KILIAN JORNET BORN TO RUN - Amer Sports

3.2010
“Direct retail and webstores are key elements for us to win with consumers.”
Victor Duran, Senior Vice President, Business to Consumer, Amer Sports page 30
AN AMER SPORTS MAGAZINE 3.2010
ULTRA-LONG
DISTANCES DRAW
PARTICIPANTS
THE NUMEROUS
OPPORTUNITIES
OF SOCIAL MEDIA
KILIAN
JORNET
BORN
TO RUN
THE PREMIER
FREESKIING
BOOT ATOMIC
TRACKER
130 INT
FLY FISHING TRAIL RUNNING SHOES THE SUUNTO M-SERIES ATOMIC D2 VARIO CUT

EDITORIAL
IN SEARCH OF A GOOD
RUNNING SHOE
Running shoes have come to feature more and more technology
and versatility. Before making a purchase, buyers really need to
know what purpose the shoes will be used for, what kind of
terrain they will be used on and what their own foot and step are
like.
It can be difficult to find answers to these questions. This is
where knowledgeable salespeople play an important role. They
help to find the shoe best suited to the foot and step of individual
runners. They also know it is worth spending time looking for
just the right shoe.
This is also true when buying sports equipment and
apparel. It is important to compare different products,
since well fitting gear saves the user from many worries.
Every athlete and exerciser has unique requirements.
Even if a product suits your friend and does well in tests
it does not necessarily suit you.
Many manufacturers offer tools that help select
the optimum product for you from a wide range of
items. For example, the Wilson Get Fit online tool
helps golfers choose the clubs that best match
their needs based on an interactive questionnaire.
Various social network services, such as the
Suunto Movescount, are also good channels for
collecting information. They connect exercisers
to one another and give them the opportunity to
share their best experiences.
Go ahead and ask for advice and get to know
different services!
Maarit Mikkonen
Editor-in-chief
CONTRIBUTOR SON OF THE FOREST
2 || 3.2010
This time of year Kimmo Piispa is most likely found in
the forest. The 37-year-old has done a variety of outdoor
sports all his life. Fly fishing and hunting top the
list, but he also enjoys telemark skiing, climbing and
paddling. On top of all this, he works as a fishing guide,
takes photos and writes articles about his hobbies for
magazines such as the Pohjolan Perhokalastaja (Nordic
Fly Fisher). Kimmo contributed to this edition with an
article on fishing in the Kola Peninsula, on page 36.
NEXT
AN AMER SPORTS MAGAZINE
The magazine is published quarterly
in Finnish and English.
Editorial staff
Editor-in-Chief
Maarit Mikkonen
Amer Sports Corporation,
Communications Department,
P.O. Box 130, FI-00601 Helsinki,
FINLAND
Tel. +358 9 7257 8306
Fax +358 9 791 385
maarit.mikkonen@amersports.com
www.amersports.com
Alma Media Lehdentekijät Oy
P.O. Box 502, FI-00101 Helsinki,
FINLAND
www.lehdentekijat.fi
Producer
Markku Rimpiläinen
Subeditor
Irina Mikkola
Art Director
Mika Soikkeli
Cover photo Monica Dalmasso/Salomon
Translations by AAC Global Oy
Composition and repro Aste Helsinki Oy
Printed by Libris Oy
ISSN 1459-5095 (print)
ISSN 1795-2247 (online)
Address source
Amer Sports Register
of Shareholders and Customers,
Amer Sports Corporation,
P.O. Box 130, FI-00601 Helsinki,
FINLAND
Address changes
amer.communications@amersports.com
www.amersports.com
www.arcteryx.com
www.atomicsnow.com
www.mavic.com
www.precor.com
www.salomon.com
www.suunto.com
www.wilson.com

t John Flynn, Regina Stanger/Crocodile Trophy
IN ULTRA-LONG DISTANCES,
ATHLETES MOSTLY COMPETE
AGAINST THEMSELVES.
6 NEWS. Precor’s elliptical fitness
equipment turns fifteen.
16
10 NEXT HOT. In the new Atomic D2 Vario
Flex skis both the sidecut and flex vary
depending on the pressure.
13 NEXT PRODUCT. The new Suunto M
series heart rate monitors guide and
motivate users before, during and
after the workout.
15 IR. Päivi Antola, Amer Sports'
new Director of IR and Financial
Communications focuses on explaining
the company's new strategy to investors.
THE ATOMIC TRACKER INT 130
BOOTS TAKE FREERIDERS
TO THE WILDEST SLOPES.
FOR KILIAN JORNET RUNNING
IN THE MOUNTAINS IS ALMOST
AS EASY AS BREATHING.
16 TREND. Ultra-long distances draw more
and more endurance athletes. What is the
attraction of races much more exhausting
than marathons?
22 INSIDE AMER SPORTS. Social media
offer interesting opportunities for
marketing.
10
26 PROFILE. Kilian Jornet has taken
mountain running to a whole new level.
In July, he crossed the Pyrenees,
traveling a distance of 696 kilometers.
30 INTEGRATION. Direct consumer sales
are expected to accelerate the growth of
Amer Sports.
CONTENTS 3.10
THE RIVERS OF THE KOLA
PENINSULA OFFER MEMORABLE
MOMENTS FOR FLY FISHERS.
26 36
34 NEXT Q & A. Antti Jääskeläinen, Chief
Development Officer, is involved in
creating a new strategy for Amer Sports.
36 REPORT. The Kola Peninsula rivers are
dream destinations for fly-fishers.
42 NEXT SOLUTION. The Salomon trail
running footwear collection has the right
shoe for every purpose.
46 NEXT TEST. The Arc’teryx light and
breathable Altra 50 pack is great for
fast-paced hikes.
47 KEEP FIT. The fall is a good time to build
a strong foundation for the winter skiing
season.
3.2010 || 3

F Ilkka Järvimäki
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER 8–12
FINALS OF THE TRIATHLON
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
The World Championship Series of the
International Triathlon Union (ITU) will
culminate in the finals held in Budapest.
The race is the seventh in the series and
will determine this year’s best triathletes
in the Olympic distance, which consists of
a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run.
budapest.triathlon.org
SEPTEMBER 18–19
CENTURION CANADA
Cycling events of 100, 50 and 25 miles have
become hugely popular in North America,
attracting thousands of participants who
ride their chosen distance solo or as a
member of a team. In September, the
Centurion tour will move to the Blue
Mountains in Ontario, Canada.
www.centurioncycling.com/canada
OCTOBER
OCTOBER 16
WORLD HALF MARATHON
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Nanning in China will host the traditional
IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
in mid-October. The World Championship
titles are of great interest to the world’s
best long-distance runners, drawing the
cream of the crop to the start line. A year
ago, the gold medals went to Zersenay
Tadese from Eritrea and Mary Jepkosgei
Keitany from Kenya.
www.iaaf.org/whm10
OCTOBER 16
GIRO DI LOMBARDIA
Giro di Lombardia is the last major oneday
event in the international road racing
calendar. The event, which dates back over
100 years and takes place on demanding
routes in northern Italy, is also known as
the “Race of the Falling Leaves” because of
the season. In 2009, Philippe Gilbert from
Belgium brought an end to the nearly
decade-long winning streak enjoyed by the
Italians.
www.gazzetta.it/grandeciclismo/
ILombardia/home.shtml
4 || 3.2010

The World Championship Series
of triathlon will culminate in the
finals held in Budapest. In 2009
the finals took place in Australia.
t Frank Wechsel/triathlon.org
3.2010 || 5

N E
W S
Wilson to sponsor professional
Chinese badminton players
Wilson will become the official equipment sponsor
of Tsingtao, a Chinese badminton club. Sponsored
by the Tsingtao beer company, the club is the biggest
in its home province, Shandong, as well as
one of the best in China.
Tsingtao is also one of the eight badminton
teams to have qualified for the new professional
badminton league in China. The league kicked off
in May 2010, and is expected to rapidly gain
immense popularity, seeing as badminton is one
of the country’s most popular sports.
Tsingtao’s juniors have brought the club great
success. Three of them were crowned champions
Outstanding test reviews for Wilson irons
Today’s Golfer, the UK’s leading golf magazine,
rated Wilson Staff FG Tour irons the “Best of the
Best” in a comprehensive test of irons.
Used, among others, by three-time Major
winner Padraig Harrington, the FG Tour range
scored the best results in the Tour Player category.
The test involved over 60 club sets drawn from all
the leading golf manufacturers. The FG Tours were
the only ones to get five out of five stars from the
whole test team. Wilson’s irons were characterized
6 || 3.2010
as being affordable, easy on the eye,
forgiving and workable.
The company’s irons also earned
praise in two other test series.
The Di9 club set came in second
place in the Game Improvement test
category, getting a special mention for
powerful ball flight, while the Ci9 set of
clubs were rated as Best Value clubs in
their category.
at the 2008 World Badminton Junior Championships,
and two of them were victorious at the same
event in 2007.
Based on the new partnership agreement, Wilson
will equip the club’s players with BLX badminton
rackets, equipment bags, footwear and outfits.
Wilson’s new-technology BLX rackets ensure
better sensation than ever before. BLX is based on
ultrafine fibers extracted from basalt rock. Using
the Wilson Karophite technology, they are woven
into a compound that effectively eliminates harmful
vibration in the racket frame. This results in
cleaner shots and better sensation.
t Wilson

