Changing climate imperils future of skiing

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Changing Climate Is Forcing World Cup Organizers to Adapt
By NATHANIEL VINTON
Published: November 27, 2006

ASPEN, Colo., Nov. 26 — High temperatures in Europe have disrupted the Alpine skiing World Cup, throwing the calendar of the sport’s premier circuit into disarray and raising questions about the future of a sport so vulnerable to climate change.

“It will very quickly be a big crisis for us if we continue canceling races in December,” said Atle Skaardal, who oversees the women’s portion of the tour for the International Ski Federation. “I think it’s very critical, not only for racing but for public skiing, which also has a big impact on racing. We all have to hope for colder temperatures and snowfall in Europe.”...

***

On Saturday, race organizers in St. Moritz, Switzerland, canceled World Cup races scheduled for Dec. 9-10, saying temperatures were too high for them to make artificial snow.

Men’s races scheduled for that weekend in Val d’Isere, France, are in peril, too, and the International Ski Federation, which runs the World Cup, will make a decision about that race Wednesday....A month ago, the season-opening race in Sölden, Austria, was canceled because warm rain melted snow off the Rettenbach glacier, the site of the season opener for the past six years.

In recent years, managers of some of the highest ski resorts in the Alps have taken the extreme measure of wrapping glaciers and snowfields with foam insulation to decelerate the ravages of summer heat. World Cup skiers, who rely on such locations for their year-round training regimens, could be the canaries in the coal mine for the skiing industry in general....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/27/sports/othersports/27ski.html

[treestar]

1. When football is affected

Maybe the freepers and the like will pay attention.

They are basically in denial otherwise.

[zanne]

2. When they can't use their snowmobiles anymore...

They'll start paying attention.

[havocmom]

4. Devastation to grain producing areas might rattle them too.

;)

[lapfog_1]

6. Wouldn't surprise me that stats now reflect that it IS, in fact,

affecting football.

Summer training camp. Heat stroke and dehydration. Don't know the actual stats, but it seems like, even with improved health care and caution for the players (high school through pro) that we have more incidents now than 10, 20, 40 years ago.

[Auggie]

9. Or NASCAR...

[MadHound]

3. Well, something that might actually get the moneyed set off their asses

And actually do something constructive about global warming. Sad that it has to come down to their precious resorts in St. Moritz or Vail being threatened in order for them to take notice and do something, but hey, better late than never.

[slackmaster]

5. Yeah but it will be GREAT for water skiing

[phantom power]

7. It's going to imperil our ability to eat. I'd like to see a story about that.

[donsu]

10. true, yes the food chain is already disrupted

nt

[Buzz Clik]

8. Can 't ski on raped mountainsides? What a bummer!

We've got a problem with the jet set
'Cause those no good lazy bastards like to ski.

-- from "The Colorado Song" by Grubstake

[librechik]

11. American slopes have lots more snow than Old Europe

I wonder if they'll stop looking down their noses at us uncivilized cowboys and schedule more World Cup races on this side of the pond. There's always fresh powder at Loveland.