A long term commitmentLongines and Alpine Ski
Longines, the well known Swiss watch brand, will continue to ensure precision in sports timing at the disposal of world-class skiing. As the official timekeeper for the World Cup Alpine ski competitions and the Alpine World Ski Championships organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS), Longines will be present on the slopes within a long term commitment.
This year the brand will introduce the official watch of the season, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph, a model that embodies the precision and performance of alpine ski. Last but not least, Longines would like to take the opportunity to wish its Ambassador of Elegance, the Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, every success in the coming events.
Alpine ski racing relies on 100% accurate timing
Gian Franco Kasper,FIS President, commented: “FIS is delighted that the vast partnership between Longines and the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup continues to grow. This new agreement with Longines represents significant value for FIS and all the Organizers of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events. Annually, some 80 competitions will be staged world-wide on the two separate World Cup tours for ladies and men, which require an experienced global partner equipped to handle this massive task. The sport of Alpine ski racing relies on 100% accurate timing - with Longines we know that we are in the best possible hands.”
Official Timekeeper
Walter von Känel, President of Longines, said, “Longines is looking forward to the new alpine ski season and the magnificent competitions that we can expect. We are delighted to be present in all the countries of the FIS World Cup! The long term commitment as Official Timekeeper will give Longines the possibility to develop and optimize timing and data handling technologies.”
During the 2011-2012 ski season, FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competitions will be held in Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland and USA.
The brand’s long association with competitive ski started in Chamonix in 1933. The winter contracts for timing international skiing events that followed gave Longines the opportunity to introduce many technological innovations, since each era has presented its own specific demands. Over time, the technical requirements in timekeeping have become much more stringent. For the men’s downhill, for example, the FIS now requires five intermediate times and two speed measurements as well as the final time. In addition, all measurements must be to one hundredth of a second.
During the 2011-2012 skiing season Longines will introduce its official watch of the season: The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph. The timing features of this model combined with a classical design make it a contemporary watch that echoes the great tradition of mechanical timing in the world of sport. The self-winding, chronograph movement has a column wheel which drives the mechanism that measures periods of time and which is characterized by an exceptional operating comfort. The blued steel column wheel controls the chronograph functions (start, stop, return to zero) and is part of a work of art that is a stylized update of the traditional technique. The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph model continues the brand’s horological heritage into the 21st century.
During the coming season all eyes will be on Aksel Lund Svindal, one of Longines’ Ambassadors of Elegance. His performance during the 2010-2011 season was truly outstanding and Longines takes this opportunity to congratulate him and wish him every success during the coming months. The brand is looking forward to seeing its Ambassador of Elegance on the podium again very soon.