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A live camera pans in every direction along the Rettenbach Glacier in Sölden, austria – A way to show snow conditions at the resort AlpsInstead of blankets of snow everywhere, the images show a light dusting – caused by recent snowfall – over rocks, debris and dirt ahead of the season-opening World Cup ski race.
The notable exception was the majestic ribbon of snow built primarily for last weekend’s races. Agreed, the season has started in Sölden. But this kind of minimal snow scenario is playing out all over the planet. Current images of Copper Mountain in Colorado, which is hosting a series of races next month, show only a light layer of snow.
As the Earth is warming at record rates, winters are shorter and milder and there is less snow globally, creating obvious challenges for winter sports that rely on cold, snowy conditions. With 100 days to go until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games begin, many athletes say climate change is shaping their training and perhaps even the future of their sport.
As snowboarder Bi Kim is focused on earning a spot to represent Team USA at the Winter Olympics, she’s also wondering how much longer she’ll be able to do what she loves.
“I’m worried about the future of winter,” Kim said.
chasing Ice
Canadian freestyle skier Marion Thenault trains in the mountains near her team’s home base in Quebec City. Two seasons ago, they couldn’t jump there until the end of the season because there wasn’t enough snow. In January, he trained in Park City, utah,
“We’re chasing the snow,” she said. “One of the sad things is that we’re increasing our environmental impact by chasing ice, so we’re also contributing to the problem.”
Air travel is a significant contributor to climate change because burning jet fuel releases carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, warming the planet.
Thenault has reduced his own environmental impact by resorting to buses and trains instead of short flights, not flying home between competitions, and biking throughout the summer. She is working with her sponsor, engineering firm WSP, on a proposal for geographically clustering competitions to reduce air travel.
“At this rate right now, we’re not moving in the right direction,” he said. “But we can do something about it.”
dealing with smoke and mud
When smoke from Canadian wildfires arrived in the United States this summer, American cross country skier Julia Kern trained in the gym instead of roller skiing outside.
The frequency and intensity of wildfires is increasing around the world due to climate change. As an elite athlete who relies on her lung strength to compete, Kern could not afford to breathe unhealthy air.
,People I often think about the cold and snow,” she said. “But now we’re also seeing the impact on our game during summer training.”
In the winter, Kern is deliberately training more in muddy conditions as recent World Championships have been hot and muddy. He has cut the sleeves of his uniform at the beginning of the race because it was warmer than he was used to.
Kern uses her platform to advocate for climate action.
“Everyone has a chance to better their future,” he said.
have a backup plan
Southern Europe, where athletes, coaches and spectators will gather in 100 days, is one of the fastest-warming regions. The amount of increase in average winter temperatures there since 2000 is equal to the amount of increase in temperatures there arcticThat’s “eye-opening,” said Judah Cohen, a visiting scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who specializes in winter weather and forecasting.
The dramatic changes in the Arctic are compounding the effects of climate change elsewhere, Cohen said. Some places are now seeing more severe winter weather with more snowfall as rapid warming in the Arctic is disrupting the polar vortex, sending cold air southward.
Inconsistent weather has made it more challenging to prepare athletes to compete in major events like the Olympics, said Sophie Goldschmidt, CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, who said backup plans are needed.
“We have to be more flexible, which will ultimately cost more money to ensure that our athletes can get the right and best conditions for training at different points in the year,” he said. “And that means changing plans and changing locations often.”
The future of these sports is “directly tied to the health of our planet,” Goldschmidt said.
fine line
Norwegian ski racer Alexander Aamodt Kilde wants to make a difference with climate change. But the two-time Olympic medalist also realizes that he races in a sport that requires people traveling around the world to compete and uses tons of water to make snow for races.
Kilday said, “I’m deeply looking for a climate expert or activist. They’d probably look at me and say, ‘You’re doing nothing. You’re a bad role model.’ “I wish I could do more.”
“I’m no expert,” he said. “I’m no politician. I don’t know much about climate. I know I go skiing and it needs snow.”
on the domestic front
Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, cross-country skier Gus Schumacher’s playground was always his backyard. He’ll click on his skis and head off into the snowy forest.
Last January, when he got home, there was no sign of snow. He said it was “quite disappointing”.
Schumacher is part of the athlete-run environmental group “Protect Our Winters”. He also spoke at a Senate hearing on climate change and its impact on outdoor recreation in March 2024, an experience he found gratifying but scary.
He has noticed climate change across Europe, especially in his Anchorage backyard.
“It’s very easy to tell where (glaciers) used to be from the vegetation growth and the rock,” Schumacher said. “It’s a very clear reminder.”
rolling together
For training before snow falls, members of the US Ski Mountaineering Squad rely on skis on wheels. There is a paved valley road in Utah that the team uses for cardio work, with an elevation gain of approximately 2,500 feet (762 m).
Ski mountaineering, which is making its Olympic debut this winter, combines trekking uphill before turning into skiing downhill. It’s a race that gets the heart racing.
That’s why U.S. Ski Mountaineering sports leader Sarah Kukler provides shuttle service to take team members down the road. She lifts them to the top.
Anything to stay in tip-top shape, given that reliable snow conditions are becoming less dependable. The same applies for race day, which is why competitions may need to be held at higher altitudes.
In December, the World Cup ski-mountaineering event will be held at Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah. The elevation of the mountain’s base is 7,994 feet (2,437 m) – higher than typical European mountains. To acclimatize, many international teams plan to arrive in Utah two weeks early.
“That’s where we may have to go,” Kukler said. “There is no longer (persistent) snow at lower elevations.”
off and running
Of course, there’s always running. American ski mountaineer Cam Smith is doing this more these days as a way to maintain stamina in the winter — if he can’t train on snow.
He has noticed the difference in competitions in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
“Being close to the oceans, it’s made a huge difference because there’s a lot more rain in the middle of winter,” Smith said. “Not only is there less snow falling, but the snow that’s already on the ground is also flowing. This is really serious and noticeable.”
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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf and Associated Press writer Eric Wilmsen contributed.
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