Blå-Skia skis were some of the best, but some of the most unheralded, racing skis in the glory days of wood skis. Based in Nittedal, a valley or two from Oslo, Blå-Skia never reached the epic production levels of competitors Splitkein or Landsem, but devotees such as Odd Martinsen and Ivar Formo brought the brand glory.
This account by the local history association, Nittedal Historielag, chronicles the career of company founder Ivar Halvorsen from his time as an apprentice working under ski innovator Bjørn Ullevoldsæter, to the demise of his company after the Norwegian ski industry got de-pantsed by European fiberglass ski makers in the 1970s and 1980s.
For extra realistic effect, the book is written entirely in NORWEGIAN, so download that Google translate app onto your phone and start digging in! Even if the thought of lutefisk during the holidays makes you vomit, or you can't properly say "Oddvar Brå brakk staven", the pictures alone make this book worth it!!!
