The 26th edition of Prowinter, the leading b2b event for the outdoor and winter sports industry, has officially come to an end. Fiera Bolzano once again became the beating heart of the European ski business, welcoming companies, distributors, retailers and rental operators to preview the collections and innovations for winter 2026/2027.
Three days packed with new products and innovations, concluding on Tuesday 13 January, and marked this year by a strongly international outlook, also thanks to the opening of a new pavilion entirely dedicated to outdoor. This development was made possible by the joint work of Fiera Bolzano, the Italian Outdoor Group of Assosport and our MagNet Group, and featured the Scandinavian Village, which hosted prestigious international brands.
This year’s edition represented a decisive step forward in terms of Fiera Bolzano’s sustainable growth, already certified EarthCheck Silver. For the first time in the history of the Prowinter Award, an evaluation criterion dedicated to environmental responsibility was introduced, assessed by a specialized ESG consultant. Sustainability also took center stage in the Winter Sports Sustainability Network Meeting and in the Ski Industry Climate Summit, two key events completing the trade fair and dedicated to strategies and best practices for the future of winter sports.
“We are proud to inaugurate an edition that reflects the maturity reached by Prowinter. The presence of the Scandinavian Village and the direct participation of major international brands demonstrate that our trade fair is now recognized as an unmissable date on the European calendar,” stated Geraldine Coccagna, brand manager of Prowinter. “But we are not looking only at the numbers: this year we are placing a strong emphasis on responsibility. We wanted to integrate concrete ESG criteria both in the organization of the event and in the evaluation of the awarded products, because the future of the mountains inevitably starts here.”
The central moment of the opening was the announcement of the winners of the Prowinter Award 2026. Now in its fourth edition, the Prowinter Award 2026 featured products competing in 10 categories across the Ski and Outdoor worlds, enhanced by a Special Prize dedicated to cross-country skiing, evaluated by two juries of specialists.
Ski categories winners
- Alpine skis – Top Performance: NORDICA Dobermann Multigara Department: Awarded for its top-level construction, extreme attention to detail, and the complete integration of ski, plate and binding, ensuring precision, responsiveness and race-level performance for expert skiers and true piste purists.
- Alpine skis – Allmountain: VÖLKL Peregrine 82. Awarded for its dedicated technical solutions and materials, and for its ability to continuously adapt to variable snow conditions, delivering control and high performance both on and off piste.
- Ski touring skis: DYNASTAR M-Tour 94. Awarded for its exceptional lightness, the correct balance between weight and freeride geometries, and the wood core construction technology, ensuring reliable performance both uphill and downhill, in all snow conditions.
- Alpine ski boots – Top Performance: SALOMON S/Pro Alpha C-130. Awarded for the optimization of the BOA closure system and for the new Power Link connection between cuff and shell, delivering greater precision, stability and support while skiing.
- Alpine ski boots – Mid Performance: ATOMIC Nexus 120. Awarded for its new construction that facilitates entry and exit, and for the integration of the BOA system on the shell, offering immediate comfort and balanced performance to a broad range of users.
- Ski touring boots: SCARPA F1 RS. Awarded for the optimization of construction technologies, the BOA system on the cuff and the Overlap Flow easy-entry fit, delivering lightness, precision and maximum functionality both uphill and downhill.
- Prowinter Award Special Prize 2026 – Cross-country skiing, classic technique: MADSHUS Redline Skate ski, Skate X binding and boot. Awarded for redefining the connection between boot and ski through a new binding point that improves power transfer, lateral stability and efficiency in skating.
Outdoor categories winners
- Winter Active Footwear: MEINDL Winter Hiker GTX. Awarded for its balance between protection, comfort and real functionality, offering a reliable, waterproof and immediately usable winter shoe for a wide and active audience.
- Winter Expert Footwear: AKU Aurai DFS Evo GTX. Awarded for its high technical content, the Dual Fit System that enhances precision and control, and reliable protection in demanding winter conditions.
- Technical shell jacket: ORTOVOX Ortler Gore-Tex Jacket. Awarded for its excellent build quality, ergonomics designed for the alpine environment, and the balance between robustness, functionality and comfort.
The Prowinter 2026 experience also extended beyond the exhibition halls: on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 January, the event also took to the snow of Carezza with the Prowinter Test Days powered by ITASNOW and the Prove Libere Retail by Pool Sci Italia.
