Sara Hector, 33, has competed in the World Cup since 2009 and has been part of the negative development and seen what climate change has done to snow availability.
It has happened a lot in recent years and the conditions on glaciers have become significantly worse. It feels very sad to see that change, she says.
Previously, the Swedish national team put all their preseason training on glaciers in the Alps. But since not all years have conditions for training on those glaciers, they have instead traveled to New Zealand or Argentina in recent years to be able to train on snow.
It is actually an alarming trend. It is a costly story – both for the environment and for the economy, said national team manager Per Jonsson to TT earlier this year.
Laying out tarps
In Sölden, and in several other places in the Alps, snow is saved on glaciers during the winter so that it will remain until summer and autumn training for skiers.
One sprays more snow in the winter so that it does not come out of the mountain and becomes even warmer. And then you lay out tarps, cover the glaciers, so the snow is preserved, says Hector.
I have not read any research but it feels positive for the glaciers, that the glaciers that one takes care of remain. I think I see that they are preserved better.
Experiments are being conducted both in the Alps and on Swedish glaciers with laying out tarps on the snow so that sunlight is reflected and the ice is insulated, which slows down the melting. But the absolute most important measure to prevent glaciers from melting is to reduce emissions and limit global warming, research shows.
”Both advantages and disadvantages”
Hector has lived in Austrian Au for a few years. It rained a lot there last summer – and snowed on the glaciers instead. The Swedish national team has therefore been able to train some on glaciers in the Alps recently.
But Hector got the best snow training in Uschuaia in southern Argentina, where she was for a month.
There are more slopes to choose from, and it can become spring snow or compact winter snow – it is easier to develop to become more complete compared to glaciers where you always get the same surface. There you can instead develop the feeling and your highest level. Everything has both advantages and disadvantages.
The World Cup starts as usual with giant slalom competitions on the Rettenbach glacier in Sölden, Austria.
On Saturday, the women compete, first run 10.00 and second run 13.00. On Sunday, it's the men's turn at the same times.
The competitions can be followed on Viaplay.
Swedish skiers: Sara Hector, Estelle Alphand, Hilma Lövblom, Hanna Aronsson Elfman and Cornelia Öhlund as well as William Hansson, Fabian Ax Swartz and Adam Hofstedt.
