Marcel Hirscher partners with WINTERSTEIGER
The eight-time overall World Cup winner has chosen the global leader to work with his VAN DEER brand.
“After 15 years competing on the [World Cup] ski circuit, my manager Dominic Tritscher and I decided to create our own winter sports brand. In the 2021/22 season we created our first collection with various ski models and successfully distributed them via sports retailers,” states a delighted Hirscher. From the start, the skis were finished using the new Jupiter automated service machines at long-term premium partner Bründl Sports' new flagship store in Kaprun. It was their recommendation, along with the highly professional WINTERSTEIGER sales and development team, that caught the interest of the eight-time overall World Cup winner. In the fall of 2021, Marcel Hirscher and none other than Ferdinand Hirscher, father of the two-time Olympic champion, secretly tested a large number of service options to decide which to use for their skis. Marcel Hirscher himself was 100 percent convinced by the results from the very beginning.
Having tested the skis, both parties were certain that a partnership was the best way of achieving VAN DEER's ambitious goals. WINTERSTEIGER's task was clear: to plan and implement a complete service concept for the new site in Annaberg. WINTERSTEIGER racing expert Emanuel Mayringer worked with specialists to develop the overall concept for the ski service and boot-fitting workshop. “WINTERSTEIGER is the perfect tuning partner for VAN DEER. We share the same values and aspirations. I'm really looking forward to working together and going exciting places as a team,” explains Hirscher.
New edge technology and machine digitization proved decisive.
The Jupiter for Marcel Hirscher was installed at the Annaberg site in April 2022. Emanuel Mayringer had this to say about the new technology: “We are very proud that the former world number one skier and the entire VAN DEER team has opted for the WINTERSTEIGER concept. This is another confirmation of our innovative capacity and position as the global market leader. The new V-Edge edge technology, digital ski recognition, and the entire professional service team were the key factors behind this decision.” The innovative V-Edge technology allows base and side edges to be precisely ground along the entire length of the ski with variable angles in the tip and tail areas. When developing the V-Edge, WINTERSTEIGER combined two elements: optimum edge grip and easy control of the ski. Skiing is more fun and skiers are safer, creating perfect conditions for everyone, from leisure skiers to racers. Jupiter-ground skis deliver an entirely new skiing experience.
Daniel Steininger, General Manager of Division Sports at WINTERSTEIGER AG, is optimistic about the years to come. “It's been a trying period for WINTERSTEIGER and the entire ski industry, which makes us all the more excited about new partnerships like this one with VAN DEER! It's a testament to our quality, innovation, and professionalism that new ski companies are choosing to work with WINTERSTEIGER, even in challenging times. Not only will the VAN DEER brand benefit from the partnership with WINTERSTEIGER, but we too will benefit from the transfer of expertise and the positive image of our new partnership with Marcel Hirscher and his team.”