prepared a virtual photo tour of the Alpina Sports booth. Its a glimpse, R-rated, example of what the industry does here to get the product you see on the elite athletes now, on the shelves for you to buy next year.

Statistics:

450 - # of exhibitor booths

1,000 brands representing snow sports

$40,000/day to hold the show at the Mandalay Bay convention center

$0 cost to hold the show in the Colorado Convention Center

2 packs average second-hand cigarette smoke inhaled per person, walking through the casinos every day

584,000 square feet the size of the expanded and remodeled Colorado Convention Center, where the show will move to in 2010