How To Make Your Speed Skis Run
FIND FASTER TIMES WITH
THESE EASY-TO-FOLLOW TIPS
BY DAVE PESZEK
The great ski technician Willi Wiltz has been known to
say, “The fastest thing I can put on your skis today is YOU!”
While that may be true, ski racers are now turning their
thoughts toward finding any edge they can in the speed
events that are sprinkled throughout the schedule for the
next six to eight weeks. Sure, a handful of elite athletes
have already trained and raced speed events on the NorAm
circuit, but for most of the ski racing community, speed is a
January-through-March endeavor.
And by attending to some little details, you can, indeed
help get your skis running their best.
Let’s start with the most obvious — have your skis been
properly prepped? (See previous issues to learn more.) It’s
perfectly fine if you’re on used skis, even preferable. Just
make sure they’ve been prepped properly by a true profes-
sional service technician — shaped; second and third edges
pulled back; sanded smooth; grind applied for your region;
bevels set correctly; and fully waxed-in.
A word on hot boxes: They are terrific for getting a lot of
wax in to a ski, but they are not a replacement for the fol-
lowing listed below. Also, research has shown that skis
fresh out of a hot box are actually slower. Skis are fastest
about five to 10 wax/ski cycles after a hot-box treatment.
