W studio

W StudioW Studio

At the W Studio we create and enhance skis that reflect your needs and wishes. Our innovation is fed by your desire to bring laughter and energy in the mountains.

An incredible power lies in women who succeed to be mothers, sisters, friends, partners, and leaders; and who always find time for their passions.

At Elan we are aware of the importance of leading women in all phases of development of women’s skis, from concept design to placement on shop shelves.

The W Studio is constantly looking at what innovations and ski technology can assure confidence, power & performance wherever on the mountain.

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W STUDIO TEAM

KELSEY SERWA

CANADA - Whistler

CAROLINE GLEICH

USA - Utah

Léa Bouard

FRANCE - Megève

TINA DI BATISTA

SLOVENIA - Ljubljana

MARTINA RADEKOVÁ

SLOVAKIA - Veľký Slavkov

BRITTANY PHELAN

CANADA - Quebec

MOLLY ARMANINO

USA - Tahoe

VIKTORIA WAHLEN

SWEDEN - Stockholm

COURTNEY HOFFOS

CANADA - Calgary

JADE GRILLET-AUBERT 

FRANCE - Châtel

JENNI KAIPAINEN

FINLAND - Pelkosenniemi

CLOTILDE GRENIER

FRANCE - Domerat

Sonnia Höffken

GERMANY - Munich

LAUREN SALKO

USA - Utah

MANJA PERNEK

SLOVENIA - Maribor

CLARA GREB

USA - Montana

ANA PIŠOT

SLOVENIA - Koper

Kelsey Serwa

Canada

Former racer, inspiraition to us all

Kelsey is one of the best ski cross racers of the last decade. The list of her successes is a long one: double X Games winner, World Champion, gold Olympic medalist and winner of eight World Cup races. She revels in new experiences and sharing them with good friends but is also very dedicated and passionate about her goals. Recently retired from the racing circuit, Kelsey aspires to become a physiotherapist, but will continue to do what she loves the most: ski. Follow Kelsey and fellow Elan teammate, Brittany Phelan on Instagram for their Wacky Workout Wednesdays, a collection of weird and wonderful workouts to keep things fun and entertaining.

Brittany Phelan

Canada

Ski Cross

Just a few seasons ago Brittany was racing through slalom and GS gates. Now she prefers to share her course with three other girls in ski cross races. Since a young girl she has dreamed of going to the Olympics and since living that dream her goals have gotten bigger with a podium career. Her racing and active lifestyle demands a lot from her skis, giving the W Studio the best feedback to make powerful skis. When she is not skiing, she is racing mountain bikes. Her favorite music artist is Michael Jackson, she enjoys Harry Potter books and her favorite place on the planet is Whistler, British Columbia although she comes from Eastern Canada. 

OTHER W STUDIO MEMBERS

Molly Armanino

USA

Competitive freeride skier with a race and coaching background

Molly Armanino is a freeskier living in South Lake Tahoe, California. She grew up ski racing and now competes on the Freeride World Qualifier circuit. In addition to competing, you can find Molly seeking adventure in the backcountry, climbing high peaks in the Sierra, and enjoying good times in the mountains with friends and her dog Choss.  In addition, Molly works for an environmental consulting agency with a mission to improve the environment by developing programs that enhance sustainable and healthy communities. Combining her passion for skiing and nature is what fuels her to explore the mountains, encourage women and young girls to charge on the slopes, and care for the environment that gives us an opportunity for good times!

Tina Di Batista

Slovenia

Family Adventure

Tina was the first Slovenian woman to deal with the three great problems of the Alps, the north faces of the Eiger, Matterhorn and Grandes Jorasses in winter. “I started skiing even before I started climbing, at age four. First on pistes and in resorts, but I soon dedicated myself to skiing off the beaten track and ski touring. Ever since my first pair of touring skis I sought for the perfect ski. One that would be light enough for multi day trips in the Alps, but still reliable and stable on the descent. This is a winning combination, but it is hard to find in a flood of touring skis. Elan’s Ibex was ideal. But what convinced me to stay loyal to Elan was the women’s Ibex line in special feminine colorways, but with all the technical characteristics of a full on touring ski.”

Clara Greb

USA

Competitive freeride skier with a coaching background

Clara is a 19-year-old skier from Shepherd, Montana competing on the Freeride World Qualifier. With Big Sky as her home mountain, Clara loves big lines and good times. Her goal is to qualify for the Freeride World Tour. When Clara’s not searching for snow you can find her riding horses, hiking with her dogs, or paddle boarding.

Clara is excited to join the Elan team and be a part of helping other skiers experience always good times!

Manja Pernek

Slovenia

National demo team member, Slovene ski Association

Manja Pernek is one of the best ski instructors in Slovenia and a member of the national Slovenian demo team. As a former Elan ski racer, her life is dedicated to the sport of skiing. She has contributed to the W-studio through numerous women prototype tests and women-specific design research. She lives by Elan's "Always Good Times" motto by skiing more than 150 days per year. After winter season she surfs on the sandy beaches or rides her bike in the local mountains. Her calm and relaxed personality makes her the type of person you want to spend days in the mountains with and share all the good times and memories together.

Lauren Salko

USA

US FIS/Europa cup ski cross athlete

Lauren Salko is a Ski-Cross athlete based in Park City, Utah. When Lauren is not competing in Ski-Cross she loves exploring the mountains around Utah and the western united states with friends, family and her dog Silas in search of good times. Lauren is very passionate about the women’s ski community and believes that when women are together in the mountains, there is magic made. As an athlete living with type one diabetes Lauren is committed to showing others living with type one that nothing should hold them back.

