Yellowknife (Oct 20/03) - Serious cross-country skiers who plan to compete in the South this season may want to add another pair of blades to their arsenal.

Fort Smith skiing sensation Sarah Daitch, now training in Canmore, Alta. said that waxless racing skis with "fish scales" on the bottom for traction are the latest thing on the market.

While the technology is not new, this is the first time that scaled skis - generally used by beginners and recreational skiers - have been designed for racing purposes.

Waxless skis retail at about $200 and up.

"When the temperature is around zero, it is really hard to get the wax right for the conditions," said Daitch, who already travels to competitions with a selection of eight sets of skis.

"I guess I'll be adding another pair to my bag."

It is probably a much cheaper option than Helix ski wax.

Helix is a pure fluorocarbon wax that actually adapts to the molecular structure of the snow, making skis waxed with Helix usable in any conditions.

Unfortunately, four ounces of Helix retails for $200. As for the latest in boots, new race formats, such as the continuous pursuit in which competitors either ski classic or skate for the first leg before switching styles to complete the second, have provided the inspiration for dual purpose boots.

According to Daitch, it was not uncommon for racers wanting to save time by not switching boots but to do on the spot "alterations" before clipping into a different set of skis. Classic skiing technique requires a more flexible boot contrasted with a sturdier, less-flexible boot used in skating.

Last year at the Cross-country Skiing World Championship in Italy, where Daitch competed in the under-23 category, she was fortunate to try out a pair of these latest hybrid boots.

"A World Cup racer who was not competing lent me her pair for my continuous pursuit," she said. "And they worked out lot better than having to cut my boots halfway through the race."

For the not-so-serious still looking for some excitement, Overlander Sports' Bill Stirling suggested the Salomon dual purpose back country and touring ski called the X-Adventure.