t Arc’teryx
Adam Campbell victorious in Vancouver
What does it feel like to run a grueling,
marathon-distance trail race in a
demanding mountain environment? The
answer can be found in Arc’teryx athlete
Adam Campbell’s blog, where he talks
about his experiences of the classic and
hugely popular Knee Knacker competition
in Vancouver. Campbell won the race, but
had to overcome numerous hardships
along the way, including pain, exhaustion,
cramps and despair. The former triathlete
Salomon Store opened in Omsk
Russia’s first Salomon Store outside the
capital, Moscow, was launched in the
Omsk Mega1 mall in early August. Located
in Siberia, Omsk is Russia’s biggest city
East of the Urals, with a population of
1.1 million.
Amer Sports already has four shops
in Moscow, the latest of them the Belaya
brand store, which was opened next to
Ikea in June. Pro Center, which sells
Salomon, Atomic, Volant, Wilson and
didn’t succumb, however, and ultimately
rose to victory, clocking a time of 4:58.13.
The Knee Knacker race follows the
steep and rocky paths of the mountains
surrounding Vancouver. Most of the trail
runs through a thick rain forest. Magnificent
views and verdant vegetation make
for a unique race setting.
Campbell’s colorful description can
be found in its entirety at cdamaampbell.
blogspot.com.
Suunto products to select professional
customers, operates near the Olimpiyskiy
sports complex.
The premises also house an outlet
store which offers products from Salomon,
Atomic, Bonfire and Dynamic.
Moscow’s popular 250-shop Mega1
mall, in turn, was chosen as the site
for a compact store.
The next Salomon brand store in
Russia will be opened in Ufa.
inBRIEF
SANDRINE AUBERT
JOINS ATOMIC
The French Alpine skier
Sandrine Aubert will be seen
on Atomic skis next season.
Aubert decided on the switch
this summer.
Atomic’s D2 technology made
a big impression on the 29-yearold
from the very first.
“I immediately knew I could
enhance my performance with
this technology,” she said.
Though nearly 30, Aubert is
seeing her career flourish. She
took her first World Cup win
relatively late, at the age of 27.
This season, Aubert says she
will be aiming for the podium
in the World Cup.
R-SYS SL TEST WINNER
The August issue of the widelycirculated
German RoadBike
Magazine proclaimed Mavic’s
R-Sys SL wheelset the best in a
test comparing eight ultra-light
aluminum wheels for road
bikes. The magazine listed the
light weight and lateral stiffness,
achieved with carbon
tubular spokes, as the strengths
of the R-Sys SL wheels.
LUIS LEÓN SÁNCHEZ
SPRINTS TO VICTORY
Luis León Sánchez, riding for
Caisse D’Epargne, made a welltimed
final sprint to cross the
finish line first at the famous
Clásica San Sebastián road race.
Sánchez secured his victory in
the last ascent, shaking off two
other breakaway riders.
Sánchez used Mavic’s Zxellium
Ultimate shoes in the race.
MAVIC’S HELIUM JACKET
BEST IN TEST
Mavic’s Helium cycling jacket
was rated #1 in a test published
in the August issue of the German
Mountain Bike Magazine.
The magazine tested 18 jackets
from different manufacturers.
The Helium jacket convinced
the testers with its light weight
(75 grams), fit and quality.
3.2010 || 7
N E
W
S

inBRIEF
SCHILD AND RAICH
MOVE IN TOGETHER
Marlies Schild and Benni Raich,
both preparing for the Alpine
World Cup, recently built their
first home in Pitztal, Austria.
“A house of our own means
freedom, calm and safety to
me,” said Schild in a magazine
interview in July.
The next Alpine Ski World
Championships will be held in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, only
an hour’s drive from Pitztal.
“It’s almost as if we were
competing at home,” says
Raich, happily.
The two have also modified
their training from previous
seasons. Raich has been active
at the construction site and
played a great deal of soccer,
while Schild has added yoga to
her routine.
Both Schild and Raich are
long-term Atomic Athletes.
MICHAEL WALCHHOFER
GOES FOR AN MBA
Michael Walchhofer, the Austrian
speed sport star, has set himself
new targets. While still
training wholeheartedly for the
Alpine World Cup, his program
now also includes studies at the
Austrian KMU Academy. Walchhofer
aims to complete an MBA
in 2012. His family runs a successful
hotel business in
Zauchensee.
MARC BEAUMONT
RETURNS AS WINNER
The UK downhill rider Marc
Beaumont scored his second
World Cup win in August at Val
di Sole in Italy. Beaumont rode
with Mavic’s Deemax Ultimate
wheels.
VINCENZO NIBALI
TRIUMPHANT
Vincenzo Nibali from Liquigas-
Doimo won the Trofeo Melinda in
Val di Non, Italy, on August 21.
He used Mavic´s Cosmic
Carbone Ultimate wheelset
in the race.
8 || 3.2010
t Wilson
The elliptical crosstrainer turns 15
Fifteen years ago, Precor introduced
the world’s first elliptical crosstrainer,
the EFX 544. The secret lay in the
elliptical motion, which enabled the
users’ legs to move naturally, similar
to running.
Members of health clubs around
the world instantly took to the product,
whose steady, undulating motion caused
far less strain on the joints than conventional
cardio equipment.
Precor has continuously
developed its elliptical fitness
equipment. One of the most
important novelties is the
CrossRamp, which enables
users to target the training
effect on a specific body
part. In 2007 Precor introduced
AMT, Adaptive Motion
Trainer, a cardio trainer that
adapts automatically to the
movements of the user.
Mitch Williams to continue with Wilson
Precor
AMT
Top racquetball player Mitch Williams
will continue to endorse Wilson racquetball
products based on a new multi-year
contract. Wilson and Williams, a US
player on the International Racquetball
Tour (IRT), have cooperated for three
years.
“I am pleased to stay on with Wilson
and am excited to continue our relationship
on the international racquetball
tour,” says Williams, who has climbed
to #7 in the IRT rankings.
This year, Williams won the US
National Doubles Title and qualified for
the US Team that will travel to the World
Championships in South Korea at the end
of the year.

New irons for 2011
Wilson Golf announces its 2011 lineup
from Wilson Staff, Wilson Golf’s premium
line of professional golf equipment.
Among the new products are new game
improving Di11 irons and classic style
FG62 forged irons.
Wilson Staff Di irons have pushed the
distance and accuracy envelope since the
original Di5 first launched in 2005. In its
fifth generation in the Di iron franchise,
the new Di11 iron features modifications
and updates in virtually every performance
area, all designed to deliver added
power and greater accuracy for players
looking for more distance and more
forgiveness.
At the other end of the player spectrum,
Wilson Golf launches FG62 blades,
the latest in its historic line of classic
forged irons. The muscleback FG62 is
a companion model to the cavity-back
FG Tour model, winner of a Golf Digest
Hot List award in 2010. The ‘62s are
Di11 FG62 FG Tour
Daniel Albrecht, who suffered serious
injuries at the Kitzbühel downhill eighteen
months ago, confirmed in June that he
would be competing in this season’s
World Cup.
“I’m in good physical condition. Now
I’m also convinced I will participate in
the World Cup opening in Sölden,” said
Albrecht at the end of June.
After the accident, Albrecht underwent
a long and tough period of rehabilitation.
He was able to train normally in the sum-
molded from Precision Forged soft 8620
Mild Carbon Steel that delivers buttery
soft feedback at impact shot after shot.
The delicate balance of top-line thickness,
offset, blade length and blade shape
are in harmony to suit the eyes of the
blade player.
Based on the FG Tour irons that have
been used on the PGA TOUR by Ricky
Barnes and Padraig Harrington, the FG
Tour wedges pick up where our FG irons
leave off. The new FG Tour wedges are a
high-performance option for all-handicap
players looking to score from tight fairway
lies, deep rough and sand while
controlling spin throughout the course.
In addition to these offerings, Wilson
Staff is introducing a full line of technology-driven
equipment for the 2011 golf
season, including Wilson Staff DXi Driver
and Fairway Utilities, Wilson Staff D-FY
combo set for Women and Wilson Staff
Vizor putter.
Daniel Albrecht returns to the slopes
mer and began his snow training on the
familiar Swiss slopes of Saas Fee and
Zermatt. In August, Albrecht flew to a
snow camp in Ushuaia, Argentina.
Physical condition has not been the
sole focus of attention, however. Albrecht
says he has also made progress on the
emotional side.
“Had you told me six months ago I had
won the lottery, I wouldn’t have felt a
thing. Now I once again feel joy before,
during and after my training sessions.”
q Multiple days of running.
Participants in running races
and adventures that last for
several days can find a great
deal of information and news
about their sport on the multidays.com
site. In addition to a
calendar of events and
results, the interesting pages
provide training tips and a
forum for sports enthusiasts
to exchange their views.
multidays.com
q For the benefit of the
poles. Eric Larsen, an
explorer and adventurer,
plans to reach the summit of
Mt. Everest, as well as the
North and South Poles in one
year. The purpose of his Save
the Poles expedition is to tell
the world about the impact
of global warming and to
increase awareness of sustainable
development. Larsen
uses Suunto compasses on
his expeditions.
ericlarsenexplore.com
q DIY bicycle. One of the
latest trends among bicycle
enthusiasts is building a bike
from parts. Instead of settling
for ready solutions found at
stores why not try putting
together your own two-wheeler.
Bike-building also solves
any problems with excess
spare time: it can easily take
several weeks to assemble
a bicycle.
instructables.com/id/Howto-Build-Up-a-Bike
online
GUIDE
N E
W S
q Your guide to the Pyrenees.
The Pyrenees mountain range
connects Spain to France and
the Mediterranean to the
Atlantic. It is one of Europe’s
most impressive destinations
for any outdoor enthusiast
and mountain athlete. Fascinating
history and stunning
nature meet in the Pyrenees.
What is more, you’ll be hardpressed
to find a discipline
Järvimäki
you cannot engage in here.
Ilkka
pyreneesguide.com F
3.2010 || 9

HOT
AMAZING FORCE. The choice of a new generation of powerful
baseline players, the Pro Tour BLX tennis racket offers
up the pace and spin needed to penetrate the court from any
position with BLX enhanced feel. Juan Martin del Potro, the
winner of the ‘09 US Open, uses the Pro Tour BLX.
BETTER THAN 10. The all-new Wilson staff Di11 irons feature
the largest sweet spot that Wilson Golf has ever produced. It
is 36 per cent larger than competitive super game-improvement
irons. These irons have a low center of gravity, an ultrawide
sole for greater head stability and a straighter ball
flight. The new Di11 irons are also available with Wilson’s patent-pending
Half-and-Half Shafts. Once you hit it, you get it.
10 || 3.2010
COMFORTABLE CYCLING. The Precor RBK 815 recumbent
bike has been designed to make cycling comfortable for
as wide a range of exercisers as possible. The seat can
be adjusted with one hand while cycling, and the seat
ventilation adds to the comfort of the workout.
PERFECT UNION. Mavic’s R-Sys SLR is the ultimate
wheel-tire system, designed for demanding race use.
The unforeseen lightness and responsiveness have been
achieved with several of Mavic’s patented technologies.
With the tire, the front wheel weighs 917 grams and the
rear wheel 1,077 grams.

