Skis Rossignol

History

The company was founded in 1907 by Abel Rossignol, who manufactured wood products (such as spindles) for the textile industry. Rossignol, a committed skier, used his carpentry skills to make a pair of skis out of solid wood. In 1937, Émile Allais of France became triple world champion on Rossignol Olympic 41 skis.

When Laurent Boix-Vives bought the company in 1956, the company only focused on skiing equipment and began to sell them worldwide. Rossignol had a breakthrough during the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, United States, when Jean Vuarnet of France won the downhill on Allais 60s, the company's first all-metal skis.

In 1964, Rossignol released the Strato, its first fiberglass ski.

In the 1970s, Rossignol set up a distribution company in the U.S., launching its first Nordic skis, and soon became the world's largest ski manufacturer. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Rossignol triumphed, winning six out of 10 gold medals in alpine events.

In 1990, Rossignol acquired the Caber boot factory in Italy and rebranded the product under the Rossignol label (Rossignol already controlled the Lange ski boot brand). The company also acquired the Geze and Look ski-bindings ranges, rebranding Geze. It soon moved into snowboards and mountain clothing.

Athletes using Rossignol products won at both the Winter Olympic games in Albertville and in Lillehammer.

In 2006, Huntington Beach, CA based Quiksilver acquired Rossignol only to sell the entity back in 2008. The debt incurred ultimately resulted in Quiksilver's bankruptcy.

Alberto Tomba of Italy, the dominant technical skier of the late 1980s and 1990s, raced on Rossignol skis.

Rossignol is the French word for nightingale.

Team riders and skiers

Freestyle

• Mike Hopkins

• Olivier Meynet

• Xavier Bertoni

• Lynsey Dyer

• Manu Gaidet

• Kattia Griffiths

• JF Houle

• Kye Petersen

• Dan Treadway Alpine

• Jean Claude Killy

• Pierrick Bourgeat

• Johan Clarey

• Didier Défago

• Gauthier de Tessieres

• Jean-Baptiste Grange

• Mattias Hargin

• Werner Heel

• Jan Hudec

• Christof Innerhofer

• Mike Janyk

• Lars Elton Myhre

• Manuel Osborne-Paradis

• Alessandro Roberto

• Jean-Philippe Roy

• Matik Skube

• Adrien Theaux

• Stéphane Tissot

• Silvan Zurbriggen

• Brigitte Acton

• Fränzi Aufdenblatten

• Anne-Sophie Barthet

• Nike Bent

• Marion Bertrand

• Catherine Borghi

• Stacey Cook

• Ana Drev

• Allison Forsyth

• Maria Pietilä Holmner

• Jessica Kelley

• Jessica Lindell-Vikarby

• Christina Lustenberger

• Tina Maze

• Urska Rabic

• Petra Robnik

• Geneviève Simard

• Vanessa Vidal

• Kathrin Wilhelm

• Tessa Worley

• Veronika Zuzulova

• Petra Vlhová

Snowboard

• Jonas Emery
• Mathieu Crépel
• Kjersti Buaas
• Xavier de Le Rue
• Jeremy Jones 1989–2009
• Wyatt Caldwell
• Beji Ritche
• Doriane Vidal
• Erin Valvarde Biathlon
• Martin Fourcade

References

• Chappaz, Gilles (2008) La légende Rossignol - 100 Ans Free Presse

References

1. "100 Years of Rossignol". International Skiing History Association.
2. (2025-01-24). "Head, Rossignol, Fischer, Kneissl: quand le ski faisait du tennis - Le Temps".
3. (1987-03-08). "Entrée Rossignol capture Le Trappeur".
4. Nouvelle, L'Usine. (1994-06-02). "Rossignol: Reprise des fixations Look".
5. (1 August 1994). "Rossignol va équiper ses skis de fixations Look". [[Les Echos (France).
6. "Rossignol - Partners".
7. (2005-03-22). "L'américain Quiksilver achète Skis Rossignol".
8. à 00h00, Par Le 22 mars 2005. (2005-03-21). "QuikSilver rachète Rossignol".
9. (2008-08-27). "Quiksilver conclut la ventede Rossignol".
10. (28 August 2008). "Quiksilver vend Rossignol à Macquarie". [[Les Echos (France).
11. (2015-09-09). "Le californien Quiksilver boit la tasse aux Etats-Unis". Les Echos.
12. (2015-09-09). "Le groupe Quiksilver en faillite - Le Temps".
13. "Rossignol International Team".