Side-reinforced ski

A ski, comprising:

• a solid foam core of rectangular cross section and composed of a foamed synthetic resin material occupying a major portion of the cross section of the ski;
• an upper bearing element of comparatively high modulus of elasticity overlying said foam core and having a width at most equal to the width of said core;
• an upper decorative layer overlying said upper bearing element and defining an upper surface of said ski over a width at least equal to the width of said core;
• a lower bearing element of comparatively high modulus of elasticity underlying said core;
• a sliding sole forming a running surface for said ski underlying said lower bearing element and having a width greater than the width of said core;
• a pair of edge strips each extending along one longitudinal edge of said sliding sole and having a lower portion flush with said running surface and an upper portion extending inwardly over said sliding sole;
• and
• respective side elements flanking each longitudinal side of said core, each of said side elements being formed as a laminate of an inner synthetic resin layer in direct contact with a respective longitudinal side of said core, a metal blade overlying each said inner synthetic resin layer, and an outer synthetic resin layer overlying each said metal blade and defining a lateral surface of the ski, the thickness of each of said side elements at the bottom thereof being substantially equal to the width of a respective said upper portion of an edge strip upon which the side element rests, at least an upper edge of the outer layer and said blade of each of said side elements being exposed at the upper surface of the ski adjacent said upper decorative layer, said foam core, said screw-anchor plate, said bearing elements, said sliding sole, said side elements and said edge strips being interconnected to form an integral ski body.