In the Alps of western Austria one of the world's top ski gear makers is churning out the latest equipment as the sport, seeking to adjust to increasingly warm winters, moves further up-market. "There is a premium coming into skiing. That's a fact," says Atomic CEO Wolfgang Mayrhofer, in his office in the small town of Altenmarkt. While Atomic is looking at another year of record sales, ski resort operators are also optimistic about the coming season ahead despite having had to hike prices due to high energy costs. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES