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Cold Snap Delivers Slide Success
The UK snowsport industry wrapped up a successful three days at the Telford International Centre last week, with over 100 exhibitors bringing more than 230 different brands to the show
In the run-up to Slide, expectations were modest, largely due to the vagaries of the British weather. With winter 2012 making an unseasonally warm start, retailers remained well-stocked as the season progressed. The cold snap in early February, however, was a great confidence boost and the expectations of many suppliers were exceeded at Slide.
The unique number of visitors attending Slide was down on the previous year, at just shy of 600, but the quality remained as high as ever, with over 72% being key decision-makers and with numbers through the door exceeding the previous year’s totals on two out of the three days. Organiser, Lesley Beck, was pleased with the how the show went. “I’m happy that the trade is holding its own during the current tough trading conditions, and I think we can all look forward to the next 12 months with a little more confidence.”
Long-term exhibitors Ultra Sport confirmed that they were busy throughout the show, with Gordon Way confirming that, “My team were overloaded. New accounts were opened and orders are coming in, so Slide was a success for us”.
Mike Wise, sales manager at AMG Group confirmed the importance of Slide as a key event in the selling season, alongside ispo, and the Ski Test. As far as trade shows go, “Silde is the most important show for us”.
With a whole selection of exciting new brands attending Slide, seasoned perennial regulars and returning big brand names like Oakley, Quiksilver and adidas, there was a business-like buzz at Slide that the hardware element of the trade will take forward to the SIGB Ski Test.
The SIGB Ski Test takes place from 5th to 9th March at Kuhtai in Austria. More than 15 ski brands are expected to attend, with more than 600 pairs of skis for retailers and media to put through their paces.
