SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 8, 2024) — Two groundbreaking Utah-based ski industry manufacturers, DPS Skis and PHANTOM Glide, announce the hire of two-time Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety as head of product performance. Ligety will help develop DPS and PHANTOM Glide’s product lineups, working closely with senior vice president, Thomas Laakso, as well as DPS founder, Peter Turner. Further deepening his partnership, Ligety is also a shareholder in both brands 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,” says 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. Renowned 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.
“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,” says 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 support in refining DPS’ current product offering while also helping to develop the next generation of DPS skis. With new carbon production processes and performance testing on the horizon, DPS is poised for a new chapter of ski design and manufacturing, all 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,” says 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.”
For information on DPS or PHANTOM Glide, please contact PR manager Ryan Silven at ryan.silven@rygr.us.
About DPS Skis: Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah, DPS designs the world’s most advanced ski products by fusing space-age carbon technology with groundbreaking shapes. DPS is responsible for the world’s first and only pure pre-impregnated carbon fiber sandwich ski, the first 120mm-waisted powder pintail, the first rockered ski with sidecut, and PHANTOM, a paradigm-shifting permanent, one-time application base-coating that forever eliminates the need for waxing skis and snowboards. DPS products are sold on five continents and are the trusted brand of choice for serious skiers worldwide. www.dpsskis.com
About PHANTOM Glide:
Developed by a team of expert chemists and material science engineers, PHANTOM Glide’s patent-pending formula creates a hydrophobic environment that offers three undeniable benefits. First, unlike topical wax, PHANTOM Glide is only applied once and permanently alters the chemistry of ski and board bases to improve baseline glide for the life of the product. Second, PHANTOM Glide offers consistently fast on-snow gliding performance across a broad range of conditions and temperatures. Third, and most importantly, PHANTOM Glide is made up of non-reactive chemical functional groups that are both inert to the environment and safe to those applying it. For more on PHANTOM Glide visit dpsskis.com/phantom.
Media Contact:
Ryan Silven
970-924-0704 ext. 2114