Mirjam Jaeger

Switzerland

Ski Enthusiast, Presenter, Entrepreneur, Model and Mom

Mimi Jaeger grew up in Zürich, surrounded by the Alps, which led her to become a professional freestyle skier. Medal after medal in several championships and amazing ranking at the Olympic Games in Sochi gave her the will and strength to become a strong and independent woman. She remains an active, energetic and positive person after retiring from her sports career and being a full-time mom to Louie. Her personality didn’t go unnoticed by Elan’s W Studio. She was invited to create a very special design for limited edition skis within the project ‘We create skis with people who inspire’. The goal was to create a matching pair of mother-child skis for all the little boys and girls who are inspired by their all-time favorite superhero – their mom. 

Lea Bouard

France

Competitive freestyle skier

Lea is a passionate young mogul skier with a big zest for life. Her acrobatic lifestyle and enthusiastic spirit keep her active all year long trying new disciplines on snow and water. Sliding sports keep her in touch with nature and help her maintain a sane and happy mindset. Mogul skiing allows her to let go, but at the same time challenges her on a daily basis. She competed at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang in 2018, but failed to land on the podium. This experience made her even stronger and more driven to succeed, she is focused on competing again at the winter Olympics in 2022, this time with victory in mind.

Ana Pišot

Slovenia

National demo team member, Slovene ski Association

National demo team member, Ski instructor, Interior design student, nature enthusiast.
Ana`s life has been connected to skiing since young age. With both parents actively involved in sport, Ana`s path was set already at age of 3, when she started skiing. Now she is a ski instructor and doing this work for past seven years.
“Because both, mom and dad are ski instructors, skiing was and still is practically my lifestyle. I love skiing, I love snow and winter, I love people and working with them. I am sure that I will contribute to women skis collection with combination of my knowledge of skis, skiing and design study.”

Sonnia Hoefken

Germany

Ski & Yoga

Sonnia was born and raised in Munich, a city where most kids grow up skiing. After attending university, Sonnia started working in PR and advertising, and spent all her free time in the French Alps – but something was always missing: more skiing! So, she decided to take “just one winter season” in Val d´Isère, to check this box. The best thing she ever did.  In 2002, Sonnia began intensive yoga teacher training. In 2003, she founded her yoga company “Call-a-Yogi”. In 2006, Sonnia combined skiing & yoga and established a program called “SkiYo – feel the flow!” In 2009 she became a member of the Elan “family” – happily riding and promoting Elan skis to her broad target group of customers in the Alps.

Žana Vlaisavljevič

Slovenia

Family resort

Former professional tennis player, owner of marketing agency, sport enthusiast Žana could be role model for many modern women, combining professional and private life in most suitable way possible. Finding the right balance between work, family and having fun is extremely important and if there is any chance to combine them, even better. “Skiing can bring family together, that is a fact. I really enjoy preparing gear on Friday late night, so that I can go to the slopes next day, just to ski or watch my daughter having a race. Time, spent on snow, helps me overcome all daily challenges that I face in office and it is also time, when all the family can do something together. Carpe diem on snow!”

Krista Crabtree

USA

Ski enthusiast

Ski instructor, Director of Eldora Mountain resort women`s program, former editor at SKI Magazine, Freelance writer.
Through young age until now, skiing was in Krista`s DNA. She also did ski races, but since she had to use inadequate gear which was way too stiff for her, she really early started to think about women`s specific skis and rest of gear in order that girls and women should avoid “Tom Boy” nicknaming. “Inadequate gear at the time of my racing career was one of the reasons, that I started to think into direction of women-specific skis and other products. Now I finally have a chance to share my vast experience also with Elan, especially since Elan has a 15 years tradition with women-specific skis and together we can make another step forward.”

Melanja Korošec

HQ, Elan Slovenia

Creative mind behind the product strategy

Melanja grew up a stone’s throw away from the World Cup slope of Maribor in Slovenia. With Maribor as her home hill, she was inspired at age 6 to race, which over the years lead her be an athlete and ambassador for Elan. Years ago, she switched her focus from traveling and skiing towards developing products and building skis. Starting at Elan as a junior brand manager for the women’s line, Melanja was an essential member of the W Studio. Today she runs the global product & design team, responsible for the overall product line management and strategy, directing Elan’s innovation roadmap and product marketing related initiatives.

Klarisa Veselič

HQ, Elan Slovenia

W Studio team & product manager

Klarisa grew up in a small town in the middle of the Alps not far from Elan HQ and next to a ski slope. While traveling the world she pursued many sports. Even when she was studying design, she kept sports as part of her life. In 2017, she joined the Elan team which was exactly what she was searching for, a combination of sports industry and design. Today, Klarisa is key when it comes to the development of Elan’s women’s program from marketing to designing to developing products and building W Studio skis and accessories. Klarisa believes W Studio is a living example of women doing everything just as good as man can. She is connecting everything she loves in life; design, sports and adventure.

Caitlin Barter

Canada

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‘To tell the stories of the people and places of a small town through functional artwork’ is the aim of a Canadian brand Tipsy Canoe Designs started by Caitlin Barter in the summer of 2016. Caitlin is from Cascapedia, Quebec, a small town located in the Gaspesie best known for its fly fishing. Fishing and canoeing on the East Coast, is not just a part of life - it’s a lifestyle. Painting in some respect for most of her life, Caitlin has merged her love of the outdoors. Why stick to paddles if together we can create a unique design with this creative young woman? Since every paddle is handpainted with this project we’ve crossed a line that has never been crossed before here at Elan. One pair of skis was exclusively prepared for Caitlin to be painted on, creating an absolute masterpiece with one purpose: to be a part of a charity auction organized by Olympic Gold Medalist Kelsey Serwa.