New for 2022, the Blizzard Thunderbird Sport Ca occupies the mid-range of the lineup, offering fantastic edge grip, a lot of energy, and a lighter weight than the more advanced versions of the ski. Sharing shape with the Thunderbird R15 WB, the Sport Ca features a 76-mm waist width and a full-camber profile. Just 2 mm of tip and tail rocker, but that’s really more to help with the entry and exit of the turn, allowing skiers a bit more playfulness to achieve those beautifully round arcs without being catchy. Built with Blizzard’s new True Blend on-piste wood core, the Thunderbird Sport Ca is constructed with denser wood stringers underfoot and lighter, more flexible material in the shovels and tails. For intermediates to advanced skiers looking for an awesome on-trail ski that can linked wonderfully round carved turns with a bunch of energy, this is a great way to do it. The skis in the 170 cm length generate a 14-meter turn radius, so these are some fairly quick-turners. If you’re gaining confidence and skill in the carving world, these skis will give you that next boost of energy and ability to get to your goals in the skiing world. Fun, quick, and energetic, the Blizzard Thunderbird Sport Ca occupies a huge portion of the ski world, in that skiers of this level need a ski that allows them to improve, but will not outgrow this ski anytime soon due to the high-end performance ceiling.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber
CORE MATERIALS
TrueBlend On-Piste, Carbon Reinforcement
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Groomers, All Mountain
Bob St.Pierre skied the 170, noting that while it was too short for him, the skis were “extremely impressive, having the right kind of energy for a lot of different skiers and skier ability.” Bob scored the skis 5’s out of 5 for forgiveness, quickness, and maneuverability. Overall impression was a surprising 4, and torsional stiffness and edge grip were right up there as well with a 3.5 out of 5. “Very agile ski, I wish they made it in a 180+, but oh well, that’s what the R15 WB is for, I guess. Regardless, the Sport Ca has a lot of power to it, even in the shorter length. This goes to show that you really do not need two sheets of metal to get a stable and strong ski. Blizzard’s use of their True Blend on-piste wood core and carbon stringers do a lot of the heavy lifting normally associated with titanal laminates, and it does so at a fraction of the weight. While I can’t see myself or someone my size and power skiing this on a daily basis, I do think there’s a huge opportunity for a lot of skiers to get on a very strong and energetic ski like this Sport Ca.” At the end of the day, it’s really all about having fun, and if what’s on your feet allows you to do that, then so much the better.
John McIntosh was also on the 170, and noted that for him, it felt just right. Lots of 4’s on John’s scorecard for these skis, including overall impression, forgiveness, torsional stiffness, edge hold, quickness, and maneuverability. This is a consistently high-scoring ski from our testers, showing that the Thunderbird Sport Ca has some hidden talents that should certainly be brough to the forefront. John notes that the Thunderbird Sport Ca is a “Lively frontside carver/groomer but forgiving with the Carbon construction. Easy turn initiation and completion.” There’s a whole lot of skiers out there who spend pretty much all of their time making linked carved turns on groomed trails, and these skiers would greatly benefit from these attributes of the Sport Ca.
From intermediate cruisers to advanced carvers, the 2022 Blizzard Thunderbird Sport Ca has a whole lot of positives that should not be overlooked. They are agile and quick, while remaining strong and stable, and that’s just a winning combination when it comes to a front side cruiser. If you’re looking for a ski that will make some of the cleanest and roundest arcs on the mountain, and that are light and easy to ski, look no further than the Blizzard Thunderbird Sport Ca.
