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Imagine a European mountain village hosting a World Cup cross-country ski competition. A pristine blanket of snow covers the trees and rooftops. Spectators cradled cups of hot chocolate in their mittened hands as athletes glided past on a perfectly maintained track.
This is the postcard version for now. In the age of climate change, the reality is often not so idyllic.
“When it’s warm and wet, the snow gets really dirty,” said Zach Ketterson, a Bloomington native and skier on the World Cup tour. “There’s a lot of rocks, dirt and sticks, and the course has ruts that sometimes sink you up to your ankles.
“You go to what is supposed to be a winter wonderland and there’s just mud and grass everywhere. Climate change is right in front of us and it’s hard for us to ignore it.”
Organizers of next weekend’s Loppet Cup were hoping for a classic Minnesota winter to host the first World Cup cross-country race to be held in the United States since 2001. Instead, record-breaking warmth and precious snow meant a huge effort was needed to stay on course. He’s in good shape for the sprints and 10km race at Theodore Wirth Park.
It’s become a painfully common scenario for people who make a living on ice and snow. Athletes like Kettersson and Olympic champion Jesse Diggins (Afton) regularly see the effects of climate change on races that result in poor snow conditions, cancellations and safety issues.
As the problem grows, winter sports organizations are becoming increasingly concerned about their future. The International Olympic Committee said last year that by 2040, only 10 countries will have the climate necessary to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. For the past four Winter Games, there was a lack of natural snow needed for the games, so it was necessary to create artificial snow at the venues.
“spare [studies] “We have already shown that the Winter Olympics need to be adapted to take into account the effects of climate change,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in October last year. We need to look for it,” he said.
Organizations and individuals who rely on winter are stepping up efforts to protect it. Diggins is one of many athletes lobbying for legislation to curb climate change. From World Cup venues to local ski resorts, venues have made sustainability part of their mission and know their survival depends on it.
That will also be reflected in the Loppet Cup. The Loppet Foundation, which organizes the race, will host a “climate dialogue” panel discussion with environmental activist and author Bill McKibben after Sunday’s 10k race. Xcel Energy will power the event with wind and solar energy, and electric vehicles and reusable cups will be used.
Claire Wilson, executive director of the Loppet Foundation, said the organization is constantly discussing how to address climate change. Like many World Cup players, she’s seeing the effects up close.
“When I moved here 20 years ago, I could ski all winter long,” Wilson said. “We’ve groomed so many trails in this area that it could probably be a different venue every day. This winter we didn’t have a single natural snow trail groomed all winter. It’s heartbreaking. .”
rely on artificial snow
Kettersson and Diggins said the cross country situation in Europe has generally been good this season. Still, the Tour de Ski stage race in Torbrach, Italy, was forced to change course due to a light snowfall in January.
The situation for the alpine skiing World Cup tour has worsened, with races in Germany and France canceled due to rain and warmth. Last season, seven of the first eight World Cup alpine races were canceled due to warm weather and snow. During last year’s Tour de Ski stage in Oberstdorf, Germany, temperatures exceeded 50 degrees.
At Worth Park, the Loppet Foundation had to postpone the start of its cross-country ski program from late November to mid-to-late December, and Wilson said the trails are now “completely reliant on artificial snow.” Stated.
When Mr. Diggins was a child, he used to build giant snow forts in his garden. By the time she was in high school, she recalled, there were some years when the team had to take a road trip to ski on artificial snow.
“I remember feeling depressed and kind of anxious and worried at that time,” she said. “Now I see the impact on the World Cup.
“Right now, in order to bid for the World Cup, we have to be able to make snow. Even in February, you can’t rely on natural snow. That’s outrageous to me. But this… shows how much our winters have changed.” ”
In 2022, a team led by the University of Waterloo in Canada studied climate change in the 21 cities that have hosted the Winter Olympics. The report predicted that without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, only one place in Japan, Sapporo, will be able to host fair and safe Olympic snow sports by the end of the century. Eight cities will have a suitable climate if the Paris Climate Agreement standards are achieved.
Kettersson said some historic World Cup venues are “throwing in the towel” by canceling races due to unstable conditions. The event is moving to higher elevations to increase the chances of quality snow.
Event cancellations and venue changes aren’t the only dangers of racing in warm weather. At the 2014 Sochi Games, Diggins raced in a tank top without a hat or gloves, but still became dehydrated and overheated.
Artificial snow tends to produce harder ice, and athletes land on harder ground, which can increase falls and injuries. Warm, wet conditions make choosing and waxing the right skis difficult, and your equipment can have a big impact on your results.
”[Bad snow] It can be less safe,” Kettersson said. There were several World Cups where there was so much trash in the snow that skis would break after just one race. ”
Athletes turned advocates
Climate change also affects the economy. Wilson said the Loppet Foundation will take a “huge hit” financially this year due to the lack of snow and reduced outdoor recreation programs.
Given the increased unpredictability of Minnesota’s winters, the foundation is adjusting its financial model to include activities that are not dependent on the weather.
“We want to incorporate more nature-based programming, yoga and things like that,” Wilson said. “If you spend only one to two months a year on the snow, our model doesn’t allow you to generate all of your revenue during the winter.”
The economic impact can be felt throughout the community. Snow sports are a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States, and some mountain towns depend on the jobs and income generated by busy ski areas.
The stakes are so high that advocacy groups, snowsports organizations, and individuals are joining forces. U.S. Ski & Snowboard recently introduced Easy Green, which promotes sustainability and climate change awareness. Many American athletes have joined Protect Our Winters, an advocacy group calling for climate change legislation.
Diggins, director of Protect Our Winters, spoke on Capitol Hill and addressed the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.
“They agree on both sides of the aisle that, ‘Yes, this is a problem,'” she said. “‘Yes, it’s man-made. And yes, we have to fix it.’ They don’t necessarily agree with the method, but something like this It’s really great to even be at this stage where the conversations are happening.”
Wilson is confident the course at Worth Park will provide a quality course for the Loppet Cup, even if it doesn’t reflect the Snow Dome atmosphere she envisioned. Diggins sees opportunity, if not beauty, in this brown winter.
This event will bring World Cup cross-country skiing to the American stage for the first time in 23 years. Mr Diggins hopes that with around 35,000 people watching at Worth Park and many more watching via livestream, they will be motivated to think about climate change and inspired to take action. .
“Everyone who participates in these races is concerned about winter,” she said. “This is a reminder that we shouldn’t take it for granted. Little kids who get energized by these races should have the opportunity to ski on their own when they grow up. We want them to give. That’s why this is so important.” ”
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