FOR FREESKIERS. The Atomic Tracker 130 INT boots offer
incredible performance for freeskiing. The raised Enduro
Chassis improves the edge grip of wider All Mountain or
Powder skis, while the Power Control Release system and
the Ridge Walker sole make climbing easier. The Intuition
liner keeps the skin dry and warm, and the Carabiner
securely buckles the foot in place.
SHOES FOR ADVENTURERS. More and more skiers are
looking for unforgettable off-piste descents. That often
means hiking up before coming down. The new Ride & Hike
technology in Salomon’s Quest boots leaves plenty of room
for the ankle while ascending, but keeps the shoe precisely
and securely in place while going downhill. The Biovent liner
keeps the feet dry, and the interchangeable sole makes the
Quest suitable for both alpine and touring bindings.
SKIS FOR ADVENTURERS. The conditions on off-piste slopes may change from firmly packed snow to
soft powder during a single descent. Salomon’s new Sentinel skis work reliably in all snow conditions.
The 300 mm rocker tip helps the skis float over the snow.
VARIABLE FLEX AND SIDE CUT. Atomic’s new D2 Vario Cut is the first ski in which both the sidecut and
flex adjust automatically. The tip and tail widen when the skier adds pressure to the ski. Automatic flex
adaptation optimizes the necessary dynamics in any given situation. The ski’s traditional camber ensures
the best possible edge grip and snow contact.
3.2010 || 11
H
O
T

Our two new bikes are easy to ride
and even less sweat to service.
Both of our new 815 bikes give you easy servicing access to the beltdrive
without removing the pedals or crank by simply removing a
shroud. The step-through recumbent features a ventilated, air flex seat
back. The upright offers touch heart rate sensors integrated into the
over-molded handlebars that provide three riding positions. Both come
with dual-sided pedals giving the user the choice of straps or no straps.
They get their workout and you don’t have to sweat a thing.
For more information, contact your Precor representative
or contact us at 800.786.8404 or commsls@precor.com.
© 2010 Precor Incorporated
www.precor.com

Your guide to an
active lifestyle
The Suunto M-Series heart rate monitors guide, help and motivate exercisers.
F Markku Rimpiläinen t Suunto
Many of the details in the new Suunto M-Series heart
rate monitors show new thinking. User needs were
determined in extensive consumer surveys,
conducted before the actual design work started.
According to the surveys, users wanted their
heart rate monitor to guide and motivate them. They
were also looking for devices that could truly inspire
and help them reach their goals. Reliability and ease
of use were other features required of heart rate
monitors.
Instructions during workouts
The first aspect users probably notice in their new
heart rate monitor is the light weight. They then turn
their attention to the big display figures.
The way in which the device displays information
is also very clear. The monitor never shows more
than two sets of data at a time. Figures are not
displayed without explanation.
The M1 and M2 are basic monitors that indicate
the heart rate, caloric consumption and heart rate
zones. The M4 and M5 also provide guidance and
motivation. Users can set their own goals for
improving fitness or losing weight. Based on this,
the heart rate monitor suggests how to train the
following week.
The device provides instructions during workouts
by, for example, advising users to raise or lower
their heart rate. It also tells when the training
session has lasted long enough.
Verbal feedback
After the workout, the monitor indicates how the
user has progressed toward the goal. The feedback
is given in clear language. The M5 even calculates
the length of recovery needed. The devices communicate
in nine languages: English, Finnish, Swedish,
German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese.
PRODUCT
The M4 and M5 also offer a fitness test, which
users can do before they start their training. The
initial threshold is low: the 1.6-kilometer test is done
walking.
A brand new feature is the option to transfer
workout data to the Suunto Movescount.com service,
where users can share their workout experiences.
The M5 also enables users to download a training
program from Movescount.com.
The M series devices have only three buttons. The big
figures are prominently displayed. The display advises
users to raise their heart rate. It also shows the calories
burned and the stage of the training session.
3.2010 || 13

©2010 WILSON SPORTING GOODS CO. wilson.com
Performance. Modern styling. Smart design.

Making strategy
familiar to investors
When asked what type of investor communications
she wants to promote, Päivi Antola does
not need to think twice.
“Equal, reliable and dynamic. The goal is to be in active
contact with analysts and investors to ensure that the
markets have the right picture of our company.”
Does this mean changes in Amer Sports’ investor
communications?
“The company’s already doing well in this respect.
Some changes will take place though, because we’ve got
new people on board. The personality of people always
introduces new aspects into communication. And the
specifications made to the company’s strategy will
naturally affect the messages and emphases as well.”
Antola is well acquainted with Amer Sports, seeing as
she is joining the company for the second time. She
returned in June, after five and a half years in charge of
investor relations at Kemira, a finnish chemicals company.
Clear about themes
The change of President and CEO raises numerous
questions, as well as expectations, among investors.
“Of course the new CEO is of interest to people. When
we went to London to meet investors after the release of
our Q2 results, much of the discussion centered around
INVESTOR
In the next twelve months, Päivi Antola, Amer Sports’ new Director of IR and
Financial Communications, will focus on explaining the company’s recently updated
strategy, targets and their implementation in different business areas to investors.
F Markku Rimpiläinen t Miika Kainu
the expected changes and our focus in
the future. Everyone expects us to
communicate openly, and that is exactly
what we will do,” Antola says. The
themes for the near future are also
clear.
“Our focus is on the specified strategy,
our targets and their implementation.
These are the themes we will discuss
from the investors’ point of view.
Where are we taking the company? What
are our priorities? How will the change
be seen in business activities? What will
they focus on and what kinds of programs
will help us achieve our goals?”
Antola still believes that personal
meetings with investors are very
important.
“Investors want to see the people
Päivi Antola, Director, IR and
Financial Communications, wants
to be as accessible as possible.
who manage our business and make the decisions. It is not
enough to read press releases or watch Power Point presentations
online. In this sense, the world has not
changed, despite the increased significance of online
communication. Of course, the information available
online helps investors prepare for meetings. However,
personal contacts are valuable and I find it difficult to
believe that their importance would decrease.”
Has the demand for speed increased?
“I don’t know if you can talk about change in this
respect, since financial communication has been very fast
for quite some time. Investors and analysts keep a close
eye on news in the field, and the telephones begin to ring
as soon as something an analyst or investor believes will
affect Amer Sports is published.”
Old and new
The familiar environment has made it easier to get started
with work.
“We arranged a management meeting with around
50 people present at the beginning of June. I knew half of
them from before. Most of the business operations are
familiar to me, as is the sector. Of course it helps.”
Nevertheless, there have been some changes in the
past five years.
“Amer Sports has grown and become
more international. The acquisition of
Salomon in 2005 was a big change. It
affected the company’s size and introduced
apparel and footwear into the
range, in addition to greatly increasing
the company’s headcount.”
In the latter part of the year, Antola
plans to deepen her understanding of
Amer Sports’ business. She is also
working on the IR strategy.
“We will define what we want to
achieve with investor communications,
what our goals are and what operating
model we will use to achieve them. One
of the important points is to ensure that
the time senior management spends on
investor relations is used as efficiently
as possible.”
RELATIONS
3.2010 || 15

In endurance races, winning yourself is more
important than beating other competitors. In the
Marathon des Sables, racers travel 254 kilometers
across the Sahara Desert in just six days.
t PER/Cimbaly©MDS2010
16 || 3.2010

trend: ULTRA
The popularity of ultra-long endurance sports has soared in recent years.
With marathons and other similar feats becoming commonplace, some
enthusiasts turn to even longer events. More and more races taking place
in extreme mountain or desert conditions now come with the ultra or
extreme prefix. The tougher the better. F Ilkka Järvimäki t Race organizers, Getty Images
→
3.2010 || 17

trend: ULTRA
The term ultra-distance is normally reserved for
events that are longer than the established race
distances. For example, an ultra-run can be anything
longer than a normal marathon (42.195 kilometers),
whether it spans 50 or 5,000 kilometers.
In many other sports, the prefix is used somewhat
more freely. In cycling, swimming, skiing or triathlon,
for example, the minimum duration or distance of ultraevents
is not defined in detail.
In long races, participants must either cover a specific
distance or progress as far as possible within a given time
limit. Round figures or easily interpreted time limits are
favored by ultra-athletes. Some of the most typical race
distances or durations, depending on the discipline, are
100 km, 200 km, 1,000 km, 12 hours, 24 hours or 48 hours.
The toughest running or
cycling challenges can be
as long as 5,000 kilometers.
t Chris Sweda/Getty Images
Zach Gingerich (center)
is cooled with water
from supersoakers used
by his crew members
as he runs through
Death Valley, California
during the Badwater
ultramarathon.
18 || 3.2010
The toughest running or cycling challenges, for
example, can be as long as 5,000 kilometers.
In addition to long duration, many events seek added
challenge from environmental conditions. Running races
are arranged in hot and arid deserts, cycling routes are
drawn up to tour the highest mountains in the region and
skiing contests are held in freezing temperatures.
Versatile race offering
It is impossible to give an exhaustive presentation of the
world’s most demanding and fascinating ultra-races.
However, the following list contains a few examples of the
type of challenges available to those bold enough to take
them up.
The Badwater Ultramarathon (www.badwaterultra.com),
which covers 135 miles, or 217 kilometers, in Death Valley,
is not the longest of its kind, but definitely one of the
toughest. Temperatures above 50 degrees centigrade,
a 2,600-meter vertical difference between the start and
finish line, as well as the burning hot asphalt make for
an arduous trek. Despite the grueling conditions, nearly

