Kastle: New Outfitter To DSV Skipool

Austrian ski brand Kästle has just signed an equipment deal with the German Ski Association (DSV) to supply skis for cross-country, biathlon, Nordic combined and ski jumping.

The first few junior rising stars have already signed up and the coming season looks promising. Because of the huge success Kästle enjoys in the world of alpine skiing, it is still less well known that the premium brand also has a history and proven track record in the Nordic scene. In 1985, Norwegian Annette Bøe secured 2 gold medals at the World Championships in Seefeld, Austria, on Kästle skis.

In 2019, almost 35 years later, the World Cup in Davos saw Kästle celebrate a comeback in the Nordic circuit. And the following winter, their new cross-country range was already available in shops and won top scores in a host of independent test reviews.

This coming season, Kästle’s offering will include cross-country, race, performance and touring skis as well as poles, roller skis and jump skis. The 2019/20 season saw Kästle already finish in the top 20 at the Cross-Country World Cup and Visma Ski Classics, and Kästle’s own Alpen Loppet Team earned 15 podium places in 17 amateur races.

Their 2020 début at the Vierschanzentournee (Four Hills Tournament) in Austria with Filip Sakala proved very promising.

2019/20 amateur race wins on Kästle skis

• Alexis Jeannerod, Les Belles Combes (FRA), 55 km classic
• Fabian Štoček, Gatineau Loppet (CAN), 50 km classic
• Nils Weirich, Ganghofer Marathon (GER), 50 km F
• Kasper Trutnov and Team, Krkonošská 70, 70 km F
• Felix Kappelsberger, Seefeld (AUT), 30 km classic

The DSV athletes can opt for Kästle cross-country skis or jump skis The dedication with which Kästle made its comeback in the Nordic scene wasn’t lost on senior members of the DSV team. And so, in May 2020, an equipment contract was drawn up for the next 4 seasons.

Bavarian Markus Meister is responsible for sales and racing events in German-speaking countries for Kästle – he was previously at Amer Sport for many years. “After carrying out thorough in-house tests, we were hugely impressed with the Kästle skis and happy to have them for our racers. It’s also great to have Markus Meister, who is well liked, and we are already familiar with, as our main contact,” says Fritz Hollweck of DSV Skipool.

Both DSV and Kästle are now keen to further develop their relationship over the coming seasons. The first two amateur racers have already signed up to ski on Kästles in cross-country and biathlon – with further discussions currently taking place. Essentially, Kästle skis are available to the DSV athletes for any discipline (cross-country, biathlon, nordic combined and ski jumping).

“The big advantage with Kästle, both for the German athletes and for the association, is that aside from Fischer, Kästle is the only brand that makes both cross-country and jump skis” explains Meister. Kästle has a Nordic centre of excellence at its manufacturing site at Nové Město na Moravě, in the Czech Republic.

The area is home to numerous biathlons and cross-country ski events and has specialised in the production of Nordic skis for decades. With the likes of Martin Petrasek (CrossCountry World Cup bronze), Vit Fousek (former ski technician for World Cup Champion Lukáš Bauer) and Petr Kutal (former World Cup competitor in Nordic combined)

Kästle has a wealth of experience to rely on for the development of its premium competition-grade Nordic skis.