Elan ACE skis with Active Suspension Drive received gold innovation award from Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia

Elan's engineering and development team has again reached for the gold. Elan ACE skis, featuring revolutionary active suspension technology, have received the National Gold Innovation Award from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS). This marks Elan's fifth National Gold Innovation Award from CCIS, in addition to two Silver Innovation Awards received in previous years.

The latest generation of Elan ACE skis represents a major technological breakthrough in the development of skis for groomed slopes. At its core is Active Suspension Drive technology, developed by Elan's engineers in collaboration with the product management team, with one clear objective: to improve the ski's contact with the snow, reduce the vibrations generated while skiing and thereby elevate every skier's performance.

At high speeds, particularly on hard or uneven snow, a ski can vibrate and lose optimal contact with the surface. Elan addressed this challenge with two integrated dampers that effectively absorb vibrations and relieve stress at the tip and tail of the ski. Active Suspension Drive is based on the controlled transfer of force along the entire ski. Force is directed towards the tip for precise turn initiation, after which the load gradually shifts towards the rear of the ski. As a result, the ski responds more smoothly, maintains better contact with the snow, and gives the skier greater grip, stability, precision and control.

From left: Vesna Nahtigal, Director General of CCIS; Dr Anže Logar, Minister, Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport; Matej Božičnik, Senior Development Engineer, Elan Sports; Vinko Avguštin, R&D Director, Elan Sports; Klarisa Veselič, Product Operations Lead, Elan Sports; Dr Borut Rončević, Minister, Ministry of Education, Science and Youth; Kristian Naglič, Development Engineer, Elan Sports; Marko Kozjek, Senior Project and Laboratory Manager, Elan Sports; Matjaž Žagar, Development Engineer, Elan Sports.

“The Gold Award recognises the quality of our employees' work and the expertise we have been building here in Begunje for more than 80 years. Elan's path of innovation is driven by knowledge, skill and motivation, and the result is innovation that skiers can feel on the snow. Our ability to turn a good idea into a better skiing experience is what has always driven Elan forward,” said Žiga Schmidt, interim Director of Elan's Sports.

From the first carving revolution to Carving 2.0

Elan holds a special place in the history of modern skiing. In 1993, the SCX ski, with its pronounced sidecut, introduced carving. More than three decades later, with the new ACE Active Suspension Drive platform, Elan is once again pushing the boundaries of the skiing experience.

Even before receiving the national CCIS award, Elan ACE Active Suspension Drive had attracted the attention of the international sports industry. The ACE GSX model received an ISPO Award 2025, the leading international accolade for innovation, performance and product design in the sports industry.

*From left: Tina Milavec, Marketing Activities Coordinator, Elan Sports; Klarisa Veselič, Product Operations Lead, Elan Sports; Kristian Naglič, Development Engineer, Elan Sports; Matej Božičnik, Senior Development Engineer, Elan Sports; Vinko Avguštin, R&D Director, Elan Sports; Petra Lešnjak, Director of Legal, HR and Compliance, Elan d.o.o.; Miran Pristavec, Chief Operating Officer, Elan Sports; Andreja Kopitar, Corporate Communications Manager, Elan Sports.