80 percent of those heading out make it to the finish line,
the fastest travelling the distance in less than 28 hours.
Iditarod (www.iditarod.com) represents the opposite
extreme in terms of conditions. The Alaskan trail from
Anchorage to Nome crosses mountain ranges, forests and
vast expanses of snow over a total distance of 1,161 miles,
or 1,868 kilometers. The temperature often drops to -30
degrees centigrade. Every year, some 60 dog sled teams
arrive on site to contend for glory and considerable prize
money on the traditional mail route. The same challenging
setting has also hosted a mountain biking race in recent
years.
Furnace Creek 508 (www.the508.com) offers road
cyclists an elevation gain of nearly 11,000 meters across
some 800 kilometers, crossing ten mountain passes in
the Californian deserts. Should it seem an overwhelming
route to tackle alone, you can also sign up as a relay team
of two or four members. The number of entrants is
restricted to approximately 200.
Race Across America (www.raceacrossamerica.org) is
one of the most legendary long-distance cycling events. It
The Crocodile Trophy in Australia is one of the
hardest and most challenging bicycle races.
brings together all the essentials: a route across the USA
from the west to east coast, a distance of 5,000 kilometers,
as well as demanding and varying conditions. In addition
to the cyclists’ own performance, the work of their
support crews plays a big role in getting the competitors
to the finish line – which the fastest participants reach in
an amazing nine days.
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (www.ultratrailmb.com) is a
running race that extends over 166 kilometers across the
French, Italian and Swiss Alps. The vertical difference
along the route totals some 9,400 meters. The fastest runners
cover the distance in an admirable 20 hours, but for
most participants getting through the race is the greatest
achievement of all.
The adventure racing world series (www.arworldseries.
com) consists of several events and culminates in the
Adventure Racing World Championships. The race locations
vary annually, but what they all have in common is a
duration of one day, extremely difficult conditions and constantly
accumulating fatigue. Teams of four push ahead
day and night running, walking, mountain biking, paddling,
→
t John Flynn, Regina Stanger
3.2010 || 19

t PER/Cimbaly©MDS2010
trend: ULTRA
In ultra-long races, simply reaching the goal is a big achievement.
swimming and carrying out various adventure tasks.
Timekeeping begins at the start line and continues until
the team crosses the finish line.
In the Crocodile Trophy (www.crocodile-trophy.com),
competitors ride 1,400 kilometers, divided into ten stages,
across the Australian desert. Even the world’s best
cyclists consider the race, organized in hot and harsh conditions,
to be one of the greatest challenges of all times.
Marathon des Sables (www.darbaroud.com) is one of the
most famous ultra-runs. The race, covering 254 kilometers
across the well-known Sahara Desert in southern
Morocco, lasts six days. The longest leg is 91 kilometers.
Patrouille des Glaciers (www.pdg.ch) is one of the most
traditional endurance races. It was arranged for the first
time back in 1943 as a test for Swiss mountain soldiers.
Today, the race also accepts civilian teams. The event consists
of three-person patrols skiing a route of 53 kilometers
from Zermatt to Verbier. The overall elevation gain
over the route is 4,000 meters.
The Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (www.nycswim.
org) is a 45-kilometer swimming contest around the
downtown area of New York City. A water temperature of
18 degrees Celsius, a heavy swell and busy boat traffic add
to the challenges of the long swim tour. The race is not for
inexperienced swimmers, seeing as the maximum duration
is 9 hours and 30 minutes.
The goal of today’s adventurers
is to gain unique experiences
and test their own limits.
20 || 3.2010
Spartathlon (www.spartathlon.gr) cannot
go unmentioned when talking about running
races longer than a marathon. The route from
Athens to Sparta traces the footsteps of
Pheidippides, who ran 245 kilometers along
an arduous path in 490 BCE. Spartathlon was
revived in 1982 and has since become the
main place of pilgrimage for modern-day
ultra-runners.
In search of individual limits
and friendship
What makes people participate in races that
seem totally irrational to an outsider? Why
are so many willing to torment themselves
through long workouts just to cope with a
great challenge?
Endurance events that measure – and
often push – the limits of human performance
have been around for centuries. They used to
be tackled by only a few adventurers and
exceptional individuals. Ambition and the wish to achieve
something unique drove these heroes of their time further
and further.
Today, the start lines of exacting ultra-runs, multi-day
cycling competitions and demanding adventure races are
increasingly populated by normal people who are no longer
satisfied with the standard distances set for their disciplines.
Rather than secure a mention in the history books with
their feats, modern “adventurers” are looking for unique
experiences and want to test their limits, both physically
and mentally.
Though ultra-distance sports involve very personal and
often selfish motives, long races also show features that
shorter ones sometimes lack. Competitors usually exhibit
quite remarkable team spirit. For many, overcoming a challenging
route, long distances and fatigue is more important
than beating other competitors. It is an unwritten rule that
you help others along the route whenever needed.
Race participants often forget their rivalry and cross
the finish line hand in hand.
For some ultra-athletes, endurance has become something
of a philosophy or lifestyle – even a religion. The Sri
Chinmoy Self Transcendence run (3100.srichinmoyraces.
org) in Queens, New York, which is sometimes called the
world’s longest competition, attracts participants whose
training program consists not only of running but also of
meditation. The 5,000-kilometer run that takes place
around a single block and lasts for nearly two months may
well feel easier if you are in balance with yourself and your
surroundings.
That is what ultra-long events are ultimately all about.

Creek
FIT AND PERFORMANCE
Rain ride +: lightweight packable Gore-Tex ® Paclite ® fabric, sealed seams, maximum rain protection
with 15000 mm watercolumn.
Clima Vent: strategically placed zipped vents offer maximum cooling and moisture vapor evacuation while cycling.
Pak Back: zipped expandable back that allows the rider to protect a small pack underneath the jacket,
includes a front H²0 tube port.
www.mavic.com

Face-to-face dialog
Companies’ presence in social media gives rise to many questions and uncertainty.
There is no need for concern, however. “It’s simply word of mouth 2.0,” says
Niclas Bornling, Brand Director at Salomon. F Antti Laiho t Mika Soikkeli
Salomon does not see social media as a weird
new animal. Instead, it tries to de-dramatize the
phenomenon in many ways. According to Niclas
Bornling, social media is ultimately about meeting people,
even though the encounters are numerous and everything
takes place very quickly.
For Salomon, social media is part of a larger entity
called community marketing. In this context, social media
is an important tool but not an end in itself.
Community marketing gives a key role to specialist
shops, the sector’s traditional media and grassroots
meetings. Salespeople working in stores are opinion
leaders in their own area and thus important to the brand.
22 || 3.2010
It is also essential to be present in the traditional media,
such as magazines, websites and movies, not to mention
places where people gather to engage in or discuss their
hobbies in earnest.
Putting a face on the brand
For the purpose of grassroots encounters, Salomon has
trained its own community leaders, who represent the
brand both online and in face-to-face meetings. They
sound out people’s opinions and study trends, but also
put a face on the brand.
“You can’t just call people and ask them to work as
Salomon’s community leaders. They need to be trained

first, and a decent reporting system must be set up for
cooperation,” explains Bornling.
Community leaders follow discussions and trends in
the field. If required, they also take part in discussions and
report on their observations and actions to Salomon.
Salomon employs community leaders in the fields of
freeskiing and trail running in France, Great Britain, North
America, Canada, Germany, Austria, Finland, Denmark
and Sweden. The range of sports and countries will
expand in the near future.
“We still need direct reporting to the headquarters so
we don’t lose our feel for what is really going on,” says
Bornling.
There’s no way to deal with day-to-day events in
different countries, however, so the headquarters in
France provides guidance and support for the activities of
individual countries.
Importance of the story
Everyone’s talking about content creation and distribution
these days, and Salomon is no exception. However, what
you offer customers can’t be trivial: the content must
always be significant, unique and interesting.
“It is no longer enough to put impressive skiing movies
online. Way too many do that. The content has to tell a true
story,” says Bornling.
Salomon focuses on two disciplines in its content production.
To date, freeskiers have enjoyed Salomon Freeski
TV for three seasons, while trail runners have been able to
follow Kilian’s Quest, focused on Kilian Jornet, a Catalonian
trail running star.
Salomon Freeski TV has proved to be extremely
popular. The program’s twenty episodes are watched by
some three million viewers annually.
“Freeski TV is a huge success, no doubt about it. But it
is also very expensive.”
People often think that social media makes it unnecessary
to purchase media space or sponsor athletes. They
believe it is enough to hire someone to write Facebook
updates. Niclas Bornling quickly dispels this belief.
“Social media will most likely cost us as much or even
more than traditional marketing.”
Marketing in social media is labor-intensive. Many of
the tasks, such as project management, cannot be outsourced.
Learning process
“Content production and distribution are nevertheless traditional
push marketing. What we want to do is create pull
marketing and enter into dialog with our customers,” says
Bornling. He is satisfied to see that Salomon’s community
leaders interact with real customers on a daily basis.
One of the challenges of social activities is to figure out
what to do with all the resulting information. This feed-
Atomic wants
to be prepared
Ulrike Hartinger, Atomic’s head of
brand communications, believes that
the transparency of social media makes
brand management in it complicated.
Social media is about more than
presence – it’s about participation.
“Users are very critical. If you
aren’t ready for open communication,
don’t even try it,” says Hartinger.
Atomic will launch its own social
media solution in the near future.
An international network of Atomic
ambassadors will form an essential
part of it. Known as the A-Team, the
network will begin to build an online
Atomic community.
Atomic considers social media
to be an essential part of marketing.
The impact of word of mouth should
not be underestimated, since people
gladly share their experiences.
Negative experiences, in particular,
spread far and wide.
“Brands must be ready to face the
challenges of social media. It is more
important to be the best, not the first,
in social media,” says Hartinger.
back from customers is called crowdsourcing. Salomon
does not yet carry out social product development, but it is
studying the opportunities it creates.
Social aspects are anything but a diversion in business
marketing; they must be taken seriously in every respect.
“Fun can quickly turn ugly and social media can
become a dangerous tool,” Bornling warns.
“We are still beginners in this field, but it is something
we are fully aware of. Having the right tools to practice
and make mistakes enables us to learn new things.”
Suunto set up its own community
Suunto, another Amer Sports brand, has dived into the
depths of social media. The sports computer manufacturer
adopted basic services, such as Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube, some time ago, but its social presence rose to a
whole new level in May, when the company introduced its
own Movescount -service.
Movescount enables exercisers around the world to
share their experiences, called moves, with one another.
The site’s analytical tools enable users to review their
workouts, while summaries help them understand how to
develop their training.
Suunto sports computers collect huge amounts of data,
all of which can be shared online with the help of Moves- →
3.2010 || 23

