Candide Thovex is one of the most famous legendary athletes not only in the ski world but also in the global action sports scene. After terminating his long-standing sponsorship contract with QUIKSILVER FACTION, he launched his own brand, "CANDIDE," in the 2021-2022 season, as everyone knows. Following the release of apparel, skis were finally released last year, creating a buzz but the details were never revealed until this winter, when the full line was finally unveiled
Candide Thovex's "Now" in 27 seconds
This video was released just recently on January 29th. It is a scene from Candide's hometown of Tignes, France, but some people may be wondering, "Wait a minute, how old is Candide now?"
Back in 1999, during the dawn of freeskiing, Candide was described as an incredible 16-year-old kid, but now he's 42 years old. And yet he managed to pull off this incredible double backflip! Candide's trademark spectacular performance hasn't changed at all since he was in his teens and twenties. Shortly after the video was released, USA's POWDER magazine commented, "27 seconds. More than enough time to fully express Candide's greatness. His riding, like fine wine, only matures with age. I've never seen such a refined double backflip. At 42 years old, his physique and passion are nothing short of impressive."
CANDIDE, a signature brand by the "skating legend"
Candide has continued to amaze and inspire the world with his radical ideas and stylish riding, even skiing down the Great Wall of China. His illustrious career includes being the first Frenchman to win a gold medal at the Winter X-Games, dominating all three disciplines: Big Air, Slopestyle, and Superpipe, and overcoming a serious injury to win the FWT
"ONE OF THOSE DAYS" in 2015 that made Candide the most famous skier in the world . He stunned the world with his mind-blowingly crazy ski runs, and has since produced countless videos that have been viewed millions of times. The records that Candide has set and the impact he has had on the scene are immeasurable, and it's fair to say that Candide is a legend among legends who has truly evolved freeskiing.
As the culmination of his athletic career, Candide has finally produced his own brand, "CANDIDE." It was launched in the 2021-2022 season with a wide range of outerwear, apparel, accessories, and more. All products are conceived, designed, and produced under the supervision of Candide Thovex, making it a signature brand
After a 10-year partnership with FACTION SKI, the long-awaited skis were finally released for the 2023-2024 season. While the design was available at an exhibition last year, the final product was still in the sample stage and had not yet been revealed. They were finally released to the world in the fall of 2023, along with the Candide skis
The answer to a lifelong quest: three skis
"The lifetime research," as Candide calls it, is the ultimate ski born from the long pursuit of his skiing career. The lineup includes three models that represent Candide's passion: the AK121, BC111, and RESORT101
When they were first released on the official website's online store in early November, they reportedly sold out instantly in just 24 hours. Subsequent releases have also seen successive sell-outs, and as of early February, the only size left on the official website's online store is the AK121, size 179cm, which has proven to be extremely popular. What kind of skis have Candide fans and core skiers around the world been dying to get their hands on? Let's take a closer look
Technologies common to all three models
One of the key technologies shared across the first three models in this highly anticipated launch is the Triple Radius Sidecut. The three different sidecuts provide exceptional turning performance. The three radii allow for ease of turn initiation, exceptional stability at high speeds, and excellent turn agility. The result is a ski with superior maneuverability, allowing it to perform turns in a variety of mountain conditions and situations
And then there's the "C-LIGHT CORE" construction. The design features a paulownia and poplar wood core wrapped in fiberglass and carbon fiber, resulting in superior durability and light weight. The wood used is FSC wood, harvested from responsibly managed forests, ensuring environmental consideration. The base is P-TEX 4000, the gold standard for superior glide and durability
All three models come with Candid's personal binding attachment points and standard binding points that are suitable for most skiers and terrain.
Let's take a look at the specs for each of the three models.
The AK121
is an unbeatable big mountain ski boasting incredible speed, buoyancy and versatility.
The AK 121 has the widest waist width of the series at 121mm and the stiffest flex. This model is designed especially for experts who want to ski a variety of terrain at high speeds. Whether it's deep powder, steep slopes, big gap drops, or Candid's favorite, lightning-fast straight runs down snowy mountains, the AK 121 is the ultimate ski. The name AK must have been inspired by the big mountains of Alaska
The poplar and paulownia wood core provides an excellent balance of stiffness, lightness, and flexibility, while the carbon-wrapped construction ensures durability and responsiveness. The big fat design, with 515mm of top rocker, zero camber, and 485mm of tail rocker, not only ensures maximum float in powder, but also provides a well-balanced form that allows for versatile skiing in all snow conditions. At just 2000g for a 184cm ski, the C-LIGHT CORE keeps the ski light and enhances responsiveness
BC111:
High-performance all-mountain ski for both on and off-piste riding
The BC111 has an asymmetrical rocker with a 505mm tip and a 485mm tail, which is more subdued than the AK121 but faster and stronger than the RESORT101. The effective edge is quite short, and the 111mm waist provides a solid floating feel in powder. The three radii are each 1m narrower than the AK121, making it more versatile for a variety of riding situations. The 1mm camber provides stability at high speeds when stepping in. Yet, at just 1900g @ 186cm, it's also lightweight and easy to handle
While its bigger brother, the AK 121, is big and fat, offering aggressive, Candid-like performance on big mountains, and its younger brother, the RESORT 101, is perfect for agile, poppy riding on slopes and in parks, the BC 111 excels in its versatility and versatility for all-mountain riding. It's a versatile model that's great for both off-piste and on-piste skiing in less-than-ideal conditions
RESORT 101
Lightweight freestyle ski with exceptional pop and agility
The RESORT101 is the perfect model for agile movement in the park or on the slopes. Its camber is 2mm, tip and tail rocker are both 440mm, and the three sidecut radii are significantly smaller than the AK121 and BC11. This allows for quick turn initiation, a grippy feel, and good tail release. The twin tip with symmetrical rocker on the tip and tail is, of course, designed for sliding in both forward and backward directions
The Paulownia and Poplar wood core is sandwiched between layers of fiberglass and carbon for durability and lightness, while the responsive core provides exceptional pop, making it perfect for freestyle moves like airs, jibs, and slashes on the slopes and in the park
The binding offers two mounting points: a Candid personal mounting point (2.5cm back of the center) and a regular mounting point 4cm back of the center that suits most skiers and terrain
Where can I buy CANDIDE SKI in Japan?
This is Candide's first signature ski, and it will be sold worldwide from the very first year, not only in Europe, but also in Scandinavia, North America, and Japan
Like CANDIDE apparel, the products are sold in Japan by Hasco Enterprises Co., Ltd. There are about 12 shops in Japan that stock CANDIDE SKIs, mainly professional shops that specialize in freeride. There's a good chance they're on the shelves right now. Be sure to pick one up!
You can find retailers by checking the STORE LOCATOR
Information
◆Handling: Hasco Enterprise Co., Ltd.
https://www.hasco.co.jp/
Official website: https://www.candideskis.co/
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