PRESS RELEASE

Faction skis are proud to announce their 2004/5 line-up of rider designed fat twins, as well as the relaunch of their website, with on-line ordering facilities and a whole heap of new screensavers, pictures, team profiles and more.

© Jordan Manley 2004After a successful first season with heaps of interest from the UK, all over Europe and North America, we've changed manufacturers to increase build quality, and used the opportunity to take the ideas and feedback from our team and customers to create a line-up of skis even more finely tuned to the needs of riders. We now make a range of four fat twins which will do anything, anywhere, over the entire mountain.

With a limited production run, and in order to make the skis affordable to the people we designed them for-- ­ seasonairres, ski bums, 100+ day a year skiers--­ the skis will only be available to buy on-line from our website at http://www.FactionSkis.com. Last season the skis sold out before production began, so be quick-­ they won¹t be available for long.

We've started off by adding a 169cm ski to the line-up. A full twin-tip designed for younger/lighter guys and girls, the "Dillinger" with 120/86/108 dimensions and a 16m radius sidecut is the perfect all-mountain weapon, at home in the park or in powder.

The "Wednesday" has been pushed up from 175 to 178cms and the tail height increased due to feedback. We've kept the same 122/88/110 dimensions, and added another layer of fibreglass to stiffen the ski a little, increase torsional rigidity and edge hold on hardpack, whilst still retaining its super smooth flex for maximum feel and forgiveness in the park. As a park or all-mountain ski for guys (depending on where its mounted) or a big-mountain ski for girls, it does it all - park, powder, trees, groomed - you name it - this ski can be taken anywhere.

© Faction Skis 2004The 185cm "3.Zero" has also been tweaked ­ by pumping up the dimensions to 125/95/115, increasing the tail height and adding another layer of fibreglass we¹ve built the perfect all mountain, all condition ski for advanced-expert guys. The 3.Zero is at home sessioning a back country kicker as it is straightlining a colouir or powder field.

To round off the line-up and to fulfill our teams demands, we¹ve introduced the "Thirteen." At 193cm with 125/95/115 dimensions and a 30m radius sidecut, the Thirteen is a stiff big mountain ski that wants to go fast. Anytime, anywhere. And preferably in a straight line. This ski will only be available in very limited numbers.

We don't use any marketing gimmicks-­ we hand-make solid, dependable, skis in carefully thought out shapes and sizes. Our skis are workhorses. They're designed to be ridden day-in, day-out. Rails, kickers, cliff drops, backcountry booters, powder fields, groomers.

All our skis use a traditional sandwich construction with full poplar/birch wood cores, fibreglass wrapping and vertical ABS sidewalls for light weight, strength, durability and consistent flex.

A new, harder top-sheet material, full wrap around steel edges and 2000 grade p-tex bases help make the skis durable and low maintenance.

Faction skis was launched last year by Tony McWilliam, an Australian whose been living and working in the ski fields of France, Canada and Australia for the last ten years. Now based in Verbier, Switzerland, he started making skis out of the dissatisfaction he felt with brands currently on the market, and the desire to create something new based entirely on the needs and demands of skiers. At the core of Faction skis is a close-knit group of Australians, English, Canadians, Americans, French, Swiss, Swedish and Finnish skiers, telemarkers, jibbers, big-mountain specialists, guys, girls ­ even boarders. People who each bring their unique perspective and personalities into what we do to create something that is truly unique.

Team member Martha Burley won the girls big-mountain section of the 2004 RIDE IFSA European Tour Freeskiing Finals in Verbier, Switzerland-­ on telemarks no less.

15year old Swede Kalle Fredrickson came second in the Junior section of the Playstation Air Games European Final in Pra Loup, France.

We¹re here to support the riders that are pushing our sport to the next level, building skis designed by riders, for riders. In the mountains, not in an office.

2004/5 ski specifications:

Name:DillingerWednesday3.zeroThirteenLength:169178185193Tip/waist/tail: (mm)120/86/108122/88/110125/95/115125/95/115Sidecut radius: (m)16212630