Mavic proceeds
patiently
Mavic uses social media to strengthen
the brand’s and its customers’ joint
passion for cycling. Communication
is not huge in terms of volume, but it
is regular nonetheless.
“We aim to maximize the quality
of content. We don’t want to distribute
direct sales messages or material of
poor quality,” says Michel Lethenet,
in charge of Mavic’s press relations.
Lethenet believes that the company’s
customers also actively distribute highquality
content.
Mavic is building its social media
network patiently to avoid any mistakes
that might harm the strong brand.
The company is currently studying how
to recruit Mavic spokesmen familiar
with the sport to enter into dialog with
customers.
Even now, without spokesmen,
online discussions have been favorable
to Mavic.
“What has surprised us in particular
is the self-regulation of the network:
fans control the flow of discussions
and deal with inappropriate comments
without any intervention whatsoever
on our part.”
Arc’teryx follows
the example
of customers
Social media has become a key communications
channel for Arc’teryx.
The company uses Facebook, Twitter,
Youtube, Vimeo and its Corporate
website to announce events, product
launches and prizes, and to publish the
latest news about Arc’teryx athletes.
“We have a library of videos ranging
from technical support to athlete
videos,” says Tom Duguid, director of
brand marketing at Arc’teryx.
What Duguid considers to be particularly
good is that this type of communication
is measurable. “We can easily
see how many people have viewed any
given video. This helps us understand
our customers even better. Sometimes
the content that customers enjoy has
come as a surprise to us.”
Arc’teryx held off implementing its
social media strategy until it had
sufficient resources to provide it.
“We believe that unless the content
is regularly updated and topical, people
will stop following it.”
24 || 3.2010
count. Shared exercise experiences can easily be spruced
up with photos, videos and maps.
“You can make a single move richer and more interesting
with just a few clicks. There’s an awful lot of information
to be found,” says Janne Kallio, digital marketing
manager at Suunto.
In the first month, the service attracted five thousand
registered users without a single paid advertisement.
“People create visibility for the service,” Kallio
explains.
Product not at the forefront
The experiences that users enter into Movescount are
linked and shared through social network services, such
as Facebook and Twitter. A good example of the important
impact of linking comes from Josef Ajram, a Spanish triathlete.
His blog has brought Movescount thousands of
visitors eager to learn more about his achievements and
training.
Suunto did not develop its online service in a productoriented
fashion. The company believes that people are
first and foremost interested in experiences that Suunto
devices can help make real.
Suunto’s YouTube videos are a good example of this. For
example, the video of Swiss climber Ueli Steck’s record
fast ascents to Eiger, Matterhorn and Grandes Jorasses
has been viewed thousands of times.
“Advertisement-like material does not do well there.
What is of interest in social media is content, and this
means that the focus is not on the product. Nevertheless,
the content does support the Suunto brand,” says Kallio.
“People are going to use social media no matter what.
Even if we didn’t do a thing, users would still talk about
Suunto. That is something we can’t prevent or control.
We want to provide tools to enable new ways in social
interaction within sports enthusiasts.”
Content by crowdsourcing
Social aspects are also a source of strength in Movescount.
Anyone can view and comment on other people’s
experiences, routes and training programs. This means
that users can create their own training programs in
Movescount and use the feedback from the community to
develop them.
Alternatively, users can look for a popular training program
suited to their needs and try it out.
“A program that has been used hundreds of times must
be good and interesting,” says Kallio. The functionality of
the program hinges on the social activity of its members.
“We could, of course, include a robot in the service
to guide training, but that would be risky. As things stand
now, Suunto does not decide what kind of training programs
are best suited to individual users but lets the
community create them.”

Wilson talks directly
to consumers
and #2 in making purchase decisions.
No division in Wilson is more entrenched in social
media than Wilson Racquet Sports. Since early
2009, they have worked to build a robust Facebook
and Twitter presence to connect directly with consumers.
Jon Muir, General Manager at Wilson Racquet
Sports, says that the movement to online
marketing is not only cost-effective with trackable
metrics, but is obviously the next step in how
brands connect directly with consumers around
the world.
“It’s nice to know how many people are fans or
followers, but our real focus is to build the platforms
that allow us to engage consumers directly
and enable us to create and support broader online
communities around our sport and brand," he says.
Muir lays credit for the day-to-day progress in
social media at the feet of Wilson’s Tracy Singian.
Serving as the voice of Wilson Tennis online,
Singian spends a large share of her time and drive
on creating content that directly supports Wilson’s
social media efforts.
“Tracy has helped pioneer Facebook and Twitter
for Wilson Tennis,” says Muir. “Her dedication and
expertise have been instrumental in Wilson’s success
in this arena.”
Facebook is Wilson’s central social media communication
hub with updates on players, tournaments,
products and brand initiatives. According
to Singian, sponsored tour players become content
creation drivers for connecting consumers to
Wilson and its products. While tour players are
highlighted, the next generation of junior players
is becoming more popular because of updates on
their tournaments and equipment. Singian works
daily to build more robust Facebook content that
will lead to a deeper experience for the consumer.
Wilson Tennis is fast approaching 75,000 Facebook
friends, more than triple that of any competitor.
Over 80% of the people on Facebook live outside
the United States, so the marketing reach for
the cost is unparalleled. Allowing them to connect
directly with the consumer via online, consumergenerated
conversations, Wilson’s Facebook
efforts are becoming the conduit for tennis fans
throughout the world to have a sense of community
online. Consumers now rank ‘using peer recommendations’
and ‘reading consumer opinions’ as #1
"Consumers are using social media to get
information on brands. If you’re not relevant and
engaged online through social media, you may be
missing real business.”
He emphasizes that it comes down to having a
direct connection and trust supporting it. Wilson is
building a strong connection and trust equation
with the consumer. Trust leads to purchase.
A more recent development is the use of Twitter
by Wilson Tennis. With over 7,000 followers, they
have more than any other racquet sports competitor.
Muir views Twitter as another primary platform
to reach consumers via mobile devices. Most
Twitter followers access it on their smart phones
on a daily and even hourly basis, before they visit
Facebook or have access to the Internet to view
broader content. With Twitter, Singian focuses on
providing instant updates on how Wilson-sponsored
players are doing in tournaments, as well as monitoring
the Twitter feeds of those players and
retweeting them.
Wilson is also using Twitter to announce new
video, products and behind-the-scenes content.
A recent example was Tweeting a link to Roger
Federer’s Facebook page (he has three million
followers), where he was featuring a new Wilson
commercial that launched this summer.
Wilson Tennis can also be found on YouTube.
Using Ustream, live interviews with players can
be shared with fans and consumers. Muir hopes
to create more informal video content and utilize
online video to tell captivating stories on a regular
basis. The goal is to give consumers a chance to
engage with the brand and the people behind it.
While Wilson is already a leader in this arena,
Muir admits that social media is still an emerging
dynamic, and Wilson will continue to learn as it
goes. A successful online presence is heavily
content driven, needing daily updates. It will always
be a challenge to make sure that content is fresh
and consistently updated.
Two specific things they are working on are the
key words to use for Search Engine Optimization
(SEO) and how to optimize the business side of
social media. Muir wants social media to develop
into one of the primary elements of Wilson Tennis’
go-to-market plans.
3.2010 || 25

26 || 3.2010

IN KILIAN’S
FOOTSTEPS
In June Kilian Jornet ran 696 kilometers over the Pyrenees easily and
naturally like a breath of fresh air. He was followed by 22 fans who
were selected from over 1,000 applicants. F George Semler t Salomon
In Andorra’s Pas de la Casa, 22 experienced trail runners,
many of them champions and record-holders,
await the arrival of the 22-year-old Kilian Jornet.
Five days earlier, Kilian had started east across the
696-kilometer Pyrenees mountain range from the Cabo
de Higuer lighthouse on the Atlantic Bay of Biscay. These
were the chosen few, picked from over 1,000 applicants
who responded to a Salomon Running website announcement
asking “Who would like to run with Kilian?”
Finally, after 45 minutes, Kilian appears on the grassy
upper slopes of the ski run. Applause breaks out, and continues.
Kilian, who uncannily resembles the mountain goat
he can almost certainly outrun, looks embarrassed. The
group poses for a photo, with Kilian bashfully taking a
place at the back left. Click. “Okay now, please, with Kilian
in the middle,” pleads the official Salomon photographer.
Everyone laughs and scolds Kilian for being…himself.
After the photo, he takes a swig of water and a couple of
gummy bears, and he’s off again, moving at his usual brisk
though not blistering pace.
“What motivated you to want to run with Kilian,” a journalist
asked 46-year-old Santiago Alvarruiz of Valencia,
Spain. Alvarruiz, a small, light man with an ascetic,
reserved air, seemed stunned by the question. “He’s my
idol. Naturally it is a great honor to run with Kilian. It’s
like a dream come true!”
Wanderer
Three years ago, Alvarruiz had never heard of Kilian Jornet.
Trail runners, sky runners, and ultra-mountain running
enthusiasts around the world discovered Kilian all of
a sudden when he won his first UTMB, the Ultra-Trail
Montblanc race in 2008. Patrick Leick from the advanced
R&D footwear division from Salomon remembers when
Kilian, then only 20, announced that he would run in the
21-hour overnight Montblanc race. “Kilian said he wanted
to run the race, and that he would win it. I was, shall we
say, surprised by his confidence, though Kilian is such a
shy, modest young man; it did not sound like a boast so
much as a simple statement of fact.”
The final 45 kilometers of Kilian’s sixth day on the
trail crossed the Col de Puymorens, curled around the
2,921-meter Pic Carlit still too snowed in to climb over,
and wound down along the lakes of Les Bouillouses before
descending through pine forests to Kilian’s present hometown
of Font Romeu, France. There he is studying Physical
Education at the French National High Performance
Center.
Kilian seems to float through the Pyrenees like a
breath of fresh air, with no one ever sure where he will pop
up next. Joan Solà from Salomon Spain says,“He’s unpredictable.
If he sees something he wants to check out he’ll
run over and have a look. He constantly appears where we
don’t expect him to, usually looking for more elegant
trails, prettier paths, more interesting spots. He doesn’t
run in a straight line; he wanders, eats mountain grasses
and flora, drinks from streams and springs, tastes things
as he moves along. Running around the Lake Tahoe rim he
Twenty-two fans selected for the run and Kilian’s supporters met
the runner in Pas de la Casa.
→
3.2010 || 27

got lost for an hour on the wrong trail and still broke the
record by eight hours. ‘More kilometers, more fun’ he
said.”
20 kilometers to school
The Salomon Team worked hard and worried constantly
as Kilian progressed across the Pyrenees. Having been
lost in dense fog in the Basque Country, Kilian was already
a day later than planned arriving in Font Romeu. Greg
Vollet, chief planner and organizer, struggled to stay
ahead of his runner, finding trail and road junctions where
he could supply Kilian with water and nutrition before
dashing on to the next rendezvous point.
“Kilian is a little like a camel,” explains Vollet. "He
needs very little water and he hardly eats when he's running.
He seems to gain power from the mountains, from
the environment. No one quite understands it.”
A native of northern Catalonia’s Cerdanya Valley, Kilian
28 || 3.2010
grew up in Lles de Cerdanya, a well-known cross-country
skiing station above the town of Martinet. His mother
Nuria Burgada is a cross-country ski racer and schoolteacher
who hikes and skies to remote villages to instruct
children unable to reach schools hours away on the valley
floor. In the mountain refuge of Cap de Rec, Kilian lived in
the upper part of the village and climbed mountain trails
with 100-meter vertical drops at the age of one. When he
was three he ascended 3,000-meter peaks with his parents,
and at the age of nine he did his first Atlantic-to-
Mediterranean cross-Pyrenean hike with his family. For
Kilian and his sister Naila, the mountains were their playground.
Skiing or walking 20 kilometers back and forth to
school was routine.
As the years passed, Kilian’s ever more challenging
excursions became legendary. At the age of 10 he decided
to cycle from Lles de Cerdanya west through La Seu
d’Urgell, north through Andorra, and back through

