Today’s testing in West Yellowstone finally featured the cold overnight temperatures that have been promised for tomorrow’s sprint races, and the test results showed some unsurprising new trends. Harder paraffin solutions jumped to the front of testing, and a shell of synthetic paraffin hardener appeared to offer a very good benefit. The paraffin skis all slowed considerably during testing. The fluoro skis held their speed better, and appeared to offer considerable performance advantages.
Based on testing and experience in West Yellowstone, we recommend using a neutral LF base paraffin. We don’t believe that these conditions require or reward the kind of extensive hardening that multiple layers of green paraffin provide. It’s good to leave some elasticity in the bulk properties of the base material. Based on the tendency of the skis to slow down after the initial testing run, I would recommend re-brushing all race skis after an initial lap on the snow, and before the application of fluoro toppings.
For preparation this evening, we recommend the following:
Vauhti LF Base – 1 layer. Let it cool, scrape, and brush.
Vauhti LF Green – 1 layer. Let it cool completely (minimum 20 minutes), scrape and brush.
Vauhti 30F hardener (that’s the green one). Leave it on the skis.
We will retest a ton of top-coats tomorrow morning. Today the hfC21.1 liquid was our winner, ahead of the hfC15.1 liquid. Both with significantly better than any other solutions. Please check in with Austin and Amy at the venue tomorrow for recommendations on top-coats and hand-structure.
Up to this point the testing has been conducted in tracks using the speed trap, with confirmation testing done by feeling. Tomorrow the testing will all be based on feeling, with both Austin and Amy working as test pilots. It will be important to feel skis on the whole sprint course and to add some interpretation to the decision making.