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WATERSKI MagazineWebster's dictionary defines an opus as “a creative work, primarily a musical composition numbered to designate the order of the composer's work.” Using the music he has created on water as a metaphor for ski design, Pat Connelly's new company, Iconn, introduces its best first: the Opus 1.
Connelly has more than 40 years of experience in ski design and has been the brain behind several of the most successful skis ever, including the Concept, HP and Shadow. With a new company, a fresh start and cutting-edge ideas, Pat Connelly has set out to be a leader in the rebirth of competition slalom skis.
The central idea behind the Opus 1 was to build a ski that optimizes the natural physics of slalom skiing. In effect, it's built to be easier to ride and help skiers move off the performance plateau and onto the winner's stand.
We're happy to report that the Opus skis in the Connelly design tradition: It rides high in the water, is easy to turn, has smooth edge changes and is fast out of the turn. Yet it's not just a re-tooled design. Iconn has built in a “three-stage rocker” and moved the pivot point back toward the fin to create a ski that responds quickly underfoot. The triangular tip and bevels almost resemble those of the mid-'80s MasterCraft ski line. The test team found the Opus easy to ride and very forgiving. It seemed to work best for skiers who have a rhythm style (like a Lucky Lowe), long turns and little body movement.
