Utah-based DPS Skis and Phantom Glide announced that Ted Ligety has joined the company full-time. A two-time American Olympic gold medalist and co-founder of Shred Optics, Ligety won the combined event at the 2006 Olympics in Turin and the giant slalom race at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.
Ligety will help develop the DPS and Phantom Glide product lines, working with Senior VP Thomas Laakso and DPS Founder Peter Turner. Ligety is also a brand shareholder and will act as an athlete and spokesperson for DPS and Phantom Glide.
“Ted Ligety is an American ski racing icon, and his skiing reputation is without question. Ted’s creativity, hunger for perfection, and insights into ski dynamics and design will elevate our product development,” said Laakso. “With his unparalleled expertise and passion for skiing, Ted will be a key component of notable upcoming brand partnerships where DPS will push the envelope of what’s possible in carbon ski design and manufacturing.”
A member of the U.S. Ski Team for 18 seasons, Ligety has 25 World Cup wins under his belt and is regarded as one of the best giant slalom skiers in ski racing history. Known for his technical prowess and innovative approach to alpine skiing, Ligety “brings a wealth of knowledge from years of developing and testing race skis and innovating with his protection and eyewear company, Shred. His expertise will be instrumental in creating high-performance skis that deliver exceptional carving and all-mountain capabilities for skiers seeking excitement and versatility on frontside terrain,” said DPS Skis and Phantom Glide.
“Joining DPS Skis is an exciting new chapter for me. DPS has a rich history of innovation in carbon fiber ski manufacturing right here in Salt Lake City. The brand’s ability to produce prototypes in the morning that you can ski on in the afternoon is unheard of in the ski industry,” said Ligety. “DPS has been marrying revolutionary ski designs with advanced carbon fiber constructions for some time. But now, we’re taking that history of innovation and combining it with new ways of manufacturing to create the best-performing and longest-lasting skis.”
Ligety will help “refine DPS’ product offering and develop the next generation of DPS Skis. With new carbon production processes and performance testing on the horizon.” DPS also noted that it “is poised for a new chapter of ski design and manufacturing from the brand’s headquarters at the foot of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains.”
“Ted’s commitment to excellence and his forward-thinking approach makes him the perfect addition to our team,” said Turner. “With our state-of-the-art manufacturing and engineering capabilities combined with Ted’s expertise, we are confident that our strengthened product team will allow us to take our ski designs to the next level of frontside, backside and backcountry performance.”
Image courtesy DPS Skis/Phantom Glide
