There’s an incredible amount of work that goes into every pair of skis used in the season opener at Beitostølen and other big races. Before and during these races, everyone’s under extra pressure: not just the athletes but also the wax crews. But what really happens behind the scenes? How many pairs of skis get tested and chosen before an athlete even steps up to the starting line?
The early season races, like those at Beitostølen and Gålå, are some of the toughest of the year. At Beitostølen, athletes are often competing for spots on the World Cup team, which can shape the rest of their season. The same goes for the National Cup opener at Gålå. And in a championship season, like one leading up to the World Championships, these early races matter even more. Usually, the national team picks are finalized by New Year’s.
In short: If you’re not racing on the World Cup circuit by Christmas and not picked for the Tour de Ski team, you probably won’t be at the World Championships.
To get there, every split-second counts.
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For the wax techs and racing service crews, this means workdays are long. They’re at the venue two or three days before most athletes arrive, testing skis to figure out the snow conditions, weather forecasts, and which waxes and grinds will work best. Depending on the weather, race formats, and how many athletes need help, their workdays start around 6 AM and typically go all the way to midnight.
They’ll do whatever it takes to get the athletes the skis they need. Sometimes, this means going the extra mile - literally.
“The Thursday night before the sprint at Beitostølen, the weather forecast suddenly threw in a slight chance of a few more potential hurdles for Friday’s race. So, one of us drove three hours each way to grab two pairs of skis,” says Ole Martin Storlien from Madshus.
“And guess what? Those skis weren’t even used in the end. But that’s the beauty of having the factory nearby.”
Testing tons of skis
The work doesn’t just start on race day. The service crew and athletes spend the whole off-season—from late winter through summer and fall - testing skis to build a compact, high-performing “ski park” for each athlete.
“The athletes are the ones racing, training, and making tactical decisions during the competitions. But the work we, and the team wax techs, put into their ski collections is essential for winning medals at the highest level,” explains Storlien.
The goal is to narrow things down to a small, specific collection of skis for each type of snow condition. By the time the race season starts, the testing ramps up even more. During big race weekends, the crew tests skis on the stadium tracks two or three days before most contracted athletes even show up.
Story continues below
For the wax techs and racing service crews, this means workdays are long. They’re at the venue two or three days before most athletes arrive, testing skis to figure out the snow conditions, weather forecasts, and which waxes and grinds will work best. Depending on the weather, race formats, and how many athletes need help, their workdays start around 6 AM and typically go all the way to midnight.
They’ll do whatever it takes to get the athletes the skis they need. Sometimes, this means going the extra mile - literally.
“The Thursday night before the sprint at Beitostølen, the weather forecast suddenly threw in a slight chance of a few more potential hurdles for Friday’s race. So, one of us drove three hours each way to grab two pairs of skis,” says Ole Martin Storlien from Madshus.
“And guess what? Those skis weren’t even used in the end. But that’s the beauty of having the factory nearby.”
Testing tons of skis
The work doesn’t just start on race day. The service crew and athletes spend the whole off-season—from late winter through summer and fall - testing skis to build a compact, high-performing “ski park” for each athlete.
“The athletes are the ones racing, training, and making tactical decisions during the competitions. But the work we, and the team wax techs, put into their ski collections is essential for winning medals at the highest level,” explains Storlien.
The goal is to narrow things down to a small, specific collection of skis for each type of snow condition. By the time the race season starts, the testing ramps up even more. During big race weekends, the crew tests skis on the stadium tracks two or three days before most contracted athletes even show up.
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Part science, part experience
At this year’s Beitostølen season opener, Storlien and his team worked with skis for top athletes like Mathilde Myhrvold, Hedda and Harald Østberg Amundsen, and French skier Jules Chappaz, as well as several regional team members.
“Our main job is to make it as easy as possible for athletes to pick the best skis for different races and conditions,” says Storlien.
Here’s how it works: When the crew gets to the venue, they’ve already studied the conditions and know which skis to start testing for each athlete. After testing, each skier ends up with about eight pairs of skis for a race day. Then, the crew narrows it down further, leaving the athlete with just two or three pairs to test before the race.
“Typically, we test eight pairs before the athletes arrive. Then we’re left with two or three pairs for them to try,” Storlien says. “If the testing area at the stadium is straightforward, the process with the athletes usually takes just 15–20 minutes, depending on how confident the skier is in their collection.”
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How do they test skis?
The first step is a “rough test,” where the crew does glide tests on all the skis. This part is handled by the service team, either the supplier reps or the wax techs. It’s all about figuring out which skis glide best.
Once the athletes arrive, the focus shifts to the final details. They test the remaining two or three pairs on their own to find the one that feels fastest and easiest to control.
“The athletes test skis to see which one works best for the day’s conditions - not just the pair that glides best but also the one that’s easiest to climb with and maneuver on that snow,” explains Storlien.
“Some skis stand out right away, but other times, it takes longer. In the end, though, the athletes always make the final call.”
What kind of tests do you run with the athletes?
"When the athletes arrive, we’ve already narrowed it down to two or three pairs of skis that they’ll take out and test on their own. The goal is to find the skis that will help them get from start to finish the fastest. At that point, they consider different factors, not just which skis glide the best," says Storlien, explaining further:
"When athletes test the skis themselves, they’re looking for skis that are easiest to climb with and easiest to control in the specific snow conditions that day."
Some skis quickly stand out in one direction or another depending on the snow and conditions, but other times it takes longer. But in the end, it’s always the athlete who makes the final choice.
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What about the national team wax techs? What do they do, and how do they work with the suppliers’ racing service team?
"It depends on the level. For World Cup athletes, the athletes are less involved, but there’s still close communication with the wax techs and our team. The national team wax techs are part of the testing process, and together we decide which two pairs of skis are the best, and those are the ones the national team tests further with the athletes. The suppliers have recommendations and tests that go to the national teams, regional teams, and athletes. At regional races, this service is available for a fee."
How many athletes is each service team member responsible for? And how many pairs of skis does each athlete take with them to a competition weekend?
"Good question. It varies from race to race, but it can be quite a few, especially early in the season when there’s new equipment, and we might have to replace some pairs in the athlete’s ski collection."
Which type of competition requires the most work? Sprint? Classic? Classic sprint?
"Classic sprint is tough because everyone starts at the same time. But longer classic races with changing conditions can be challenging too."
Do they get a lot of complaints? In what situations? How do they handle it? Who’s giving the feedback—athletes, support staff, or others?
"What can I say? The short answer is, if things don’t go well, we hear about it. But athletes are different. The diplomatic answer is that we work together toward the same goal. There needs to be room for feedback, and we want to keep the conversation open so we can provide the best service possible. If you can’t take criticism and use it constructively, you won’t last long in this job."