While early snow in Europe "promises a bumper ski
season this winter," two of the continent's leading winter
sports companies will be "struggling to take advantage,"
according to David Owen in the FINANCIAL TIMES. France-
based Skis Rossignol has reported a near 14% decline in
first-half net profits, and the company has "warned" that
its results for the year-ended March '97 may come in below
earlier predictions. This comes after France-based Salomon,
the world's largest manufacturer of ski bindings, said it
expects '96-97 results, excluding "exceptional items," to be
the same as last year. Both companies have "been hit by
diversification costs." Rossignol is investing "heavily" in
product development programs for the snowboarding, parabolic
ski and rollerblade markets, with plans to introduce a
Rossignol rollerblade in '97. Salomon also plans a
rollerblade line in '98 (FINANCIAL TIMES, 12/10).
SKI NEWS & NOTES: UT-based Evolution Ski Company has
teamed with CA-based Customized Internet Technologies Inc.
to launch a joint venture called MySki Inc. which offers a
web page that allows skiers to custom design and order their
skis online at http://www.myski.com (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,
12/11)....The DENVER POST looks at sales of parabolic skis
and the Ski Industries America reports that shaped skis
represented 37% of all alpine skis sold in the U.S. from
August 1-October 31 (DENVER POST, 12/12)....At Vail, ski
managers predict snowboarders will outnumber skiers by 2012.
Boarders "still are not admitted" to at least nine winter
resorts out of more than 520 nationwide (N.Y. TIMES, 12/12).
