After many, many months of prototype work between UK athletes and Salomon R & D crew members in French Alps the brand new Fell Cross shoe is ready to be launched this summer.

Though conceived in the Alps, the shoe has been bred in the UK Lake District and Scottish Highlands, where Ricky Lightfoot and Andy Symonds ply their trade, up and down the said 'fells' - hence the name!

With a planned release in the summer of 2011, Andy and Ricky give us their exclusive thoughts on the shoe and what it will mean for them and their racing in the UK:

Ricky
"As a mountain runner I have tried and tested every fell shoe on the market to find the “one for me” the one which fits me best and one I am most comfortable with when throwing myself down the mountain side.

Salomon have let me explore this aspect of the sport and take part in the development of a new and exciting shoe for the UK fell scene along with Andy Symonds.

We have developed this shoe over a number of months working closely with the Annecy HQ footwear team testing the shoe to its limit in the Lake District and at races such as the Mt Kinabalu Climbathon dubbed the “World’s Toughest” which is in Malaysia.

The Fell Cross has slowly developed and morphed in to what you see today and it promises to be “the” best shoe on the market for comfort, stability, grip and looks. I have finally found the one for me..."

Andy
"It's been a real pleasure to worth together with Ricky and the Annecy HQ footwear team on developing this new shoe, the Fell Cross.

For the Europeans "fell running" is a slightly bizarre concept, certainly an unknown quantity, "what, you race straight up and down mountains without following the footpath?"... "you have mountains in the UK?"... "what do you need all that grip for?".

It's been a great opportunity to answer some of these questions and get into the nitty-gritty of product development. We know what we wanted, but where do you start?

Over the last 6 months or so, Ricky and I have tested, trashed and provided feedback on a line of evolving prototypes and I can say that we're now very close to having a seriously classy fell shoe. It will be light, comfortable, grippy and, of course, incredibly well wrapped up in a very flashy shell! Roll on the release..."