Honestly, I don't know why anyone would want a pair of true WC skis. No thanks.
I agree 100%+. But people are obsessed with this. And as I think you know, there are about five grades of race skis built by most ski companies who are producing a TON of race product. The difference between the skis that even a 40 point skier buys {BUYS} through a US race department and race rep is absolutely nothing like what the top of the WCSL uses. Not close.
I rarely say "I know this game.....inside and out", but in this case I do.
I didn't want to jump all over the comment about ordering ideal skis to Mikaela and Hirscher form your friendly Atomic metal shop. Ahhh.....no. Nobody on the planet has "the same skis as Hirscher", and clearly no Atomic eraser in the US......simce NONE of his skis are built by Atomic! Well, not true.....his SG skis are.
We have a number of real WC skis, used by guys who have won Olympic Gold, and WC globes. They are no fun to free ski. My daughter was fully comped and had "select stock" skis form her company. Basically the skis that a US WC woman didn't want in her stable. At one point she had a couple of pairs of skis that were discarded by their top female athlete, and they were "too much".
The things are purpose built, in the case of the best for them, very specifically, and that purpose is pretty much unlike most of us need. Can some of us ski them? Sure. Best tool? I'd debate that. When they are free.....changes the equation.
The GS skis used by the top men can vary tremendously, as they do NOT all ski the same way. Ligety, Pinturault, Math Faivre and Jansrud all ski on Head, all ski GS, and all ski very differently. Their skis are different. Move down the start list and the skis are a lot more similar.
And.....al of those guys ski on Head because it's the biggest paycheck for them. That is what Primoz and I were saying. The athletes who are in a position to get paid, and well paid, make their decisions based on the deal....the money. Money trumps product, as all of these companies can built good product, for the top guys.
The topic of "race stock" comes up every now and then on here, as it did on Epic. Most are not on top of it.
Now......for some top masters racers {TOP}, a handed down, or top end new "close to WC" SL ski can be a great ski. Depending on how it's constructed, for what purpose, and for who.......
Rossi versus Lange boots is a whole other issue. The Head of US race assures us that they top boot will be IDENTICAL as of now. The new boots that will be skied now, and in the summer will be the same. They have not been. Other than some boots built for about 10 guys, with a lot of experimentation on "the plastic." Again, what "they" need and what "we" need are different.
A lot of folklore about how "identical" the race product is, at the WC level.......which is how this started.....between these sister companies. Some are very close. Some not so much.
The reason what you see fewer Nordica and Blizzard on the WC is that they put less money into the programs, have fewer athletes, and just are not that visible. As you move down the line, on the WCSL, you see more. Many more on the EC, and below. There it's not about the contract money, as there is very little. It's about the support, the tech service, and a lot of other factors.
Johan Eliasch, the Head CEO just spends wildly. And Rossi spends as well....a lot for some athletes. Stockli has some athletes indoor nice contracts, and many more under lean ones. I'm a bit confused with Dynastar. They keep the brand alive, race wise, on the WC and it's pretty popular outside of North America at pretty high race levels. Not a big stable of WC athletes.
It's a different "game" for sure.