This winter, some top Norwegian biathletes revealed their new “secret weapon”: A newly developed skate-ski binding system. Instead of the usual placement, the Skate-X system attaches the ski boot to the ski under the ball of the foot, not at the front of the foot, as with traditional bindings.
With this new system design, the ski boot connects at the front part of the foot, creating a different point of pressure. Because the binding is positioned under the ball of the foot, athletes get more pressure into the snow, meaning more power to propel them forward.
They also report get a better “return,” or spring, when they pull the ski forward.
“There’s no delay in the flex (the rubber block that usually bends at the tip of the traditional bindings),” explained Vebjørn Sørum (NOR), who won both gold and silver medals at the European Championship this winter while using the new Skate-X system.
Another Norwegian national team member, Johan-Olav Botn, also used the new Skate-X system this winter, bagging nine individual victories in the IBU Cup, two podium finishes in the World Cup, plus one gold and two silver medals at the European Championships.
At the time, Ole Einar Bjørndalen called the new Skate-X system technology “revolutionary.”
Now, third-party studies confirm that the biathletes are right: in some snow conditions, the new Skate-X system can shave off several seconds in a sprint, says sports researcher Ove Sollie.
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Testing Shows Real Advantages
Sollie led the third-party analysis to see if this new Skate-X system really gives an objective advantage over traditional bindings. He reviewed data from multiple types of tests, including on roller skis at Norges idrettshøgskole’s (Norway’s Exercise Science University) treadmill, as well as on snow in the Torsby ski tunnel in Sweden and outdoors.
“In Torsby, we tested the binding system’s efficiency at both sub-max and max intensity, during a 1.2-kilometer sprint and through transitions, like an 80-meter sprint into a hill,” Sollie explained.
“We found a significant positive effect of using the Skate-X system compared to the old NNN bindings. The athletes were several seconds faster with the Skate-X system.”
Conditions Matter
Sollie points out that in the tunnel, the snow was soft, which may have affected the results.
When they tested the Skate-X system outside on firm snow, they couldn’t find any significant effect from the Skate-X bindings. But at least on soft snow, the new bindings seem to make a big difference. And in all conditions, the athletes reported liking the Skate-X system better than the older NNN ones, noting that they felt more comfortable.
All tests were done with the bindings in a neutral position, both for the Skate-X system and the old NNN bindings. However, the Skate-X system allow athletes more options for adjustment based on their preferences and technique, which could have produced even better results if they were allowed to tweak the position.
In short, Sollie confirms that the Skate-X system can offer a big advantage on soft snow, even though they couldn’t find a clear difference on firm snow.
Still, the researchers note that athletes generally prefer the feel of the Skate-X system over the old NNN bindings.
“Preference is also an important aspect. Skiing on the equipment you like best, delivers a boost of confidence, which is not to be underestimated in competitions where fractions of a second separate a podium finish from list filler,” Sollie points out.
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Norwegian Innovation
The new binding system is a collaboration between the companies Rottefella and Madshus. With the traditional NNN binding plates, the binding slides onto a plate built into the ski, allowing a few centimeters of forward and backward adjustment. But with the new Skate-X system, athletes can also adjust the exact attachment point under the ball of the foot.
“It’s a bit like click-in bike pedals, where you can adjust the cleat on the shoe to change where the foot meets the pedal,” Sollie explains, adding:
“It’s really exciting to see something this significant happening in ski technology.”