Hey guys, first up, apologies about the time between drinks, i've been very busy!
Has any one seen **or been on, the new 2009 Fischer WC SL?
The only thing i can think of is possible aero reduction by allowing air to flow through the tip.. but it could also provide some extra torsional rigity to the ski? However they still make a 'full tip' version, and another note, the WC GS doesnt come in the 'tip hole' version.
I was thinking about this before. I think in powder skis it would be anegative effect as it may cause the tips to sink from a lack of float by the tip.
Back in the 80's somebody was making skis like the ones you pictured. I don't think in slalom wind resistance is as big a deal. I bet the hollow tips affect swing weight and/or vibration.
Hi,
I am a ski racer and am supported by Fischer. The ski is supposed to take out vibration. As much as a third. That way when you are on edge your carve is smoother.
Also it was Fischer that experimented with that in the 80's.
Hey there,
I'm also a racer - I finished up my last season of NCAA D-I eligibility this past spring and have, at least for now, put gate bashing aside. That said, I've skiied Fisher for 7 years. When the guys on the world cup started using the new skis sometime last January, I talked to my rep and one of the heads of Fischer U.S (the father of a teammate of mine). Yes, the cutouts are supposed to help dampen vibrations, much like the "frequency tuning" is supposed to (which I maintain to this day is as gimmicy as gimmics get), but this actually holds water. By reducing the mass of the ski at it's extremities (somewhat notably), the vibrating tip and tail (which usually vibrate far more than the rest of the ski) exert far less force on the rest of the ski, meaning less vibration. I haven't skiied on these skis, so I can't say whether it works. Friends who have haven't noticed the dampening effects much - what they have noticed (and praised) is the lower swing weight of the ski (in effect, a lower moment of inertia). This is helpful particurally in tight, hairy situations when you need to stivot - or "push" the ski around at the top of the turn before beginning to carve the ski into and through the fall line. This, at least to me, is the real benefit of the cutouts. As someone pointed out, companies did a very similar thing a few decades ago to reduce air resistance. If you look at any and every pair of speed skis out there today, not a single one has a cutout tip, so the effect must have been negligable. Moreover, now that speed skis have snubbed (super low profile) tips, there really isn't a place to put a cutout.
