BACKSHOP
Name That Tune
I set out to tap into the business side of ski tuning specialty retailers — of the roughly 3,800
ski and snowboard storefronts nationally, the most elite of the elite. I sought out retailers that
specialize in ski tuning, and have active or former international level technicians who own or
manage them. I ended up with a list of 13 top shops, and asked them each the same set of
questions. While two retailers (Precision Ski in Frisco, Colo.; and Podium in Park City) were
unable to participate in the unofficial survey, the answers others provided were a worthwhile
glimpse of what goes into a fast pair of race skis.
This issue, you’ll hear from Edgewise Elite Ski Service, based in Stowe, Vt.; World Cup
Service Center in Bellevue, Wash., and Lake Tahoe’s South Shore Snow. We’ll learn
more about other high end shops around the country in the final installment of this series
later this spring.
THE BUSINESS OF HIGH-END SKI TUNING
(SECOND IN A THREE-PART SERIES) BY DAVE PESZEK
Edgewise Elite Ski Service
Before opening Edgewise in 2003, Graham Lonetto spent 10 years working closely with
racers. He went from managing the old Rennstall in Park City to managing the Rossignol
Race Room, and was then the women’s technician for the U.S. Ski Team. For the past
Graham Lonetto
waits for snow.
ANDRE W GINNELLY
SkiRacing.com MARCH 17, 2011 | 52