France’s Puymorens pass. A 150-kilometer circuit, the
legendary “Three Nations” tour. “It was normal”, explains
Kilian. “I had always wanted to do it and I just took off.”
Late that afternoon Nuria Burgada received a telephone
call from the French Gendarmes. It was snowing
and the police had stopped Kilian in Puymorens not far
from Pic Carlit. “Naturally, my mother was a little worried
since she didn’t know where I was, but when she realized I
was on a bicycle and practically home [Puymorens is over
40 kilometers from Lles de Cerdanya] there was no problem
and they let me continue.”
Nuria decided that Kilian needed new challenges for
his prodigious energies and, at the age of 12, enrolled him
in the local Mountain Skiing Technical Center for more
structure and discipline.
Unique physical profile
A champion mountain skier as well as trail runner, Kilian’s
“Kilian needs very little water and
he hardly eats when he's running.
He seems to gain power from the
mountains.”
physical profile is astounding: 171 cm, 56 kg, body fat 8%,
VO2 Max 88 to 92 ml/kg/min, lung capacity 5.3 liters, maximum
heart frequency 205 ppm, frequency in repose 34
ppm, anaerobic threshold 190 ppm.
Other statistics are even more surprising: 2’45” flat
kilometer, 12km/h on a 22% grade, ability to sustain
180ppm for 3 or 4 hours, red blood cell count of nearly
47%. Diet: fish and eggs, little meat; sleeps 7 to 8 hours
a night, spends some 300 days a year at an altitude of over
1,500 meters above sea level.
But even these data fall short of explaining Kilian’s
extraordinary power and appeal. Anna Frost from New
Zealand described Kilian’s running as “…like, for me,
walking. He is still talking, conversing, making sense; his
brain is still working. It’s more like a long walk. His physical
stress level seems to be very low or nonexistent.”
Santiago Alvarruiz said something similar: “The first
thing that comes to mind is that running is very, very easy,
as easy as sitting and watching the countryside go by, or
taking a walk in the park. It’s only when you think about
the numbers, 8 days averaging 12 to 15 hours a day, crossing
snow fields and streams over hundreds of kilometers
that it hits you that this is not so easy, that very few people
can do this, and at the moment, maybe only Kilian.”
“As we were running along, he pointed out a group of
mountain goats and said something like ‘now that’s really
what mountain running is all about’, and I noted a little
envy in his gesture. He kept looking back at them with
admiration.”
And yet, the question lingers: what makes Kilian run?
And what makes Kilian’s running matter? Fellow runners
and fans alike seem to sense a sweetly human quality in
Kilian, even as they compare him to a mountain goat and
speculate aloud as to whether he is, in fact, human at all.
In Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run, the author
finds the secret of running in the connection between
compassion and competition: “The Hopis consider running
a form of prayer; they offer every step as a sacrifice to a
loved one, and in return ask the Great Spirit to match their
strength with some of his own.” Legendary running coach
Joe Vigil defined character not as toughness but as compassion:
“It was compassion. Kindness. Love.” Kilian
agrees: “You don’t have to dominate the mountain, it is
much more powerful than we are. You have to try to
understand it, to learn to love it, and run with it, letting it
help you." Kilian, like the Tarahumara runners in Born to
Run, runs for his people, and for his Pyrenees. In a greater
sense, he runs for the environment, for life and for love.
No wonder it looks easy.
3.2010 || 29

Amer Sports focuses on
Business to Consumer
30 || 3.2010

Amer Sports continues to develop its
direct sales to consumers. In November,
the 140 plus retail stores will be
accompanied by the first e-commerce
shop – Salomon.com in France.
Other Amer Sports brands will also
accelerate their direct consumer sales,
with the goal of rapidly boosting total
revenue. F Markku Rimpiläinen t Salomon
Salomon’s brand stores have been one of the major
success stories in the sports equipment business
in recent years. The company set up a thriving
network of over one hundred stores in just five years and
has only had to close one of them.
“Salomon has done some outstanding work in the past
four to five years and has gotten to its current state faster
than some key benchmarks in our industry,” says Victor
Duran, in charge of Amer Sports Business to Consumer
since the beginning of March.
The establishment of brand stores has taught the
company a great deal. One of the key observations is that
brand stores have also increased Salomon’s sales in other
nearby sports stores.
“Our sales to other retailers have risen by some 15
percent in areas where we’ve set up brand stores,” notes
Pascal Clausse, Global Retail Director at Salomon.
Austria’s best-selling running shoe
The establishment of Salomon’s own stores has also
strengthened the brand and the company’s overall sales.
When consumers get acquainted with Salomon’s whole
range in just the kind of environment the company has
envisioned, the results are outstanding.
Austria was chosen as the site for one of Europe’s first
brand stores, as well as 15 shop-in-shops and a major
factory outlet. After Salomon presented its entire line of
shoes to consumers, it became the country’s best-selling
brand in running shoes.
“Austrian operations fully grasped the huge role that
our own stores play in boosting sales and the brand
value,” Clausse comments.
The goal now is to use Salomon’s experiences to benefit
all Amer Sports brands and country organizations. This
work will be headed by Victor Duran at the Group level.
“We have been working with all the brands to determine
whether this should be part of their growth strategy.
The answer has been a solid “yes” across the board. Now
we are developing the detailed roadmap and ensuring we
get the right resources in place to execute. Importantly,
now that it is clear that all brands will move in this direction,
we can leverage our scale as a company. This will
help us move faster, better and cheaper,” emphasizes
Duran.
The overall B2C approach involves developing a holistic
multi-channel approach, covering wholesale, retail and
e-commerce.
“This strategy isn’t only about opening retail and
e-commerce stores. In fact, it’s about surrounding the
consumer with a great brand experience and then letting
Compact stores are Salomon’s latest shop type. Many of
them now operate around the world. Pictured here is the
new Moscow shop.
→
3.2010 || 31

the consumer decide how and where to buy.”
Electronic commerce also boosts interaction
Salomon continues to expand its store network. In November,
its brand stores will get additional support from a
webstore, which will at first offer apparel and accessories.
Pascal Clausse is convinced that the web and brand
stores will support one another. Small “compact stores”,
for example, enable the company to display only one part
of its range, but on the Internet consumers can view the
whole offering and possibly order the items they want
online.
“Combining various sales channels opens up very
interesting opportunities,” Clausse points out.
A webstore, digital advertising and social media pres-
“Research tells us that
consumers are looking for
much stronger connections
to their brands.”
1 A preview of
Salomon’s future
webstore.
32 || 3.2010
3 An illustration of Salomon
and Atomic’s joint store and
test station in Sölden.
ence create a novel environment for customer interaction.
“Our purpose online is not only to approach customers,
but also to let them be our salespeople and potential
product developers,” Duran explains.
“Salomon has put together a great community of
experts and trendsetters who help to drive our product
sales. The opportunities for interaction and shopping will
further improve when we go live with e-commerce. And all
of our brands have similar communities with which we can
work.”
Many reasons to go for direct sales
The B2C team is confident about the potential for creating
disproportionate growth in the coming years. Several
examples from the sports equipment business go to prove
this point. Lululemon Athletica began to sell yoga-inspired
apparel on a very small scale in Vancouver in the late 90s
and now has over 100 stores in addition to a successful
webstore. Under Armour first made technical underwear
and later expanded to other sports clothing. In ten years,
the company’s revenue has gone from zero to nearly one
billion US dollars.
Duran believes that Amer Sports can use these high
growth brands as potential models and benchmarks.
“Research is telling us that consumers are looking for
much stronger connections to their brands. Amer Sports
is blessed with some terrific brands, and retail or e-commerce
are some of the most powerful ways to create a
real brand dream and drive breakthrough growth.”
Both Duran and Clausse believe that direct consumer
sales are extremely important in the modern world.
“Selling directly to consumers helps us to better

