From Russia with…
Its 10pm and I am sitting on the S7 Airbus heading back to Moscow after 8 days in Tolyatti and reflecting on what has just happened and how.
This story goes back to an article published after my return from Antarctica in a sister adventure magazine. In this article I flippantly said “If anyone is interested in snowsailing and getting a snowsailer please email me….!” Well 146 enquiries later Rob and I found ourselves re-designing a snowsailer that can pack down into 3 bags for ease of transportation.
Understanding how a snowsailer works and how it’s all in the frame and snowboards we built a prototype using the same specs as the original. OK so now we have this framework, we need to cut it into segments so it folds into bags, redesign the sails and wear bars, and have the canopy and seat made.
2 months later this was achieved and THE SWOOSH was born. Now I needed a way to show the world how a couple of guys from Brisbane can build products in Brisbane that can be sold to the Northern Hemisphere and at the same time introduce a brand new sport to the world.
I decided to contact WISSA, the World Ice and Snow Sailing Association who have their annual World Championships. This event was to be held in the City of Tolyatti, Russia from the 20th – 26th February 2017. The organising committee had a good look at the product and invited us to launch it to the world at this event and at the same time race in the marathon events they hold.
This was a fantastic opportunity for us and with the help of our great partners we were able to make this happen.
After a 30 hour journey from Brisbane I arrived in Tolyatti at 10pm. I was met at the airport by Giuseppe Coco, Outer Edge’s Marketing Manager, Staff from Snowkite Russia and a TV crew…. I had a quite chuckle to myself as I did the interview and was asked the same question I get everywhere, “How do you know how to build a Snowsailer when you live in Brisbane which has no snow?”
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