From humble beginnings at the dry slope of Pendle Ski Club, Dave Ryding has become the UK’s most decorated slalom skier, with two podiums in two months taking him to fourth in the World Cup slalom table as of the beginning of March. So we thought we’d take a look at the gear behind the skier this winter and examine the brands taking Dave’s performance to new heights.
Outerwear – Fusalp
The official sponsors of the GB Snowsport Alpine and Para Alpine Ski Team, Fusalp’s new athlete competition and para guide suits offer a unique fusion of innovative high-performance fabrics and state-of-the-art aerodynamic qualities that will enhance speed and movement on the slopes.
Fusalp have been creating high-performance wear for alpine skiers since 1952, and this new range brings together all their expertise in technical execution and luxury style.
With dynamic graphics and distinctive colour palettes featuring a nod to Great Britain’s heritage, the suits retain an edge of style and elegance while the technical fabric and fit will push athletes to excel beyond their expectations.
“We all have big ambitions for the coming year, and further, and this partnership will really help us to make the most of the opportunities ahead of us”, Ryding said of the partnership with Fusalp earlier this season.
Fusalp is also the brand favoured by Britain’s most-decorated Winter Paralympian, Menna Fitzpatrick. Born visually impaired, with less than 5% overall vision, Fitzpatrick learnt to ski at just five years old. Since joining the British Para Snowsport’s Team, she has gone from strength to strength, and her four medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Paralympic Games made her one of the most decorated Winter Paralympians in history.
Fancy adding a little speed to your day-to-day ski? Channel your inner alpine racer this winter with the ready-to-wear collection of Fusalp x GB Snowsport, which will be available for purchase at Fusalp.com.
Skis – Fischer
Dave’s slalom weapon of choice? The Fischer RC4 Worldcup SL. This is a ski that generates massive power while maintaining perfect edge transitions and impressive acceleration. Pair with the RC4 Worldcup SL racing boot to make the most of Fischer’s RACE CODE guarantee, which sees all skis, boots and bindings in the RACE CODE line perfectly tuned to one another.
Boots – Fischer
Designed both with and for World Cup athletes, the Fischer Podium RD 150 delivers power, precision and progressive control that can handle the demands of any racecourse at even the highest of speeds.
Explore Fischer’s race range at fischersports.com
For more gear check out our 2022 Gear reviews