understand consumers, especially the changes in their
behavior. It is crucial to identify these changes because it
helps us make products or services that are truly unique
and better than competition,” Duran explains.
Another important reason is that brand stores also
boost sales in traditional distribution channels. Salomon’s
example is indisputable proof that the model really works.
“Many brands still believe that opening their own store
leads to competition with their customers—and that’s
what it may feel like at first. However, experience clearly
shows that when you open a store, demand for products
also increases in the region’s other retail businesses.
When demand begins to rise and the region’s other retailers
see what you have to offer, they too want to jump on
board. In the end, it’s a win-win-situation.”
The third reason is that brand stores establish the
brand more prominently in people’s minds.
“Salomon’s 100 plus stores have already created ten
million new interfaces between the brand and consumers,”
Clausse estimates.
Interaction between the brand and consumers is most
efficient in brand stores where the products are displayed
in just the right kind of environment and interior. A Salomon
store in the center of a big city is like a little piece of
the mountains where you can almost feel a fresh breeze.
“Of course, our retailers know how to tell our story. The
problem, however, is that they also tell the story of others.
In an environment of our own, we can tell the brand story
ourselves instead of having others speak for us,” says
Duran.
Brand stores are also useful for product development,
helping to ensure that new products are to the customers’
liking. They also speed up the whole process.
“We decided to display the new shoe in our brand
stores during product development and used customer
feedback to create the final design,” notes Clausse.
Stores that are run by the company quickly show
exactly which products sell well and which do not.
“We currently get this information too late. Our best
products sell out, while other products may pile up in the
warehouse. A change of just five to ten percent in favor of
our best-selling products would make a huge impact,”
says Duran.
Leverage our company’s scale
A single-brand store is a straightforward concept, but is
it possible to mix several brands in one store?
“Each brand must be unique, have a distinctive positioning
and create its own dream, which we can can then
carry into the market place. If this is done well, it opens a
lot of doors for us. We obviously have a number of monobrand
stores, but we also have a lot of multi-brand stores
as well. Going forward, we will leverage our scale across
the company as this will let us grow more quickly and
New business
in two years
Before joining Amer Sports, Victor Duran had a long
career at Procter & Gamble, the Global consumer
goods company. So what can the sports equipment
industry learn from the fast moving consumer goods
business?
“Before answering that question, I’d like to start by
saying that there are a lot of things the P&G’s of the
world could learn from Amer Sports. Across all of our
brands, I have seen an incredible 1-1 connection with our
consumers – particularly the top level and influencers.
This allows us to be at the leading edge of performance
in many of our categories. Large companies tend to
primarily rely on quantitative information, but many
times they miss the true insights that come from
personal knowledge.”
“On the other hand, there are some principles I
think we can apply here. When planning a new business,
Procter & Gamble spends a lot of time determining how
big of an opportunity it is dealing with,” Duran explains.
“Once it is certain about the size of the opportunity
and the model used to achieve it, the company heads
toward the goal as quickly as possible. Using this
approach, Procter & Gamble can create a significant
business in three to four years. This is what we plan to
do now. We have specific targets between now and 2016,
a detailed plan to get there, and a good probability of
success.”
According to Duran, the beginning has been
promising.
“Salomon has spent the last few years creating and
testing its retail model. We know for sure that it works.
Now we need to leverage this experience, develop the
right model for our other brands and grow as quickly as
possible.”
efficiently,” says Duran.
Some combinations make sense nevertheless.
“Arc’teryx, Salomon and Suunto are strong players
in the outdoor world. Together they would form a more
attractive shopping place for consumers than on their
own. In ski resorts, where ski testing is a vital part of
service, Salomon and Atomic can operate perfectly well
in the same facilities,” Clausse explains.
“This model will, in fact, be tested in practice on the
Sölden glaciers this fall. A third possible form of joint
operations is an outlet where price is crucial in addition to
the brand image”.
Cooperation will, in any case, be an essential element
of the B2C strategy.
“Amer Sports will really benefit from leveraging scale
in both retail and e-commerce across all of our brands.
We will be able to create something only once and then
quickly roll it out across the company,” Duran adds.
3.2010 || 33

Strategy shaper
According to Antti Jääskeläinen, strategy is not mere theory but a set of concrete
choices and actions. F Markku Rimpiläinen t Miika Kainu
You hold the position of Chief Development Officer.
How would you describe your tasks?
» I see to it that we, as a corporation, prepare for
the future as well as possible. We need the right
kinds of management processes, as well as a suitable
product portfolio and structure. What is more, the Group’s
resources must be properly allocated. The goal is to
grow profitably and maximize the value of the corporation.
Before joining Amer Sports, you worked at companies
such as Nokia, McKinsey and Stora Enso. What did you
learn from them?
» I saw that well-led corporations could work very
systematically when making decisions and allocating
their resources. In addition, I discovered that even big
companies can change! I have also been involved in
getting new things, both businesses and operating
methods, off the ground.
How and why did you get interested in Amer Sports?
» Amer Sports is a highly international and global
company that is going through an extremely interesting
phase of development. It is also easy to identify with the
company’s products.
You have worked at Amer Sports since the beginning of
December. Have these been busy times?
» Simply getting acquainted with an organization of this
size and its people takes time. In the past few months, I’ve
been closely involved in strategy work and in business
planning.
According to the press release on your appointment,
your position was created to strengthen Amer Sports’
management in strategic planning and execution. Has
the job description corresponded to reality?
» Basically, yes, but in practice the content of my tasks
changed very quickly after the appointment of the new
President and CEO. Starting at the company more or
less simultaneously with him has been very interesting.
I have had the opportunity to take part in matters on a
wide front.
What is important in strategy work?
» It is essential to be future oriented and to work based
34 || 3.2010
Q&A
on a vision. It is important to ask the right questions: what
do we need to do now in order to reach our target in, say,
three to five years. Strategy is not mere theory but a set of
concrete choices and actions. One of the key principles is
also that the people who execute business strategy must
also take part in creating it.
What is the difference between corporate strategy
and business strategy?
» Corporate strategy involves a few basic questions.
For example, what business are we involved in and why?
How are resources allocated to different units? How
should the corporation be managed to ensure that the
whole is more than the sum of its parts? Business strategy,
in turn, means that an individual business unit must
define how to reach the targets set and how to beat
competitors.
What is the role of geographic regions in Amer Sports’
strategy work?
» When working on our strategy, we also want to
emphasize the part played by geographic regions. We have
already increased interaction between brands and regions
and will further emphasize the importance of a marketbased
approach.
What issues are most important to Amer Sports at
the moment?
» In the short run, we must improve our performance
and get back on the growth track. We have to focus on
important issues and choose the battles that we really
want to win. It is important to seek synergies in places
where the potential is biggest.
These days, listed companies must operate transparently
and key stakeholders must be kept up-to-date at all
times. Does this show in your own work?
» It does, indirectly, but so far there’s been no need
for me to spend all that much time on external stakeholder
communications.
Do you participate in social media?
» Yes, but selectively. I keep up to date with what is
taking place in social media, but I don’t produce content
all that often.

3.2010 || 35

36 || 3.2010

ADVENTURES
WITH
A FISHING ROD
The Kola Peninsula rivers are a dream destination for salmon
fishers. Varzina, Ponoi, Yokanga, Varzuga and Kharlovka are
names that excite most fishers. F & t Kimmo Piispa
→
3.2010 || 37

SWEDEN
NORWAY
Ivalo
FINLAND
The Kola Peninsula has been a
fishing destination since the final
years of the Soviet Union. After
the tentative steps of the first few years,
tourism on the peninsula has grown into
a reliable and established industry, but
travel in the Russian backwoods still
includes a touch of adventure for
Westerners. Come prepared for every
eventuality and long waits.
Nearly all fishing tourists to the Kola
Peninsula begin their trip in the region’s
capital, Murmansk. Some fishing destinations
are close enough to be reached
by car but others call for helicopter
transportation. While every destination
may offer great fishing experiences, the
limited access to outlying rivers and the
consequent decrease in the number of
fishers improve the probability of a good
catch.
The rivers on the northern shores of
the Kola Peninsula flow in relatively
open mountain country into the harsh
Barents Sea. Weather conditions change
rapidly. Especially in the fall, travelers
must prepare for both extreme heat and
sleet, which sometimes makes fishing
very challenging. On the south coast of
the peninsula, the rivers flowing into the
White Sea run in coniferous terrain
somewhat more sheltered than the
northern mountain country.
Trips to remote salmon rivers are
rather expensive because of limited
supply and the obligatory helicopter
transportation. Many of the clients are
well-off fishermen from all around the
38 || 3.2010
Murmansk
RUSSIA
KOLA
PENINSULA
Barents Sea
Varzina
White Sea
world, but others are fly-fishing bums
like me, who realize their dreams irrespective
of the price or work as guides in
exchange for fishing opportunities.
Going for salmon
Our August expedition headed to the
main camp on the River Varzina, located
at the lower rapids in some of the best
salmon waters. Upstream, there is a tent
camp that specializes in trout fishing,
which was familiar to many of my travel
companions.
We had reserved the entire camp for
our group and headed off from the Ivalo
airport in Finland to Murmansk in a bus
A helicopter is vital for transportation.
filled with men familiar to one another.
Cramming a group of twelve fishermen
and heaps of gear and baggage into a
20-seat bus ensured a warm atmosphere
on the road. The border crossing
procedures and controls went surprisingly
fast, but after that our travel was
anything but fun. Good company, however,
made the six-hour bumpy ride
along poor roads cheerful, and even our
bus survived the trip more or less intact.
Despite the stark grey and concrete
look of Murmansk, the hotels favored by
tourists are a close match to Western
standards these days. After a quick tour
of the night clubs, some sleep and a
morning shower, we continued eagerly
toward our final destination. The small
problems so typical of Russian tourism
usually occur at this stage of the trip:
waiting for airport transportation at the
hotel, waiting for the helicopter at the
airport, waiting for baggage and waiting
just for the sake of waiting. Our helicopter
finally took off some four hours late,
which was actually better than average.
We arrived at the camp after a good
one-hour flight only to confirm the fears
that had begun to rise within us. Following
the hot spell, the water in the river
was very low and warm, something that
never bodes well for fishing. The camp,
however, was a positive surprise. For a
fishing bum used to tent camps, log cabins,
large dining facilities and a bar were

something of a luxury. The latest music
videos played from satellite channels on
a huge plasma TV were not what we had
come here for, but a peaceful setting and
a river flowing through stunning scenery
For a fisher used to tents, log cabins are something of a luxury.
were just that. Everything usually works
fine once you reach the camp, and this
time was no exception. The boundaries
of permitted fishing areas have raised
some uncertainty in previous years, but
these too have usually been sorted out
after a short and loud discussion over
a glass of vodka.
At camps, fishing usually takes place
in a group of two fishermen and a guide.
Nearby fishing places are accessed by
foot, but those farther away call for a
helicopter ride. Boats can also be used
for transportation as long as the current
is slow. The Kola Peninsula is also a hiking
destination. Our trip fell somewhere
in between these alternatives, since we
did all our travel by foot but stayed in a
camp. We slept overnight in tents if our
search for good fishing places took us
far afield from the camp. What is more,
our experienced group did not use any
guide services, which caused some
puzzlement among the personnel the
first few days.
The conditions matter
Salmon begin to migrate from the
feeding areas out at sea to the spawning
grounds in rivers in early June. The
biggest fish swim upstream at the beginning
of the season, when the catch may
→
3.2010 || 39

