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It was a stormy cold day at the Mammoth biathlon event and nobody could see a thing. Wet damp snow coupled with windy conditions made for a touch cross country ski race. Visibility was difficult since normal sunglasses just iced up. But the Casco Nordic Spirit Competition eyewear saved the day for an elite few. Continue reading
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Feb 04, 2013 /prREACH/ -- The annual race held at 9000 feet in Mammoth Lakes has been noted as the highest biathlon event in the US. The biathlon event combined cross country skiing with target shooting, and has been an increasingly popular sport among winter athletes. Racers showed up from all over the country and included elite athletes, citizen racers, a team of hard core national guard, wounded warriors, as well as paralymptic athletes. But the weather put a big damper on skier visibility. The Casco Nordic Spirit Competition however, saved the day for a few of those athletes.
The fourth annual event provided some tough conditions, not only because of the highly technical race course, but the stormy weather. A part from the elevation, which left even the elite athletes gasping for breath, the race course featured steep hills and sharp turns. As the race day developed, a storm rolled in, as is common in the Eastern Sierras of California. It started snowing, then it started blowing and visibility dropped dramatically. Most athletes, whether experienced or novice, had a hard time not only seeing, but target shooting as well. Those that wore Casco Nordic eyewear had a definitive advantage over others. The Casco Nordic Spirit Competition eyewear has been a favorite amongst biathletes and world cup cross country skiers since they emerged less than 5 years ago. Top athletes such as Petter Northug of Norway, use this eyewear during races. At the Mammoth biathlon a few athletes came prepared for the weather and brought these innovative goggles designed for this all kinds of weather.
"I borrowed a friend's Casco eyewear for the race after my sunglasses became completely useless with snow and ice and couldn't believe how well I could see." remarked local athlete Linda Robbins. The Cascos were the perfect eyewear for the day. The photochromatic lens is designed for when the light changes, and it sits above the nose so it doesn't fog up, particularly when the race event elevates breathing. Breathing at 9,000 feet is not easy. These lenses, manufactured by a German company, are fogproof and waterproof. So instead of the blowing snow sticking to the sunglasses and fogging them up, the snow flowed down the lens and left the skiers seeing the course, particularly the highly technical turns.
The Casco Nordic Spirit Competition was originally designed for biathletes. "Casco's unique swivel up lens make one less step to think about when you have to lower your heart rate and get down to shooting." says Clayton, an elite biathlete. On race day those athletes that wore this innovative goggle had a definitive advantage in visibility and ease of shooting over the other participants. When it comes down to shooting, whether prone or standing position, they easily flip up without having to take the glasses off. The Sprit Competition comes with two lenses - the photochromatic that changes with changing light, and an amber lens for low light conditions. The Nordic Spirit II offers different lens options.
The Mammoth biathlon is an annual event held annual in March in Mammoth Lakes, CA and is a fundraising event for the local junior nordic program. Casco eyewear can be purchased at www.XCSkiStore.com .