All Western Industry On snow demos have been cancelled.

[Philpug]

From WWSRA:

Hello WWSRA Demo Exhibitors and Attendees,

This week, after careful consideration, your Board of Directors and WWSRA have unanimously decided to cancel the 2021 On-Snow Demo cycle.

With various restriction levels throughout the Western U.S. that can change at any time, we are faced with numerous logistical challenges related to producing a demo-style event. Additionally, our retail shops have been impacted by COVID-19 on multiple levels, making it difficult for owners and buyers to make advance decisions on attending demos. And lastly, some of our demo locations are in areas and communities where the risk is simply too great to overlook the impact of holding an event that will bring hundreds of individuals from around the region, putting additional stress on these communities. Unlike indoor shows, we do not have the ability to control the cleanliness or physical distancing of the environment at an outdoor event.

We are all heartbroken making this decision, but know that this is the right course of action for 2021. We are enormously disappointed that we will not be able to provide events that not only help with buying decisions, but that also bring us together as an industry and a community.

While we may not be meeting in person this year at on-snow demos, we want to make it clear to everyone that we are here and we are listening. Your Board of Directors and the staff at WWSRA will be working throughout this winter to look ahead and begin developing what the future of regional shows and demos will look like. Now, more than ever before, we have time to thoughtfully look at who WWSRA is and begin to imagine the resource that we can be to all of you and your businesses. Our mission statement from the beginning has been to facilitate an efficient and effective buy/sell cycle for our industry’s reps & retailers. As we build on this mission statement, we are open and eager to hear your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for how we can best serve our community today and in the years to come.

We are looking forward to the future and seeing you all in person again soon, for some of you that will be at our January Denver & SLC shows.

Take care, be well, and have a wonderful holiday season!

We realize this will make SkiTalk's job harder to get on next years gear. But we have been proactive with brands to schedule some one-on-one micro demos.

 

[DanoT]

I'm thinking that ski reps will likely step up the shipping of next season's demos skis to individual shops for their employees to test and then place orders.

 

[Philpug]

I'm thinking that ski reps will likely step up the shipping of next season's demos skis to individual shops for their employees to test and then place orders.

Demo product will be at a premium this year, I talked to oen rep that handles a smaller clothing line and there is going to be one sample collection that al the reps will share. Many reps in our region are setting up small "showrooms" at the mountains. I am expecting a lot of micro demos.

 

[Tricia]

Demo product will be at a premium this year, I talked to oen rep that handles a smaller clothing line and there is going to be one sample collection that al the reps will share. Many reps in our region are setting up small "showrooms" at the mountains. I am expecting a lot of micro demos.

Its definitely going to be an intersitng demo/product intro year.

 

[ski otter 2]

How does this organization relate to the SIA event in February? And the National Rep demos (just two of them on the Frontrange at most, normally)? Is this the organization behind those two national rep demos here?

 

[Tricia]

How does this organization relate to the SIA event in February? And the National Rep demos (just two of them on the Frontrange at most, normally)? Is this the organization behind those two national rep demos here?

Yes. WWSRA oversees that event which is included in this cancelation.

 

[AmyPJ]

Salomon/Atomic have tents for "insiders" set up at Snowbasin periodically.

 

[ski otter 2]

Salomon/Atomic have tents for "insiders" set up at Snowbasin periodically.

Traditionally, it's the same here: last year, often almost unannounced. I made it to such an "industry" demo last year for Rossi/Dynastar. Also Atomic/Salomon. Another was for Icelantic, but they let regular "civilians" demo also, if they asked. (So if you see one, ask.)

They often have a larger selection than they would for their public demos.

(The reps are doing it on a more informal basis, so maybe this will happen this year, for their buying shops - I'll be checking in with my favorites for these, just in case. Gotta stay hopeful.)

 

[AmyPJ]

Traditionally, it's the same here: last year, often almost unannounced. I made it to such an "industry" demo last year for Rossi/Dynastar. Also Atomic/Salomon. Another was for Icelantic, but they let regular "civilians" demo also, if they asked. (So if you see one, ask.)

They often have a larger selection than they would for their public demos.

(The reps are doing it on a more informal basis, so maybe this will happen this year, for their buying shops - I'll be checking in with my favorites for these, just in case. Gotta stay hopeful.)

Now that you mention it, Rossi has also been set up here in the past. I definitely have a few of their newest offerings in mind I'd like to get out on. (Rallybird, for one.)