emain small in terms of number. However,
size compensates for this: a big,
silvery, strong salmon is the dream
catch of any fly fisher. Unfortunately,
the popularity of what are expected to be
the best weeks also shows in the prices,
which may be in the five figures.
As the summer progresses, the
average size of fish swimming upstream
declines but their number increases.
The bigger fish that arrived earlier in the
summer occupy their spawning grounds
The fishing of sea trout brings nice variation to salmon catching.
40 || 3.2010
and grow darker, approaching their
brown spawning coloration. At this stage,
they no longer seize the fly as eagerly as
before. Choosing the time of travel is a
balancing act between the number of
salmon, their size and expenses. Nature,
of course, does not follow strict rules, so
the time salmon begin to swim upstream
and the number of fish may vary greatly
from year to year.
The size of the catch also depends on
weather conditions, the river current and
tide. By following natural phenomena
and drawing experiential conclusions,
successful fishermen often stand out
from those getting smaller catches.
While luck also plays a big part in fishing,
it surprisingly often seems to smile
only on a select few fishermen.
Versatility brings results
The traditional salmon fishing technique
is relatively laid-back. Whisking the fly
smoothly downstream at an angle pro-

t Niko Peltola
Late in the season the salmon in the river are quite small but very active.
duces the desired result under most
conditions. Flies and their coloration
have become established over the past
decades. However, when fishing in difficult
conditions, you are better off keeping
an open mind and testing a wide
range of techniques and flies. When, at
the end of the week, I showed the camp’s
head guide the flies I had used to catch
salmon, he shook his head, wondering
how anyone could fish for salmon my
The Kola Peninsula is an
unmatched destination.
way. Seeing as our group got a haul four
times that of the previous week’s traditional
fishermen, we were hardly doing
things all that wrong.
If conditions make salmon fishing
difficult, one can always go for another
species. Many of the rivers on the Kola
Peninsula offer spectacular trout fishing.
Some of the rivers also have strong
Arctic char, whitefish and grayling populations.
In addition to rivers, they can be
fished for in mountain lakes
and along the coast. A few
days, some of our group
members made a one-hour
walk from our camp to the mouth of the
fiord on the Barents Sea. The area
offered great sea trout fishing on sandy
beaches and bladderwrack shoals in the
shadow of massive cliffs.
The Kola Peninsula is an unmatched
fishing destination for fly fishers in
search of the Atlantic salmon and trout.
There are never any guarantees of a
catch in fishing, but this region is sure to
offer great experiences and to awaken a
strong urge to return the following year.
The Kola Peninsula is home to several tour
operators. Those interested in Varzina will
find further information at www.varzina.fi.
Suunto Core
WRISTOP COMPUTER MAKES
FISHING MORE EFFICIENT
Steady weather conditions often reduce the probability
of getting a good catch, but even a small
change in the weather, and especially in the air
pressure, can activate fish. Obvious changes can
be detected by observing nature, but the ability to
predict changes in air pressure make it possible to
get more out of short feeding periods. In addition
to general weather reports, it is a good idea to
keep an eye on real-time local conditions using the
barometer of a wristop computer. This makes it
easy to go fishing at times when the fish are most
likely to be active. Suunto’s outdoor wristop
computers make it easy to monitor changes in air
pressure. Ventus and Terra from the Elementum
line also come with a barometer.
Suunto Elementum Terra
3.2010 || 41

Salomon XA
Pro 3D Ultra
Right running shoe
for every kind of terrain
Salomon currently groups its running shoes into three segments: XA, XT and XS.
Next spring, the collection will expand with an interesting new segment called XR.
F Ilkka Järvimäki t Salomon
Proper footwear is one of the prerequisites for enjoyable
runs and injury-free training sessions. Good
running shoes suit the user’s feet and step, as well
as the terrain.
The most important questions a person looking for
running shoes should ask – and hear from the seller –
are: for what purpose will the shoes be used, what kind
of terrain will they be used on and what kind of a foot and
step does the runner have.
These questions will narrow the Salomon trail running
line down to the suitable shoe for each individual need.
The Salomon XA shoes (such as XA Pro Ultra 2) are
robust and strongly protected. Their low sole design puts
the toes closer to the ground, making the runner’s step
steadier. The shoes also work well on very rough terrain.
The XA are the right choice for any traveler looking for a
single pair of shoes that can be used for a morning run,
hike and leisure activities. Salomon’s choice of words,
“run & hike”, is an apt description of the XA series.
The XT shoes (such as XT Wings 2) feature good cush-
42 || 3.2010
Salomon XT
Wings 2
Salomon
Speedcross 2
ioning and efficiently guide the step. Heavy-set runners
will also find them suitable. The shoes come with good
protection against external blows. The XT are at their best
in difficult conditions, such as narrow paths and rocky
mountain patches but are also excellent on easier terrain.
They are ideal for day-to-day training as well as for long
trail running and adventure races. Salomon calls its XT
segment “all terrain running”.
The XS shoes (such as Salomon Speedcross) are made
for fast-paced running on relatively easy terrain. They are
very light, considering that they are suitable for off-road
use. The curved and narrow sole ensures an excellent roll
and exceptional feel. The aggressively patterned tread
made of soft rubber provides good grip on all surfaces
ranging from slippery stones to soft sawdust and chips,
as well as from mud to ice. The XS line offers good alter-
Sjöstrom/Salomon
natives to studded running shoes in slippery winter conditions.
They are also well suited for orienteering workouts
and for recreational orienteerers. Salomon has every
Christoffer
reason to define its XS line as one for “racing”. t

SOLUTION
3.2010 || 43

44 || 3.2010

To glacier with Pilatus Porter
F & t Jimmy Petterson
Winter is still three months away, but one can easily get a jumpstart on the
ski season on a glacier. In New Zealand, skiing is possible during the entire
Northern Hemisphere in summer and until the end of September on the
Tasman Glacier.
When Hans Gmoser invented the concept of heliskiing in the mid-1960s,
he was actually a few years behind the New Zealanders with regard to
accessing ski terrain by air; but in the Southern Hemisphere, it all started
with ski planes landing on the Tasman Glacier way back in 1955. Five
decades later small Cessna 185s and Pilatus Porters are still offering
skiers the opportunity to ski amidst some of the most spectacular scenery
in the world.
The Tasman has not changed much since those early beginnings, but
the ski world has. Since the advent of heliskiing two generations ago,
skiers have regularly been dropped onto much more difficult slopes than
those where a ski plane can deposit them.
The rather flat skiing of the Tasman, an experience for the ski elite of
50 years ago, is now far too tame to attract today’s generation of thrill
seekers. Nevertheless, it is still a spectacular destination where one
can ski powder amidst gigantic fields of blue seracs, ice caves and yawning
crevasses in the shadow of Mt. Cook, Mt. Tasman, and a host of New
Zealand’s highest peaks.
For more information, see skithetasman.co.nz
3.2010 || 45

TEST
Light on the back
F Markku Rimpiläinen t Miika Kainu
The main feature of the Arc’teryx
Axios 50 becomes obvious the
minute you lift the pack. It doesn’t
weigh a thing! True, 1.55 kilograms is
very little for a 50-liter trekking backpack.
Designed for short overnight or
weekend treks, the Axios 50 pack has
been stripped of weight in every possible
way. All unnecessary, weight-increasing
components have been eliminated.
A great deal of attention has been
given to comfort and lightness. The wide
backpanel can be easily formed to fit the
user’s back so that the hips carry most
of the load. The shoulder straps seem
narrow at first, but there’s no need to
46 || 3.2010
worry. They do not strain the shoulders
even when carrying a heavy load.
To ensure a good fit, it is worth
spending some time with the backpack’s
basic adjustments. Once they are right,
the Axios 50 carries loads very lightly.
Vertical and horizontal compression
straps make it easy to wrap your gear
into a tight pack that does not swing
around on your back.
The breathable carrying system
keeps the trekker’s back dry even at
fast speeds. The AeroForm backpanel,
hipbelt and shoulder straps are perforated
to ensure good ventilation. Even
the padding lets air through. For once
the manufacturer’s promise of breath-
ability really does hold true!
The biggest compartment can be
opened from either the top or the side.
The smaller front pocket fits items that
might come in handy during the hike.
The pack also features a top pocket with
waterproof zippers. There is a separate
side pocket for a water bottle and a
hydration bladder sleeve inside the
pack.
Once you’ve adjusted and packed the
bag it’s time to head out. The Axios 50
makes trekking so light that even longer
day trips feel easy. You’ll be delighted to
see that you cover more ground in a
weekend than ever before. New horizons
are waiting for you.

Runners’ destinations
Ultra-distance runners and those still
dreaming of extreme challenges will get
a new handbook this fall. Edited by the
experienced ultra-racer Kym McConnell
and Dave Horsley, Extreme Running introduces
24 popular and demanding running
events on seven continents. The volume
lists the key information and special
requirements for each race and adventure.
Impressive photos, along with illustrative
maps and vertical profiles, give readers
a feel of the races and their spirit.
KYM MCCONNELL, DAVE HORSLEY:
EXTREME RUNNING, PAVILION, 2010
books
GUIDE
F Ilkka Järvimäki
Boosting basic endurance
in the fall
F Markku Rimpiläinen t Suunto
Basic endurance training may account
for as much as 90 percent of the overall
training volumes of world-class
endurance athletes. There is no
reason why recreational exercisers
looking after their well-being should
act differently. Nevertheless, most of
us normal exercisers train too hard
– without really noticing.
There are clear physiological
grounds speaking in favor of endurance
training. Basic workouts carried
out at a low enough heart rate
increase the volume of blood in the
body. The increased blood volume
flowing into the muscles makes
the capillary network denser. This
provides more oxygen to the muscles,
enabling them to work better than
ever. The heart’s stroke volume also
increases.
Basic endurance workouts are
performed at around 60 to 70 percent
of the maximum heart rate. In the
keepFIT
case of 40 year olds, who typically
have a maximum heart rate of 180, the
target range of heart rate to improve
basic endurance is 110 to 130.
The most reliable way to determine
your maximum heart rate is to do a
treadmill or bicycle ergometer test.
A good heart rate monitor that lets
you specify the target ranges in
advance helps to ensure you train
in the ideal range. All of the products
in the Suunto M and t series can be
used for this purpose.
For winter sports enthusiasts,
fall is the best time to build basic
endurance. Whether you go for crosscountry
skiing or alpine disciplines,
basic endurance is a must. You can
improve it, for example, with runs that
last at least 60 minutes on versatile
terrain and in fresh fall air. They also
refresh the mind. It is good to vary
your speed, and you should include at
least one long run in your week.
3.2010 || 47