. ski analyses : Winters without snow continue... - 12 October 2002 - 00:31
We have noticed this season, an evident lack of snow coverage in the major part of the European resorts. This more and more frequent phenomenon particularly touched Alps this year. But it was also a problem in autumn 2001 in North America where many events foreseen in November and December were postponned.
Even if the technical means allow to assure the good progress of the competitions, it is disturbing to see some very renowned resorts with levels of snow coverage not better than a few centimeters. Global warming? Maybe. But the winter was also characterized by very big colds in Scandinavia, in the Northeast of France and in central Europe.
For the moment, resorts have to invest massively in production of artificial snow which allow the events of Ski World Cup to be run, but especially to welcome the tourists in acceptable conditions.
Regrettably for these last ones, snow-blowers are not generating the pleasure of a natural snow. The grain is thick, the slopes hards and often icy.
These conditions are perfectly convenient for the alpine skiing races. The organizers even go as far as spraying the tracks of water, at night which precedes the running, to obtain an extremely compact cover.
Because this is the problem in competition: a fresh snow cannot support the many competitors without degrading quickly. Hollows form, privileging considerably the first bibs, and the restoration of the track is almost impossible in case of a second run.
The case occurred in Berchtesgaden (Germany), during the feminine slalom. A thick coat of snow fell during the night and the last bibs of the race had to compose with a real "field of bumps". How to have good results in these conditions?
If snow-blowers are very effective, they can work only in a certain rank of temperatures. As for the snow of culture (sites of height serving as reserves and wich the snow gets back for the skiable areas) is needed a minimum of real snow showers to take advantage of it.
So in Aspen (USA) most of the events were postponned in different places and only the men Slalom were able to be assured. The track was completely prepared with artificial means. But a good undercoat and a much superior surface are necessary to open the events of speed (length, width and safety margins of the track).
Everything cannot be made by the snow-blowers. The work realized by the American team was remarkable as the resort presented a summer look.
Sames problems append in Val d'Isere (France), situated at 1.800 meters height. The men were able to run in good conditions on the track "OK". The ladies events which had to be run on the track "G" were cancelled and postponned to Megeve. Next week, Megeve had no snow. It's.. Val d'Isere which finally received the ladies on the "OK". The "G" remained unusable because it was cleared of snow to assure a sufficient quality on the end and finish area. Val d'Isere had already recover postponned events the previous season.
If it wasn't any more question about cancellation for the Ski World Cup, places showing some snow on the tracks of competition and close were rare.
Flowers were often exiting to "look" the events. It was the case in Italy, in the Alps as in the Dolomites, in Switzerland in a lesser measure, in Austria and in Germany.
We more often drove under a radiant sun or in the rain than on the snow. Only Sweden was really ok, but we still had some rainy drops in January at 200 Km of the polar circle!
Flachau-Zauchensee's finales (Austria), at the beginning of March, had a front spring taste, even in height.
Let's wish that the years of "thin cows" are behind us and that the white dream doesn't leave us. If not, it'll be necessary to create a new tour including Antarctica, Nepal and, with a little luck, the Andes Cordillera.
Alpine Racing Press, 2002