Elan Alpine Skiing Museum Opens Doors in Slovenia
Elan Skis, the Slovenian-based legacy supplier of handcrafted skis, announced the opening of the Elan Alpine Skiing Museum at the brand’s headquarters in Slovenia. The museum opened doors on June 21 by one of the best skiers of all times and legendary Elan athlete, Ingemar Stenmark.
The Elan Alpine Skiing Museum is located in Begunje na Gorenjskem, where the company has its production unit, and makes Elan the first ski producer with its own museum. Ski division director Leon Korošec said the museum was important because "Slovenia has an important place in the history of skiing and development of skiing equipment...The museum shows what we have done in the past and from where we get inspiration for the future," Korošec said at a news conference ahead of the museum launch.
The company has put on the market a number of products whose technology, design and characteristics have made alpine skiing history. The museum also showcases achievements of Elan's other divisions, including boats, air planes, sports equipment and wind turbines.
The company originated from a Slovene Partisan workshop that operated during the Second World War, when skis were produced for the Yugoslavian Partisan forces. Begunje fielded the only specialized Partisan ski-unit of Yugoslavia during the war. In 1949, the company started with production of small boats, like canoes and kayaks which was later expanded into the production of FRP boats and yachts. The company has also started the production of wide range of gym equipment and sports clothing. In 1978, the production of license-built DG gliders was started. In 1991 Elan company was split into several subdivisions which continue the production
As one of the world’s first commercial manufacturers of skiing equipment, Elan boasts more than seventy years of making skis. The pioneering spirit of the brand inspired the first museum of its kind to showcase a rich history filled with innovations.
From its early beginnings in 1945, Elan established itself with a reputation as a trend-setter and innovator, bringing new technologies and products to market that have changed the history of alpine skiing, from the SCX skis, considered to be the first skis with a deep side-cut shape, to the modern day Amphibio asymmetrical profile and foldable Ibex Tactix skis. The brand has had many achievements endorse the innovations including partnerships with accomplished athletes over the decades such as Stenmark, Bojan Križaj, Mateja Svet, Peter Prevc and Filip Flisar.
As a national treasure to its home country of Slovenia, the museum is a welcomed establishment to demonstrate the tradition and history of Elan.
“By opening the Elan Alpine Skiing Museum, Elan’s shareholders have the opportunity to provide a meaningful cultural contribution to the region, and to Slovenia as a whole,” said Elan Chief Executive Director, Jeffrey Tirman. “Elan is deeply woven into the fabric of the Slovene society and the museum provides a place where people from all over the world can visit and see some of the important contributions Elan has made to sporting history.”
In addition to a large tribute to alpine skiing, the museum exhibition also hosts displays for Elan’s other manufacturing divisions such as sailing vessels, airplanes, gym equipment and blades for wind power stations.
